Oregon

[Zanna]

Wow they look so much alike!!!

Delawares should have yellow (not white or green) legs and a deep bowl shaped body. A good Delaware is big and meaty as they were developed as the original broiler before the cornish X was developed. The females should have (my description) a peppered look around their neck and black tail feathers with a white border. The males should have barring in their tail, not solid black. Here are some pics of my far from perfect Delawares but should help you to see the difference

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

Wow they look so much alike!!!

Actually, they don't. Delaware's have a more Columbian feather pattern and larger combs, as well as more a black color then light grey. Light Sussex have a lot more black/grey to.

Delaware pullet: (mine, in Febuary)

Light Sussex pullet: (not mine, pic off the Internet).

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

Delawares should have yellow (not white or green) legs and a deep bowl shaped body.  A good Delaware is big and meaty as they were developed as the original broiler before the cornish X was developed. The females should have (my description) a peppered look around their neck and black tail feathers with a white border.  The males should have barring in their tail, not solid black.  Here are some pics of my far from perfect Delawares but should help you to see the difference

Sorry, I guess we were posting at the same time. Gorgeous roo!

 

[Zanna]

Sorry, I guess we were posting at the same time. Gorgeous roo!

Hey, thanks! Well, I can certainly pick him apart but he's given me a great start. Hoping to show some of his offspring at the Spring show in Salem. I Must be nuts, white birds!!! I figure if I can get a white horse clean, should be able to deal with a chicken!

 

[peepacheep]

Beautiful Delawares Zanna!

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

Hey, thanks!  Well, I can certainly pick him apart but he's given me a great start.  Hoping to show some of his offspring at the Spring show in Salem.  I Must be nuts, white birds!!!  I figure if I can get a white horse clean, should be able to deal with a chicken!

I'm going to be showing too. I'm hoping that the RIR's I ordered will be OK to show because it really depends how big they are by then. As far as a white bird, someone gave me this "recipe" to wash white birds in:
2 tbsp bleach first bucket
2 tblsp vinegar second bucket
Plain water third bucket
Dry directly after

I have a white Frizzle Cochin Bantam, and boy is it hard to keep her clean.

 

[Zanna]

I'm going to be showing too. I'm hoping that the RIR's I ordered will be OK to show because it really depends how big they are by then. As far as a white bird, someone gave me this "recipe" to wash white birds in:
2 tbsp bleach first bucket
2 tblsp vinegar second bucket
Plain water third bucket
Dry directly after
I have a white Frizzle Cochin Bantam, and boy is it hard to keep her clean.

Thanks for the recipe, still can't wrap my head around bathing a chicken!!!!

Hi peepacheep, long time no speak I read lots but don't post much.

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

Yep, no problem. Just take caution with bleach because it can burn the skin if it gets on the skin or you use to much.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Yep, no problem. Just take caution with bleach because it can burn the skin if it gets on the skin or you use to much.

I never use bleach on any of my birds. I figure if I wouldn't bathe myself in it, I'm not going to bathe my chickens in it. I do use horse shampoo, a whitening shampoo called QuikSilver for light birds and a color enhancing shampoo called QuikColor for dark birds.

Bleach can also be very drying to the feathers and cause them to be brittle...

 

[Zanna]

I never use bleach on any of my birds. I figure if I wouldn't bathe myself in it, I'm not going to bathe my chickens in it. I do use horse shampoo, a whitening shampoo called QuikSilver for light birds and a color enhancing shampoo called QuikColor for dark birds.

Bleach can also be very drying to the feathers and cause them to be brittle...

I would worry about the bleach as well. Someone I purchased birds from at the fall show uses a laundry soap called Vivid for bathing white birds. Anyone else use that? She also uses a puppy shampoo made by Zodiak with a 30 day residual that kills fleas/ticks. I would think that would work well if the birds have any mites before taking to a show. I can tell you that the 3 birds I bought still look amazing and smell wonderfull!