Received my 25 Delaware chicks today

[sloallie10]

Quote:
COOL!

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Keep posting pics! Mine are 2 wks behind yours and your pics give me hope they will get past this ugly adolescent stage.

 

[TNpoultrybreeder]

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Hi JoAnn WI 4-H Mom
I am sure they will. Week 3,4,5 I was thinking the same thing. But around week 6 they started feathering out. I am very happy with mine as I am sure you will be of yours to. The only thing I wish to see change in mine is the color of there legs. I think there legs will turn more yellow as they get older. Please post pictures of yours I would love to see them.

TNpoultrybreeder

 

[speckledhen]

TN, I think the leg color is something that is thought of last, but you're right, they are supposed to be bright yellow. One of my girls in particular has more dull/dusky yellow legs, but overall, I'm pleased with the leg color of this batch. It's just one of those traits you cull for, but there are so many traits to get right with these birds, that it's hard to get them all correct at the same time. Guess if you did, it'd be a perfect Delaware, right? I'm glad you're enjoying them. It's fun to watch their markings evolve.

 

[TNpoultrybreeder]

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Hi speckledhen
I have 23 Delaware chicks 10 males and 13 females. My plan is to keep all until they are a year old. Then I will take the two best males and all of the best females by the American Standard of Perfection ( Scale of Points ). Each chicken will have a total number of points and the chickens with the highest numbers will be the ones in the breeding pen. Below are a few pictures I will look at to get the best (high number) and cull the bad (low number).

 

[Dirt Road]

TNpoultrybreeder;
Mind if I ask where you got the pic's and the point values?
Very interesting.

Jim

 

[speckledhen]

Well, I know the pics are from the Standard of Perfection. Glowing health and body type would be my top two. You see that Del male? You rarely see a very deep chested type like that on hatchery stock, so that is a really hard trait to get right. Then the comb, wing carriage, color, even earlobes have a certain type you look for. You could breed these for years and never get them all right since there is so little quality stock available.

 

[TNpoultrybreeder]

Quote:
Hi Jim
The pictures and Scale of Points is out of the American Standard of Perfection. Later this year the new edition of American Standard of Perfection will be out and I plan on getting it as soon as I can.

TNpoultrybreeder

 

[Dirt Road]

I have the Standard of Perfection, ('01) but hadn't seen the point values overlayed on the pic's as you posted.
Sent me scurrying for the book. LOL

Jim

 

[TNpoultrybreeder]

Quote:
Hi speckledhen
Sometimes it is hard to understand that breeder stock was not allways breeder stock. I think most or at least a big part of your breeder stock come from hatchery stock at one point. I think anyone interested in breeding a breed of poultry can take hatchery stock chicks breed them to the American Standard of Perfection and in a few years have breeder stock. To me that is what breeder stock is a poultry breeder that culls out the bad and breeds to the Standard. It may not be easy but that is the fun part choosing the best to breed and trying to improve the breed year by year.

TNpoultrybreeder