Ok I'm here.
Now I know the other posting got blasted and quite frankly I'm not privey to why and don't need to be. I must confess, I limit my long conversations to just a few folks and unfortuanately you folks are it.
Ya know some one posted about improving a breed, Orloffs specifically, making it a better layer or meatier bird. She mentioned a book, you'll have to read the other post. Here is what I said, cuz I think it pertains to Delawares as well.
Delawares are my passion breed of poultry. I have not read the book you've posted. However Delawares were originally a dual purpose bird for both eggs and table. While appearance is important I can not disclude these important traits. From my point of view all aspects and traits of a breed should be bred for. Personality, appearance, and productivity.
It can hardly be considered that the original Rhode Island Reds, another dual purpose breed, were bred for the aggressive roosters, which many are finding.
As for the Orloff, the Feb issue of Practical Poultry, of which I am an avid fan , has an article about the Orloff.
It seems to me that an Orloff that lays more than the expected 150 eggs per year would still be an Orloff. Though adding another breed to the line to achieve that end would disqualify it as an Orloff.
Just as I believe adding Columbian Rocks or CornishX's to the Delaware breed to improve meatiness disqualifies it from being a true Delaware.
A breed must breed true and a Delaware pair that throws offspring that look similar to the Columbian Rock or has the body type of the Cornish X are not true Delawares.
Unless of course the APA disagrees.
As for laying my Delawares do very well when it's warm and I've kept Nick and the girls in the run and they layed very well yesterday 5/6. One has a chick so she's probably not laying again yet. Speckled hen I think Georgia girl is laying, if my finger test is correct. Earlier than the EE's she hatched with. She is not one of the six.
Now I've previously mentioned "Minnie Rose Lovgreens recipe for raising chickens" ? Well further reading revealed her recipe for stopping mean roosters from biting and I quote "I had one too that pecked at my legs, so I swatted him with a piece of board. He watches out for me now."
It's a very simple down to earth book, not large but good. She was born 1888 in Norfolk County, England.
Nice to see you folks have a nice day
Rancher