Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[pinkchick]

Jeremy~ I am very sorry to read about the loss of your hen. I too just experienced that with one of my BCM hens....it was very sad and very hard. Hugz to you my friend!

I hope you have a better day today.

 

[Goose and Fig]

So sorry Jeremy.

Its been a few years since we've seen that happen and I'm grateful for that. Is this something that's more common to high-production breeds? As opposed to ornamentals, I mean.

 

[capayvalleychick]

Quote:
Learning to cook my own chickens has been a long process for me, after eating store bought, boneless chicken breasts for decades.

I finally know how to prepare a good roasted heritage chicken. My problem was that it's too hot here all summer to use the oven, so I have to use the grill. I have been thrilled with the Delawares because they are the first heritage chicken that I've found that can be cooked on the BBQ and still taste great.

Kim

 

[kathyinmo]

About cooking heritage chicken, I like this document from albc.....

http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/cookingwheritagechicken.pdf

 

[jeremy]

Thank you everyone for your kind words.

I feel like I've read somewhere that it is a more common problem with high production birds, like I mentioned the two instances I've delt with prolapse have both been with Dels. One hatchery hen and now one of my Heritage girls. I certainly hope this isn't something that happens "regularly".

The hen we lost was so pretty too. She had a perfect 5 point comb, great color and her shape was something I definitely would have wanted to work with if I were breeding. She had really matured and "set" into her shape, she was hefty and did have that desired bowl line along the bottom. I had planned on culling (selling) a few of the Del hens I have this year and keeping only those who met the SOP very much so into their second year. This girl was one I hadn't planned on letting go.

 

[harleyjo]

Quote:
By October-November I am guessing I will have at least 100 chickens in the freezer. THEN, I will have more processing to do when the F2s get here and grown.

I am gonna be sick of chicken. Good thing I have so many kids with families to feed.

Friends always like chicken as well.. I've found though.. Better make sure they understand the the term "stew hen/chicken"... I sent a couple home with a friend of mine. Who had said that his mother(now in her 90's) had raised chickens and that he would like a couple of "real" chickens. Needless to say, he, his wife and their dinner guests, didn't take long to figure out there was something "different" about "normal chicken".

So that concept is now understood by them first hand. They did come and get a couple of roos for his mother after that. Who proceeded to "school" them in the proper way to prepare real chicken. His mother is now waiting for me to cull more older hens so she can then teach his wife the "proper way" of using them as well..

Glad to hear the new ones are starting to lay. This heat the past week has almost shut mine down.

LOL... maybe you had better teach me about the these different terms in regards of how is the best way to cook them!

Also from all you Delaware people. I need some information on what I have to do. I am gettting some hatchery Dels soon just to get me started. Then as soon as I can afford to it, I plan to get some "true" Dels via hatching eggs. I plan to band them so I know the difference.

I want to be able to sustain my own flock. Do I have to buy a new rooster from time to time for new blood or can I just keep breeding and hatching and using the same bloodlines? Did that make sense?

I know what I mean but trying to put it into words is hard sometimes!

 

[sadies chicks]

How big are Delawares? They look like they could compare to the Brahmas in size?

 

[kathyinmo]

Cody (daughter's fiance') said, "Just let the chickens take care of the bugs in the tomato garden."
Well, it's his garden, after all. OK, Cody ...........

I like this Project boy more and more every day.........
Well, I like the girls alot, too!

 

[bt2000]

Quote:
Those look outstanding Kathy.

I really like the shape of that boy a lot..

 

[14chickmama]

http://m1137.photobucket.com/albumview/albums/Chickmama15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_9766.jpg.html?action=view&current=IMG_9766.jpg

My Rooney boy!!!