Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[catdaddyfro]

Quote:
Usually a hen will start laying the larger eggs in their second year of production. At 25 wks. yours are spot on in the med. to Lrg. range. And some hens don't ever lay the xls or jumbo sizes. Production types are the ones more likely to lay those huge eggs, generally.
I'm surprised that you are already getting large eggs at that young age too, its usually 2 to 3 months into production before the egg size increases from pullet egg size to a normal lg. size egg, they must be some big 'ol gals huh?

Jeff

I haven't weighed any of the hens....I reported the weights of my roos the other day ranging from 6 lbs 10 oz down to 5 lbs 1 oz. My hens started laying at 19.5 weeks old, so they had an early start as well!

Well that's good and yeah they started just a little earlier than normal(20ish to22wks) but what's normal in the chicken world, right. Those are pretty good weights for right at 6 mo. old cockerels, they should really put on a good bit more in the next two to three months getting close to their 7.5# cockerel weight. Good job on rearing those guys up, I remember your video a little while back, glad they are doing good for ya.

Jeff

 

[capayvalleychick]

My Del hens started laying, what I would call large eggs, right off when they started laying. I didn't find any pullet eggs from them. They are the only breed that I've had that hasn't started with little eggs first. I've been very happy with them as layers.

Kim

 

[catdaddyfro]

Quote:
Hey there Kim yeah I've seen few very few that laid a fairly good size egg right off the bat too, and that's also why I put (what ever is considered "normal"in the chicken world)

Yes I have some brand new Delly layers starting up now. They've been at it now for a couple of weeks and each day I see a different one on the nest. They were practicing their laying on and off here about a month ago, it cracks me up when they first start going on the nest acting as if they really laid and egg putting the straw in order and then piling it on their backs (for whatever reason that is supposed to be for)

whatever huh? You go girls!

Jeff

 

[Zanna]

Quote:
Hey there Kim yeah I've seen few very few that laid a fairly good size egg right off the bat too, and that's also why I put (what ever is considered "normal"in the chicken world)

Yes I have some brand new Delly layers starting up now. They've been at it now for a couple of weeks and each day I see a different one on the nest. They were practicing their laying on and off here about a month ago, it cracks me up when they first start going on the nest acting as if they really laid and egg putting the straw in order and then piling it on their backs (for whatever reason that is supposed to be for)

whatever huh? You go girls!

Jeff

I think they are trying to camouflage themselves from predators

 

[joletabey]

My first bunch were early layers and laid large eggs right away. I have two pullets from those girls by a different roo that have been laying for a couple months, and their eggs are still on the small size. My pullets from a third line are adorable LITTLE pullet eggs, so I think it depends on whose line you have.

 

[rancher hicks]

My new girls started laying early I think and quickly moved into large sized eggs. I had roos processed and they finished out avg. 5#'s. I have only had one or two x-large eggs from my Dels. That was my original four hens. I may get the occasional x-large but not often.

 

[chickenhawk73]

Here are some side views that Joletabey wanted to see.Sorry for the delay.

 

[catdaddyfro]

Quote:
Oh ok yeah I went back and found your other post to see how old he was couldn't remember. Yeah nice looking boy there chickenhawk73. I like that shot in the last pic shows he has a good breast size he looks right on cue at 5 mo. old he's still got a lot to fill out in the next 3 or 4 months should make a nice brood cock.

Jeff

 

[rebel yell]

Quote:
chickenhawk73 That rooster is looking great !!!! hope mine comes out looking like that.

 

[chickenhawk73]

Thanks Jeff and Rebel Yell.I appriciate that.I`ll post more pics as he grows.