Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[Zanna]

Looks like a "HE" to me.

X 2

 

[tigercreek]

I think he too. I see only barring, no solid black feathers on the wings or tail. Does have girly legs though! The comb and wattles can fool you . You'll know for sure in a couple of weeks ......stan

 

[kathyinmo]

Hello delaware lovers,
I have a young delaware i am suspecting to be a cockerel. It is my favorite of the flock! It really breaks my heart to get rid of "him". Can you confirm he is a "he"? Thanks

I suspect you have a male there. However, I don't think I have ever seen a pure Delaware with that color legs.

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

Thank you guys for your answers.
Tigercreek, who are giving hope!!! lol What really make me believe it's a roo, it's is comb and wattles (way more develop than my other hens), however, im not familiar with delawares. BTW what do you mean by barring? Do roosters have black feathers in their tail?

I think he too. I see only barring, no solid black feathers on the wings or tail. Does have girly legs though! The comb and wattles can fool you . You'll know for sure in a couple of weeks ......stan

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

I suspect you have a male there. However, I don't think I have ever seen a pure Delaware with that color legs.

Probably not a true delaware... but i don't really care. I am really attach to "it". It follows me everywhere and it is very curious.It will upset me to get rid of him

 

[tigercreek]

Thank you guys for your answers.
Tigercreek, who are giving hope!!! lol What really make me believe it's a roo, it's is comb and wattles (way more develop than my other hens), however, im not familiar with delawares. BTW what do you mean by barring? Do roosters have black feathers in their tail?

Roosters will have barring, or stripes in their tail when they get a little older, pullets will have solid feathers in their tail and wings. .........stan

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

So it's a roo then

 

[GhostRider65]

Yes hun sorry to say it is definitely a rooster.............. my girls are just getting there wattles and combs now that big and they are 17 weeks......and getting ready to lay,. squatting already..........
all my boys looked similar to this guy, from about 4 weeks on up. also the leg color is odd, but doesn't make me think he is not a he.......... sorry. Kim
Usually if your suspecting a roo, look for barred tail and wing feathers, lots of smutty spots across the back, by this age usually the pullets have lost all the strange barred or extra black feathers they sometimes get.

 

[RedBugPoultry]

Ok, I've come to a decision... on my birds from Sandhill, they are not split winged. They must have just been blood feathers because only one or two still look split winged. So thats good news. I have given a lot of thought to the one who's back is crooked... something must have happened to him because when they were chicks, not one of them walked the way he does. I'm thinking maybe he got caught underfoot while they were playing and must have been trampled.

Perhaps most of them have somewhat pinched tails and poor coloring but my plans for them don't need them to be perfect. So, I guess I'm looking for a meaty bird who looks like a Delaware and has a good disposition and treats his girls nice. I'm pretty sure I have picked the male I'm going to keep. Now I need to go over the girls. I'll be looking at the tails too and keep those who are the least pinched.

These birds are eating me out of house and home. I need to do the deed very soon here. The only thing I'm lacking is a scalder.

Remember the signs of wry tail develops as the bird develops. You may not, probably will not, see it in the chicks until they are older--usually the effected one is smaller then his/her siblings. I have seen 2 in my hatching this summer of a number of different breeds--one showed up in my Dominiques and one in my Faverolles. I suspected neither when they were chicks. At least this is what I was told this summer and did see in my birds. I don't think I would breed anything with a crooked back but if it is a rooster it would have a tough time as a breeder anyway. Just sharing....

 

[Kansaseq]

My Dellies started laying this week at 19 weeks! Tiny egg pictures;

And with my Marans eggs

We now return to our regularly scheduled Delaware discussion.