Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[capayvalleychick]

The university sells chickens? I have UCDavis near me, I've never heard of anyone getting chickens from them. Bentley said they are a project. Are they a recreation like Kathy's?

 

[catdaddyfro]

The university of Arkansas is BIG on poultry has a great study of it too(poultry program), I'm sure it has a lot to do with influence from Tyson(I know it does) I've done work for people attending college there that Tyson paid/ funded by way of scholarships and they send employees there too.

Jeff

 

[caj1985]

The university sells chickens? I have UCDavis near me, I've never heard of anyone getting chickens from them. Bentley said they are a project. Are they a recreation like Kathy's?

One of the professors there on the experimental farm takes breeds and improves them to try to get to SOP. He gives the eggs to FFA and 4-H kids and to locals for their backyard flocks and to show. It is a fabulous program.

 

[kathyinmo]

The university sells chickens? I have UCDavis near me, I've never heard of anyone getting chickens from them. Bentley said they are a project. Are they a recreation like Kathy's?

In September I read this post......
Made from sex links, I guess?

Their Delaware is being redeveloped from the sexlinked, or so I heard.

 

[caj1985]

In September I read this post......
Made from sex links, I guess?

I really have no idea. If I get a chance (I get home after dark now.) I will take a picture of the one I have alongsize the Mottled Houdans he is with and post it to give you an idea of size, etc.

 

[Lacy Blues]

That would be it.  I  have to say the eggs I got from them were XXLarge or Jumbo.  The one that hatched (I was warned at the time that they were new layers and fertility was iffy.) is absolutely huge.  I really think he is bigger than a comparable Cornish X.  He is double the weight of the Salmon Faverolle and Mottled Houdan and triple the size of the Araucana.  The only one that is even close is my light Brahma pullet that is fathered by a Giant Light Brahma rooster that the University has.  I was just wondering about the temperament.  He is very friendly, just won't stand up for himself.  I was hoping to use him as my laying flock rooster to add some size to the crosses and increase egg size.  I guess I will have to wait to see how he matures. 

If you have one chick in a grow out pen by himself, wait til his tail heals up, then, rather than try to integrate him with the rest of the flock, bring a low ranking, young bird (if you have one) to come and live with him. Then once they are comfortable, bring another one until you have a little group that you can put all of them together in with the other birds. That way, hopefully, it will go smoother.

Also, someone shared with me that moving the positions of the feed/water pans for the main flock on the day that you integrate the others, will shake them up enough that introducing the other birds should go better.

Good luck.

 

[caj1985]

If you have one chick in a grow out pen by himself, wait til his tail heals up, then, rather than try to integrate him with the rest of the flock, bring a low ranking, young bird (if you have one) to come and live with him. Then once they are comfortable, bring another one until you have a little group that you can put all of them together in with the other birds. That way, hopefully, it will go smoother.
Also, someone shared with me that moving the positions of the feed/water pans for the main flock on the day that you integrate the others, will shake them up enough that introducing the other birds should go better.
Good luck.

I put him in the older flock with 4 of his hatchmates. They all were fine. He wasn't. I put him back in a grow out pen with three Mottled Houdans that were hatchmates. I may try the moving the feeders and waterers.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Don't move him as the only bird in with others. Move the Houdans with him. If you want them separate, you can always move them out later.

Were the 4 hatchmates the ones you put him in with or did you move them all in together? Was he the only white one? If his tail in all bloody, the Houdans may go after him too, you'll have to watch that.

If he is the only white bird... I read where someone painted theirs with either blue-kote (making him purplish) or washed a temporary hair color into his feathers so he would fit in with all the black birds. Then as he molted them out, he changed color gradually and there wasn't a problem. Sounds crazy I know but if he's the only white one, you may not be able to integrate him into an otherwise colored flock.

 

[kathyinmo]

If he is the only white bird... I read where someone painted theirs with either blue-kote (making him purplish) or washed a temporary hair color into his feathers so he would fit in with all the black birds. Then as he molted them out, he changed color gradually and there wasn't a problem. Sounds crazy I know but if he's the only white one, you may not be able to integrate him into an otherwise colored flock.

I have all different colors of birds, and that has never made any difference here. I have never heard of color making a difference.

I have 2 males like the one described. One is a Barred Rock cockerel (about 10 months old), and one is a New Hampshire (2 years old). Each one does fine in a pen with hens, but not with males. They will run and hide if they see any other males. In the past I had a Jersey Giant like that, too. I just keep them penned with hens, or cull them. From my experience, they do not outgrow it.

 

[caj1985]

I have all different colors of birds, and that has never made any difference here. I have never heard of color making a difference.

I have 2 males like the one described. One is a Barred Rock cockerel (about 10 months old), and one is a New Hampshire (2 years old). Each one does fine in a pen with hens, but not with males. They will run and hide if they see any other males. In the past I had a Jersey Giant like that, too. I just keep them penned with hens, or cull them. From my experience, they do not outgrow it.

Thanks, Kathy. That is what I needed to know. It isn't a breed specific trait like with my Favs. I just wasn't sure since he is the only Delaware I hatched.