Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[EggieRowe]

I'm converting my whole flock over to Delawares because they are so calm and sweet - with little to no work. I'm not a coddler - they will all be dinner some day, so I don't spend hours sitting with them as chicks handling or talking to them. I've raised 6 other breeds of chicks, some at the same time with the Dels, and the Dels win hands down. I can pick both my Delaware roosters up and rub their wattle and combs - one I hatched and one I bought as an adult. Other cockerels I have raised won't let me near them, let alone pet them. The pullets I hatched line up on the roosts when I'm collecting eggs or topping off feed so I can scratch their bellies. If I ignore them, one has taken to hopping on my shoulder for attention. All the other breeds ignore me or run in terror.

 

[speckledhen]

There is nothing, I mean NOTHING, sweeter than a Delaware Rooster.

I have one boy that talks to me non-stop when he hear my voice. A total darling! On the nights we have returned home late, after dark, I NEVER have to worry about finding this boy. He speaks to me the minute he hears me, EVEN in the pitch dark of night.

I have another male who has always been our hug-a-bug. He is 9lbs and so gentle.

I have two other juvie males that are growing out right now. Sweeties too.

Delaware Roosters do not play nice with other roosters, but they are great with people.
I think they the smartest roosters too!

Agreed 100%. They just seem smarter in general. Here is my youngest one, son of my Isaac. He's sweet and super friendly, like his dad, Isaac. This is Gabriel, almost 11 weeks old. More often than not, they are just the calmest and most easygoing roosters. Of course, this line is not a hatchery line-those are more unpredictable. Isaac is a big old marshmallow with me and DH, not so much with the younger cockerels who are now in the flock and competing for the hens, but I need them there because Ike is about to turn 5 years old soon.

 

[rancher hicks]

Mine are still my best layers. They do well in confinement of the winter too, though mine do have a large run to roam around in.

 

[finnfur]

Agreed 100%. They just seem smarter in general. Here is my youngest one, son of my Isaac. He's sweet and super friendly, like his dad, Isaac. This is Gabriel, almost 11 weeks old. More often than not, they are just the calmest and most easygoing roosters. Of course, this line is not a hatchery line-those are more unpredictable. Isaac is a big old marshmallow with me and DH, not so much with the younger cockerels who are now in the flock and competing for the hens, but I need them there because Ike is about to turn 5 years old soon.

I am glad to hear you are still breeding the Dels - My impression from years of posts was that you were fading them out and not raising them anymore.
Its good news - I think some of my Redline pullets have heritage back to yours.

 

[EggieRowe]

Agreed 100%. They just seem smarter in general. Here is my youngest one, son of my Isaac. He's sweet and super friendly, like his dad, Isaac. This is Gabriel, almost 11 weeks old. More often than not, they are just the calmest and most easygoing roosters. Of course, this line is not a hatchery line-those are more unpredictable. Isaac is a big old marshmallow with me and DH, not so much with the younger cockerels who are now in the flock and competing for the hens, but I need them there because Ike is about to turn 5 years old soon.

Will you be offering Delaware eggs this coming year?

 

[speckledhen]

No, I'm not breeding them. I have one pullet and two old hens and they, along with the others in the main flock, will be running with my DelaRock cockerels. To be fair, Gabriel is not 100% pure Delaware. You wouldn't know it, though.


Quote: If you got some from Wekiva Bird or from bargain, yes, they do.

 

[sahmhomesteader]

Delaware is one the breeds I am considering for my first spring raising chickens. Are they good at foraging? I will have my chickens pastured and hoping to feed as little feed as possible during the warm months.

 

[math ace]

Delaware is one the breeds I am considering for my first spring raising chickens. Are they good at foraging? I will have my chickens pastured and hoping to feed as little feed as possible during the warm months.

Mine are pretty lazy about the whole "foraging" thing. They love to eat, but don't go out of their way to hunt for their food....

 

[sahmhomesteader]

[COLOR=800080]Mine are pretty lazy about the whole "foraging" thing.  They love to eat,  but don't go out of their way to hunt for their food....[/COLOR]

Well stink. I was really hoping they would be good foragers cuz everything else about them really seems to fit our needs. Except maybe the color...I was a little worried about them getting picked off by a hawk easier.

 

[har]

I have always heard that Dels are great at foraging, one of the best. My Dels are great hunters of food and for the most part always on the go hunting for that bug or what ever they find.

Scott