Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Do I have to quit admiring Dels since I am 5'10"? I seem to have passed the height restriction...

It remains cold here, -4F last night. The Sussex and Welsummer rooster combs and wattles look terrible, even with the heat lamp and petrol jelly.

They don't want to roost where it is warm-ish. The birds that do roost in the roost hut are doing much better, but of course roosters want to be in the place of greatest visibility so they can protect the flock. So very frustrating. I love the look of a large single comb, but it doesn't seem to be compatible with our set up.

The DH (who has never wanted chickens) is busy drawing plans to insulate a portion of the shed for better winter quarters next year.

I won't even try to keep large combed roosters over winter unless we can work something out. It just seems wrong to subject animals to conditions they are not suited to. There is only so much we can do if they will not cooperate.

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Also, one of the Delawares is laying a large purple-ish egg. Is that a normal color for the breed?

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Purple? I want purple eggs! Send me some! LOL

No, the Dellies lay this color (kinda pinkish tan):

And here are Cyn's pictures of them:
Quote:

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Gotcha, I do that too. I thought that maybe you were hatching them all in one hatcher and sneaking out the hatched ones before the next batch hatched. I was trying to figure out why they were not getting stuck.

 

[speckledhen]

Sometimes, a couple of my girls' eggs look very purplish-pink-peachy tan They do have a different shade than any of my other brown egglayers.

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Yes is it a very different shade when seen with the other eggs. Alone, the DH says "brown", when placed with the others he says "wow, purple-ish"

 

[joletabey]

Joanne,
You can be out token tall person!!!!

I do NOT miss Wisconsin/Minnesota in the wintertime! Is there anyway to rig a lamp where they want to roost?

Hands, feet and noses turn purple from the cold in Wisconsin - why not eggs?

 

[that_crazy_lady]

why not eggs

Scott that was a good one too

 

[Cetawin]

hehehehe Scott

I want purple eggs. I am going to go have a chat with Cannonball and Fattie and tell them right now that I know they can lay purple eggs and I expect them to do so.

 

[speckledhen]

Gracie has been in a nest box twice today! Maybe today's the day for her first egg.

Here she is today out running with the crowd.