Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[Laney]

Here is my problem. I really would LOVE to breed a line of Delawares for quality of breed. I would love to eventually show those Dellies. However, I'm not sure I'm strong enough.

I've had to cull exactly 1 chick, and that was for disease. That was 6 months ago and it still horrifies me. I didn't do it right the first time, not to go into details but I read up on it and did it the way that was supposed to be "fastest and most humane" only it wasn't. In the end I had to strangle it. So, now I have 13 Chickens and 5 of them are Roo's. Now they are very gentile and considerate roos to their girls, and my fertility rate is awesome, but that's too many roos for the # of hens I have.

I have to toughen up if I'm going to do this or become a Rooster Sanctuary. Perhaps I can approach the local Spanish Butcher and make a deal with him? My daughter who was very against eating "meat she knows" has come around since she has seen that roosters aren't "all that and a bar of chocolate". She just can't see the process now. I could butcher the bird, but I couldn't live with the memory of the killing...well...the failed killing.

So, my question is, if I'm to improve my breed, what do I do with the extra roos? I mean the extra hens can just lay eggs for me. I just won't incubate their eggs, at least they have a use.

Laney

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Quote:
While feather sexing is not a priority, it is interesting and a skill I would like to learn more about. As early on as possible.

As for culling them at hatch, did I miss something? I know I would not consider that. As you said, to improve the breed you have to see what the stock will look like all grown up.

I appreciate the info on what to breed for first and then down the line. I was wondering about that.

And Laney, as for the extra Roo's they could be taken to a chicken processor when you do decide who stays and who goes. By then they should be plenty big enough to make a nice dinner out of.

 

[Laney]

Ok, so I'm not being "chicken" if I just wait until I have a batch of say 6 roos that are about 10-18 weeks old or even a few weeks older than that and I can see how their body type, comb etc is going and take the batch of culls to the butcher to process?

That would really relieve my mind. I love the Delawares. I'm about to show goats for the first time, but the idea of showing chickens is one I would love.

Laney

 

[speckledhen]

I do agree with Cher about priorities. There is so much to get right on this breed and so little excellent quality stock, plus they show their sex starting about 3 or 4 weeks old, that I would think breeding to feather sex is very low on the totem pole. Still, no reason not to see how accurate it is with whatever line of Dels you have going.
Laney, I kept mine past 15 weeks old in order to pick the best cockerel. You really can't tell till they are at least that old which one is starting to pull ahead of the others. And temperament really shows when hormones begin raging, 16-20 weeks or so. Temperament is very high on my list of things to cull for as well as the physical attributes.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Ahhh so that is what I missed! Breeding to feather sex! Well, I hadn't actually thought about that in depth. I can see where that could be a problem in obtaining good stock if you are concentrating on breeding only for feather sexing.
Yes, we would miss out on many good birds.

And a great point on breeding for temperment too Speckled Hen. Very good point!

I still can't tell the sex at 3-4 weeks. I keep second guessing myself. That is why when I noticed the difference in the size of the tail feathers at 11 days I thought it would interesting to test and see. I just have one of those kind of brains...

 

[delawaregirl09]

Wow, what a conversation

Lol. I agree, feather sexing is very very low, but maybe a thing to look for way on down the line when your confident in your birds. I would try it with off birds, really.

Well, today was a bad day for me when I got home. I went out to the chicken pen and it looks like after I checked the pen this morning, something broke in and killed my Black Sex Link hen and took off with one of my Rhode Island Red Pullets, took a chunk out of my American Type Cuckoo Maran Cockerel, and took a few of one of my Delaware pullets tail feathers. This upset me greatly because of how it got in. Chewed threw wire and ties

Well, at least I only lost two birds.... right? Lol. The black sex link was quite literally mutilated.

 

[Laney]

I'm so sorry to hear that Delawaregirl. That is such a nightmare of ours.

We are currently fencing in another section of our property. This one isn't to hold chickens, but to hold male goats. We plan to bury barbed wire in case anyone gets it in their idea to dig under for goats. The wire of the fence is strong enough to keep buffalo in, so I'm not concerned about an animal chewing/breaking through. My concern is about an animal digging under/going over.

I am constantly afraid of raccoons, hawks or owls. So far we don't have a problem with it as the dogs who can't get into the fence keep the raccoons afraid to come near. I can't say why the hawks and owls haven't seen a tasty treat in our pasture though.

I'm glad your Ameraucana and Delaware girl survived. I wish that the others had as well. Will you be able to fix the fence up pretty quickly? Do you have somewhere to put your babies while you fix it?

Laney

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Oh my goodness, I am sorry you have to deal with this but glad your Del's are alive and well.

I keep going over the electric fence posts. I would love to get one but we are out here in the boonies and have weeds galore. I am sure they would end up shorting out the wire.

When I have a little more time to dedicate I think I will go ahead and get one. But I would have to haul roadmix in and make a path around the coop along with using heavy duty landscape fabric.

So what do you think got into the coop?

 

[joletabey]

Delawaregirl,
I am so sorry for your loss- but at least you didn't lose all of them! Hoe you can get things fixed quickly, and catch the pred!

It was great to get back here and see more pictures and learn a few more things. Sprigs on a comb - that was new to me,also!

Does anyone belong to the Delaware Club, and has that been a good source for finding breeders?

 

[delawaregirl09]

Thanks everyone

Whatever it was, I hope it will fit in the medium animal live trap if it comes back for seconds. And yes, I have a winter pen to put them in, we were about to move them anyways

Too bad we didnt do it sooner. I feel so bad for my Cuckoo Maran cockerel. I didnt put him down because he was playing with the others, eating, and drinking just fine, but the wound looks serious. I'm not quite sure what to do. I separated him from the others and gave him fresh water and food.

As far as what got into the coop, Laney, we narrowed it down to two suspects: Raccoons or Bobcats. There were absolutely no tracks. The hole, as small as it was, suggests Raccon, but the mutilation of the BSL and the missing Rhode Island Red suggests Bobcat. I cant find that bird anywhere. Jeez. But, it was odd. The BSL was pulled through the chicken wire (its large stuff) and she was, well, everywhere. But, I'm still not sure.

joletaby: Thanks! I don't belong to the Delaware club... YET! I will soon, though. I cant wait. All the references and things should nice to get into.