Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[Laney]

Ok, so if the coloring on the Hackle appears as more of a stripe than a barring, that is what we would refer to as Columbian coming through? It seems to be what I'm seeing in the picture there. The black in the Hackles of the Columbian was a straight through color or striping. In Isaac's Hackles it's an intermittent barring.

Laney

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, Columbian is more of a solid black hackle just like in the Lt Brahmas and the Lt. Sussex, as well as Columbian Wyandotte and Columbian Rock. Isaac's hackles are barred. Sorry, that pic was blurred. Here is a slightly better one:

 

[delawaregirl09]

Wow, does that C.R. have a comb or WHAT? Lol. Isaac is so gorgeous, I would love to have Isaac descended Delawares someday...

I know, may be a long while before I achieve that one

If anyone might have a clue on gene stuff, etc, I've got a pullet I posted about in the What breed or gender stuff. Shes got be puzzled.

Now, on the subject of Delawares. I LOVE THEM

.

Lets hope we get some more posts, I saw Potterwatch post last night and I was like "Hey, they own some Delawares!" Reeled in another one!! Lol

 

[heritagehabitatfarms]

hi folks...
im looking to get into Delawares in the spring too... i was wondering if there is anyone that is breeding them primarily for meat??? i have read about 20 of the 30 pages on this thread so im sry if this question was answered on one of the pages that i missed... i saw that someone said that Whitmore farms had nice big birds... has anyone had experience with them???
i don't care about once that have been bred to the SOP as i am planing on trying them in a broiler cross... i am just looking for the biggest ones that i can find...
all-so has anyone tried them crossed with a Cornish???
thanks for the help
Elias

 

[speckledhen]

You won't do well unless the Delawares are truly the big meaty size they should be. Most hatchery Dels are too lightweight to be of any use. Whitmore Farms' birds came from two hatcheries, one of which I've seen theirs and they wouldn't work for meat birds. I think TimG has a thread here somewhere relating to this subject.

 

[walkswithdog]

The heritage Del boys I got were a GREAT start on working toward a meat bird. All the breeder and hatchery boys too too light to be a starting point with any rapid progress.

I plan on a meat pen with culled Dels and culled Marans - both more meat type birds. And I want to CLEARY visually separate my project birds from my culls in case of escapes, so I want a mix.

I'm looking forward to the project. Might use some of the tank delaware / partridge rocks as well.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

WWD I am experimenting too. Please keep us posted on the progress. I am still working on who to cross with who to get a great meat bird but the Del culls, White Rock and I am thinking Light Sussex (culls) and dark cornish (couldn't obtain any white). I hadn't thought about Marans. Good idea.

I was trying to stay "white" so they would dress out better, but meaty is what I am really after. I bet the colors would be interesting too.

At what age do you "cull" Dels? 20 weeks? Do they have their adult plumage by then?

I looked at one of my "culls" today (I am still waiting them out) and I looked at his tail and darned if he doesn't have a really dark barred tail! I know it was almost black last week... go figure. He's a keeper.

 

[walkswithdog]

Quote:
With the last two batches of Roos, I waited til about 20-24 weeks for a final cut of the last three runners up, the rest had sorted themselves out between about 16 and 20 weeks due to other faults so glaring I decided they weren't worth growing out to a greater maturity.

I don't mind eating "colored" birds so I like the dark mixes - del to BC or GCM marans produces a slightly off form of gold cuckoo marans, split to silver, not as typey a color I'm told as the true GCM but it's a meat bird - lol I don't care. Still be pretty - I like most forms of crele.

I have one BCM pullet and half a dozen GCM eggs (next try). Next summer will tell what the pairing produces. I also considered bringing in some of JM hatcheries colored rangers for stock. They're a handsome bird, and they are producing a nice meat bird at around 16 weeks for me here. I don't need a HUGE roaster. But I'll see how the Del/Marans cross does first. If they're not heavy enough early, I'll add JM's Rangers and try that.

This generation of the bigger Dels look to be tanks so I'm hopeful.

The little Dels look just like their mother at that age and if they keep it up - they'll be culls. Narrow, leggy like I didn't breed up to a line nearly twice as big... sigh. It's never straight forward...

 

[speckledhen]

The little Dels look just like their mother at that age and if they keep it up - they'll be culls. Narrow, leggy like I didn't breed up to a line nearly twice as big... sigh. It's never straight forward

That is so true. You can start out with two perfect specimens (well, you'd never find those, really) and from that pairing, you will still have many culls. Genes are elusive/fickle little things that combine in ways you just don't expect.​

 

[Laney]

It sounds like there were recessive genes on both sides that combined and expressed themselves. Perhaps breeding those girls to a different Roo might express how nice they are.

Laney