Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[that_crazy_lady]

I'm glad she and her family are home

urbanfarmboi I would do the same thing, put those two by them selfs. I had read to use cardstock for the feet, never would have thought of a dime.

Tonka rushed me again to day ugh! so I held him a while...sat him on my lap. if he turns into a jerk I'll just let him free range or something. if he turns evil, we will eat him. he was already counted out as a breeder anyways. Tank is {I guessing} 2lbs heaver then Tonka, and the better man.

So I was in town yesterday, and stoped into one of the places that has chicks looking for guineas. then I look at the bantams...kinda wish I had gotten a few of them, I mite go back later with my brother who knows. But any ways the point of this story is the two pullets I got going by the book I got two more little Delawares

and the fact that they are in my livingroom in a box with out a light, and happy to boot they must be. I took some pics with my sell on the way home. has anyone else had any with dark spots?

 

[speckledhen]

I've had some with the black smudges on the head, but never spotty like those. Interesting! Maybe they'll have really good markings.

 

[that_crazy_lady]

maybe
I took some pics of the other birds a few weeks ago
this is Tank with one of my black sex-linked pullets, they are heavy! I would have B Mama and the chicks out with them, but the roosters will not leave her alone.

one of the boys

sweetheart she is turning into a nice looking bird now, and is really close in size with the other girls

I'm wateing for the sun to come back out so I can brake out the good camra

 

[rancher hicks]

ROOS ?

 

[speckledhen]

No, not all roos, Tim. I see a pullet or pullets in there. The one in the first pic is a pullet. The one on the right in the second picture is a pullet, not sure if it's the same one, and the one on the left is a cockerel. In the third pic, the one at the top of the picture is a pullet. Fourth pic shows two pullets and a cockerel. In the fifth pic, I see a cockerel on the right and the last pic shows two pullets.

 

[joletabey]

Tim - I agree with Cynthia- how many do you have all together? I would say left, center, right, right are roos starting with the second picture down. Hope that made sense. Looks like they will nice markings- and they look like they are getting nice and round, too.

 

[rancher hicks]

There are only 3 chicks. The one your sure of is older by few days and I'm sure of too. The other two are the same age. I just ask cuz I posted an e-mail to Alaska hatchery, Sterling I believe and she seemed to think all were roos. Just wanted to see if you've taught me anything about Dels.

I offered her eggs for the price of shipping but she declined. I would have bought from her except she has hatchery stock. I think that Whitmore is using hatchery stock too or at least crossing breeds. I'm so old I can't remember much these days. I keep reading the Back Yard Poultry article over and over to see if I understand it all. One site said Dels have been taken off the critical list. If they've been diluted w/ CR's they should remain there IMHO.

I had mentioned that the Dels hens I purchased in Western NY have distinctly barred hackle feathers. Unlike my Ideal hens which of course do not and are not in w/ Nick. I will be selling them as soon as I have hens laying of any other breed to make up for the egg loss. Seems like everyone has or is working with hatchery stock. If the hatcheries are crossing with CR's you would think someone would have had the originals to begin with. I just can't find out who. Seems ashame that all the Del flocks could become diluted w/ CR blood. Such is life, I guess. If no one has original Dels then maybe they should be considered extinct.


I'll post pics of your chicks as soon as they get a little older and simmer down. They were calm in the beginning but lately they have taken off like a house a fire.

I have them in two bins side by side and they are having a ball jumping back and forth. While they could they never seem to jump completely out of the bins. Just from one to the other. Gotta love 'em.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
I think if you re-read my email, I said that it was "obvious which are the roos".

The second photo down, bird on the right is a very nice looking pullet, and the one on the left is a rooster. I can't see all three chicks in any of the photos to compare the third to say what it was, though. And Tim, your offer was very generous, but I'm just not in the market for Delaware eggs right now.
I honestly don't know where my Delawares came from since they were gifts and my own hatches, and have no idea what Whitmore Farms' parent stock is like. I'm not even sure if that's where my one rooster came from. I don't make any claims about my birds being spectacular stock, though I'm happy with the birds that I'm hatching.

I'll post some photos of the babies.
Thanks~

 

[rancher hicks]

Of course your right and I am sorry. I've been posting and e-mailing everyone I can find who has a website w/ Delawares. I've been reading and searching for the elusive breeder who can say without a doubt they don't have hatchery stock. I've been stareing at this screen all day. (wife out working on two weddings, home alone). I'm surprised I didn't get more things mixed up. I will try to be careful in the future. I've saved our e-mail I should have reread it. I didn't save all the replies unfortunately. My son-in-laws brother is moving to Australia and I'm not beyond searching there too.

Found a website for there. Had to read it three times before I realized it was downunder.

Believe me if and when I do find that breeder you'll all be the first to know. Certainly there are nice Delawares out there, but someone had to supply them with the initial stock. Then again I suppose it was the suppliers who diluted the blood. Shame on who ever did. I've become so obsessed w/ Delawares perhaps I should change "my" name to "bird brain".
I have not ruled anyone out if there is no non-hatchery Delawares left in the world.

I certainly can't say mine aren't. It is nice to dream that there was this small farm flock in a small Western NY town that had original Dels. Is there an Antique Chicken Road Show? Well there should be!

AK, again I'm sorry for the misinformation, If I do order eggs from you, I wouldn't blame you if you send Silky eggs instead.

Hey! the Delawares were developed in Delaware right? Maybe I should find the listing for every farm in Delaware and go there. It's not that big of a state, how long can it take? Man I need a Mochachino Valium Lattte. Do they sell those at Starbucks?

 

[Mrs MIA]

Forgiven...

I DO have silkie eggs...

It's hard not to be obsessed with these cuties... and it is a shame that we have to unravel all the cross breeding that's been done willy-nilly. But you start with the best you can get, and work from there... after a few generations, it's YOUR line, and not hatchery stock anymore. I'm working on my Orpingtons right now, but next year the Dellies will be my main focus and I might just hit you up.

Well, this obsessed lady is in need of some shut-eye... after I move the baby Dellies that just hatched to the brooder. LOL!