Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[rancher hicks]

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What I'm looking for is stock that clearly does not have CR blood and working from there. I realize that combs and weights are important but first I'd like be sure I'm not passing on mixed stock. Anyone who wants eggs is welcome to them for the price of shipping. This is how dedicated I'am to this breed. If I could only keep one breed it will be Delawares. They are excellent layers and have the great potential for the backyard farmer, IMHO. Eggs that I send will only be from these 5 birds I found in Western NY and their offspring.

One thing I was reading about in BYP was the mating dance the roos do before mating. I notice that Eric my CM roo waits in ambush for the hens and they are pretty ragged. Watching him mate is really disturbing. He just grabs the first hen and pins her to the ground. He is a big bully. It's being bred out of the roos for the sake of industry.

Nick my Del on the other hand still does the mating dance. This dance is a signal to the hen and entices her to squat. It's really nice to watch. His girls are usually not torn up. I would expect his offspring to still have it and it's definitely something to be considered when breeding your roos. I expect most of you know this already. Because of the nature of the breed and heritage I don't mind if I have to take a few steps backward and start nearer to scratch.

Thanks folk your all real nice.
Tim

 

[that_crazy_lady]

WHAT?! This is an addiction???? No way, cuz I only have five chick in my living room now, not all 35 that where still at atwoods. See it's all good. My mother told me I'll be the crazy bird lady now, forget the cats. I did not get more Delaware pullets though. The two I have look like monsters next to the OEGBs, I kept thinking about some really wild looking one they had, and had to go back. they are sooo cute. I've got to get pics of the five together.

Now I bet someone has alread asked this, but would the chicks be sex-linked if I cross a del with a RIR or Black Star?

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
Well I expect no matter what I may delete it won't be Dels and the offer still stands.
I couldn't sleep last night my youngest is getting married today and it's his and hers birthday. Stress big time.

Oh no... you'd get Dellies... I wouldn't be that mean, though my silkies are cuties...

You sure? LOL!

Congratulations on the big day... exciting stuff... your face must be hurting from smiling!!

If it isn't, it will be!! Have a wonderful time today!!

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
YES, this is an addiction, obsession, passion... whatever you want to call it... I started with 10 chicks in 2006... now I have a layer coop of 60 birds, a breeder coop with 8 breeds of chickens, 5 pens of various quail, a pen of mallards, a pen of turkeys, pheasants, chukars..... ok... I need help.......

I had 10 more beautiful Dellies hatch last night. I tell you what... these little boogers might be plain yellow chicks at first sight, but they have 'tude.

They all looked at me this morning with those big expressive eyes, and I could tell they were reaching in to steal my soul......

ETA: y'all need to knock off the complaining about it being too hot... I woke up to 22°F this morning again after a couple of weeks in the 30-40 range... send a little heat this way to melt the rest of the snow and dry up the swamps, y'hear??

 

[that_crazy_lady]

Oh how true. And I'm thinking about ordering eggs from you! I told my self I'd keep numbers down, beacous I am only going to use broodys. And then I got to thinking now I need more broody hens like silkies = more chickens! And I was looking at a battor the other day

 

[joletabey]

Yay! More addicts! More chickens! I told my DH I wanted ducks and buns next and he got very wild eyed.

Mrs.AK- I will swoosh some warm air your way, although I suspect it might not make it all the way from NC- Crazy Lady or Rwoman or Kathy may have to pick it up midstream and help it along.

More pictures of Del fuzzie butts are always welcome! hint-hint. . . . .

Got a question- my Del pullets started laying a month ago- 2 eggs one day, 4 the next, then 2, 5, 2, 4- had one 7 egg day- how long does it take before they settle into their rhythm? Does it take a few months?

 

[kathyinmo]

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That is exactly what my new layers are doing, too! I wondered the same.

 

[speckledhen]

It will take a month or so before they hit their rhythm. Oh, Beth, cross your fingers, girl....Nugget is looking more broody. Tom came in last night and said she was sitting on top of the nest boxes (not inside) and was flat as a pancake. He kept remarking on how flat she made herself, but it struck him that something was different. I didn't say anything, but was hoping she was leaning toward it. Today, she is on a nest of eggs I left out there. Has been on them since 8 a.m. And she's growling and fluffing and clucking. So, maybe, just maybe....

I won't try to move her into the broody pen with actual BBS Orp eggs till she spends the night on a nest, then I'll know with more certainty that she's serious.

 

[zephyrcreek]

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He is awesome. We just love that boy to pieces, but I am surprised as he looks so different from the other roo I have from seriousbill. Hi body shape is differnet, longer and meatier. Personality is also different. They both have good color, but Gonzo is better. He's a lover and romantic with the ladies (does the mating dance), while Kermy jumps on anything that stands still for more than 4 seconds including my poor ducks.

My Del pullets were consistenly laying within 3 weeks. The egg size by that time was almost full size.

I have Dels hatching right now, guess I should try to get pics of something.

 

[shelleyb1969]

The first set of eggs I got from Seriousbill last year were seriously messed up by the PO. Gonzo was the only chick to hatch from that set of eggs...thus my reason for selling him.