Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[har]

I got my Delaware and Blue Jersey Giants chicks from Sandhill Preservation today. All look good and am excited especially about the Dels.

 

[joletabey]

Can you post some pics??? I'm glad they all arrived in shape- you are going to LOVE your Dels.

 

[rancher hicks]

Ive got a brooder full of chicks from three broodies in the coop. They've been hatching since the 14th. They fall or jump out of the nest since they're in the coop and up off the floor. Then they get out of the coop stand in the middle of the yard and scream their heads off as if to say "I'm here, I'm here". They have a bunch of eggs cuz when they would get off to go another girl would lay another egg. This on top of the Br's and EE's I gave them. Not many but enough. Seems since there is not live chick they just keep sitting. I figure it's to late to move them? They have some Dels but none have hatched. Got a couple of Lav EE's . EE's crossed with a lave amer. roo. They are cute. Plus some black EE's from the same cross. If they look as nice as adults they will be pretty.
Anybody think I should move them now? I really have no place to move them to.
I have one in a special set up and she's hatched out nicely, I just don't have that much space to set up for 4 Broodies. Any ideas about temp set ups for broodies.

Gotta question about Dels too. I've got what look like four pullets from my last hatch. They are Def dels. but they don't seem to be feathering out as nice as previous hatchlings. Not the markings. Seems to me at this time my other girls, I've got two and have had others, had some barring showing by now. Maybe it's just my imagination. Seperate their hens so they know which laid which egg?

 

[joletabey]

Tim, I have heard dog houses work great for temporary situations- LOL!! I am using one right now for my tweeners till the Orphenge gets built. (Orphenge because if I make it, it's likely to look REALLY primitive, hacked out and ancient) Somewhere in the coop section, someone showed a dog house with a small pen that slid open and closed to lend access to the doghouse- I thought they would make great broody houses.

As to the Del, I dunno. Luck of the draw? If you could separate and mark eggs and band chicks, it would be a way to know, I suppose, if any given hen is consistantly passing on certain traits. ??????

 

[jeremy]

So in order to prevent spraddle leg/toe deformities from happening in any of my hopeful Del chicks, I lined the bottom of the incubator with that non slip foamy, plasticy (I don't know what it's made out of) stuff that some people use to line their cabinet shelves. I heard this helps the chicks get more secure footing after hatching. Also, clean up should be easier because all I have to do is remove the liner that hopefully will have caught all the crud.

Anyone else have experiences using this? Today is day 19 of my Braden Dels hatch, hopefully I'll go home and find some pips!

 

[kathyinmo]

I just checked my broodies. It is a rainy dreary day here, AGAIN! I am sick of this weather, and it is in the forcast for at least 3 more days. Anyway, I did see the one chick I saw yesterday, and I saw another egg shell. Two growling broodies, and I do not want to mess with them right now (in the rain). I know they are hatching, but not much more. So, no pictures yet.

Tim, I would move them. But only do it at night. I kinda tucked their head under their wing as I moved them (at least made sure their eyes were covered and they were in the dark). This worked well for me. I am using a rabbit hutch type enclosure, and it is working well. With my Silkies I used a dog house, and it worked well, also. Could you just make an enclosure .... say a large cardboard box in the garage? I would use a box like one from the furniture store, (huge area then). That way the broodies can get up and move around when they need to. If your hens have several different eggs of different dates, they are gonna be hatching for awhile, it sounds. It would probably be best if you take the chicks as they hatch (when dry and fluffy), so they will continue to sit.

I dunno, just my opinion.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Jeremy,
Yes, I use shelf liner in my bator. It works well.

Tim,
On the coloring of your chicks ..... ya know, this last batch I hatched has alot of girls with very little color, I have noticed. I am anxious to see how they develop. I doubt they will get anymore coloration than what they have. I think this is why it is recommended to breed with two pens .... one for males and one for females, to get better conformation. Delawares are a tough breed to get to the SOP, I think.

 

[kathyinmo]

Tim,
I was just thinking ..... If you are taking the chicks as they hatch, then I would not move them. Leave them where they are comfortable and just keep checking and take them as they hatch.

 

[Bassleg]

I have a question : Do any of you <Del people> use sand in your Brooder? It works great.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

What a great idea Bassleg