Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[kathyinmo]

Yes, the last picture is 2 Icelandic boys. They are always together. They are bigger than the other 4, so kept apart. I let these 2 free range. Here are the 4 younger ones checking out the tree ...

 

[biomistake]

OK Sorry guys and gals I made a post about my Delawares and forgot to separate them from the rest of the birds in the pictures....

Everything is hatchery EXCEPT the Delawares. They came from a private breeder with a line from two old show lines combined with a little Sand Hills Preservation. My plans are to acquire a few more from sand hill culling hard for the best and doing the same with Whitmore Farms.

Bassleg... I am ordering this year as soon as Sand Hill is taking orders for next year to get my Delawares and Buckeyes. I have a few buckeye chicks now so they will be worked into what I have now. It does take forever but thats why I am ordering from them its the quality I am after. Whitmore Farms focused on bringing the Delaware back to standard for the males size so i want some pullets to keep sand hills egg laying proficiency from creating too much of an offbalance.

The Delawares in my pics are only 7 months old. The pullet started with a few medium eggs then went straight to large eggs with the occasional extra large egg. The cockerels are gentlemen for the most part but they like to share so I am going to have to start putting only one out with everyone on an alternate week rotation to promote a tad of competition instead of *sharing the girls* so much.

They have great attitude and the boys respect myself and my wife so no problems there

the pullet is as nice and pleasant as can be also. I have some of their offspring hatched out on june 4th so I will have more layers this coming winter/spring. I have never shipped eggs and the one time I have recieved eggs i was blessed with 7 out of 28 which only 4 have survived. I can only pray its not four roosters.



Speckled hen... Two things, first the best thing you can do to fix those hens is to take a pair of dog nail trimmers and snip those beaks reeaaalll good and I promise by the time the tip grows back they will never peck another critter ever again... Its a major attitude adjustment for them and don't forget to put them with the others so they can learn their place!!!!

Second I am looking for some high quality Barred Rocks and am curious if you know anyone closer to or in Arkansas that has some. Please PM me thank you

 

[ChksontheRun]

Those pictures are gorgeous. The grass is so green. We have had temps here in the 97-100 degree range and no rain for 6 weeks. Yes 6 weeks with no rain in Virginia. Seems like 7 weeks ago I was bemoaning the fact that we had had too many days of rain. Now our grass is brown and the trees are browning too. I long for green grass that needs to be mowed. I have not mowed for 2 1/2 weeks and it looks like it was mowed yesterday. I let the chooks loose in the evening, but it is hard for them to find much to eat besides some greens in the woods. Farmers are very concerned about their corn and hay around here.

 

[speckledhen]

We tried the beak trimming and it didn't help with them. Isaac is currently with the main flock, including the three remaining Del hens. So far, he isn't being bothered much, other than Maxie plucking at the feathers that are currently growing in on his throat area. I'm keeping an eye on him, though. If they start in again, they'll go back in the Firetower until I can decide if they stay or go. They are so super friendly with people, it's hard to reconcile that with eating their rooster alive, one bite at a time.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Morning all....wished I had 4 hands and a video camera this morning!! Supposed to be hotter' en' "you know where" here today and tommorow. Calling for 99F today (0% chance of rain) and 100F+ tomorrow (0% chance of rain).

Sooooo......I took an extra 50ft section of soaker hose with intentions of running it across all of my runs to "mist" my heathens throughout the day. As soon as the Del's saw that "black round thing" flop across the top of their run, they ALL headed to the coop with a LOT of noise. I'm guessing they thought "s....n....a...k...e....", it was truly hilarious. I believe they have figured out now that I was just trying to keep them cool as they have finally come back out and are underneath the mist. I bet they stay in the tunnel eyeing that "thing" for 15-20 mins before one of them was brave enough to venture out.

Stay cool today!!

 

[speckledhen]

As we were setting up sprinklers for ours, the well pump quit.

Pray it is a simple switch and that we don't need an entirely new pump! We managed to get a tiny bit of pressure and filled all waterers to the brim. Repair guy is coming out this afternoon.
No water for anything until he does.

Check out my broodies thread. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=369653

 

[Cetawin]

Oh good grief Cyn. Not in this heat.

I hope it is a simple fix and all is well by nightfall.

 

[speckledhen]

What is funny is that I realized that the pump guy is someone we've spoken to before about chickens! I think he has Welsummers. And he knows my neighbor, Charlotte, too. Small place I live in.

 

[crazyhen]

Small comunities are like that. I hope it is a quick fix, and not expensive. Today here is terrible. It is 94 degrees here. Poor chickens and people. No rain here for AWHILE The grass is beginning to turn brown or crunchy. My bit of a garden is ruined even though we have tried to water it. I had some pretty butternut squash growing for winter feeding for my hens. I hope they are not ruined too. Gloria Jean

 

[joletabey]

Yeah, it's dry. WHO was it that was complaining about all the rain a few weeks ago? Couldn't have been me.

Cyn, any water yet?
And any takers on Dutch?