Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[kathyinmo]

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I hope you post pictures along the way. I am anxious to see how they turn out! I could tell already that they were the sweet little friendly kind I love! I hated to let them go.

 

[Inkheart]

Hello all

Yet another newbie question - ok the one thing i am noticing about my girls - they are the "bug detectors" of the world - not only do they seem to be good foragers - but some sort of built in radar - they will literally dig a hole in the ground when they detect something 6 inches below the services and will dig till they get it - common Delaware behaviour? I know my friends Cochins dont do this ....just curious.

 

[joletabey]

My Dels are not particularly good diggers, but I blame that on the fact that weather kept them in the brooder for 6 weeks longer than they should have had to stay there, and they got too used to food being handed to them. My Orps are the diggers and scratchers. Others have said they are great foragers.

 

[chicken wild]

I dont have any delawares now by seing yours I might get a few.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

&

chicken wild, I love my delawares and DH is even impressed with them.

 

[Lotsapaints]

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Mine dig craters together and I want to take a movie of them getting out into the run it's the thundering herd....I don't think leaving them in the brooder had much to do with not digging I raise mine in rubber matted stalls and mine can hunt gophers.....

 

[Serrin]

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Mine dig craters together and I want to take a movie of them getting out into the run it's the thundering herd....I don't think leaving them in the brooder had much to do with not digging I raise mine in rubber matted stalls and mine can hunt gophers.....

I hear ya on the thundering herd, Paints.

I always have to go out to see what's up with mine when they go thundering past the house, hellbent for election about something! Heaven only knows what gets them stirred up, but they sure can kick up a cloud of dust as they go by!

Some chickens are just natural born diggers Knox. There's no rhyme or reason to it. It's great that your two little princesses are showing a knack for digging and foraging. They'll be all the more healthy for it. Just make sure they don't find any salamanders! Some species are poisonous, as I found out the hard way with one of my Light Brahma hens about two years ago.

She may have won the race to down the prize, but it cost her her life.

Who knew?

We're still waiting for more pictures from you young man!!

Ya know we love looking at everyone's flock, even if that flock consists of just two little girls!

 

[Bassleg]

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Whoa! Hold on here just a darn second! Is that a barn? Or is that going to be your new coop?? Oh heck! Save yourself a ton of time and just devote half of that to your Dellies!

You'll thank me for that little bit of advice in due time!

Your birds and your barn both look wonderful Bass. Can't wait to see it all finished. Man! I wish I had dry space storage such as your new barn represents! I could lay in a 6 month supply of everything with room to spare! Color me pea green with envy too!

I'm just curious: What kind of siding will you be using on the new barn? Metal or wood?

It's going to be Metal and it's 30x 70 feet, I hope it's not to small.

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

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It is called "pet/chicken therapy" and it is very effective, so long as it is not a pen full of roosters.

When the day has been very bad, it takes me longer to do the chicken chores, because I have to sit down and watch the hens and pullets a while.

But the boys grow-out pen is getting far too noisy and cantankerous to be therapeutic.

 

[Serrin]

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Whoa! Dang boy! It didn't look THAT big in the pictures!

I was thinking it looked more like about a 20x40 or so. Dang! You really don't do anything by halves, do you!?!?

Well, at least you'll have a wonderfully dry and snow free area for your little girls to play in in the middle of winter! Remember, these ladies are consummate at finding stray spiders and insects. They'll keep your new barn free of creepy crawlies if you just give them access to it!