Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[speckledhen]

Delawares notice absolutely everything. They remind me of cute old ladies picking lint off their hubby's clothing sometimes. They are very, very aware and intelligent as chickens go. And active! They are not the best breed for keeping penned up because they are so active and busy.

 

[hippia16]

I have had 2 new Delaware chicks (hens) for 2 weeks now. Never had any before but seeing these pics makes me excited about what they'll look like.
Spike and Peanut- Sorry I can't figure out the pic thing.

 

[joletabey]

hippia- I hope you figure it out - it's pretty easy once you do it -

Snowhunter, that pullet has more hackle color than I have ever seen on a hen outside of the SOP, it is the way it is supposed to be, and I asked Walt to look - he said the color was good on both of them - so we are all waiting for profile shots! I even got picky about it when I questioned him, so it looks like you are getting two good ones - Stacey has been breeding for quite a while now, and has lots of knowledge!

 

[speckledhen]

I can tell you that most Delaware roosters are vigorous breeders. They can handle more than the usual 10-12 hens, much to the consternation of some of my older hens, who were safe when Dutch was here, but not with Isaac. He's, shall we say, motivated? I keep wanting to put this girl or that girl in the old ladies coop, like Caroline with her painful toe (was broken and usually sore now), or Charlotte and Snow, who are molting heavily and very touchy, but if I keep doing that, I'll be emptying my main coop rather quickly and there will be too many in the smaller old ladies' coop. Might as well put Ike in with the girls who can handle him and everyone else in the larger coop, where they would remain rooster-less, unless I eventually got a bunch of banty girls with their own little man. That Isaac is quite robust in every way, but he's a fabulous rooster and such a calm guy.

 

[joletabey]

Cynthia, Isaac is a perfect rooster in so many ways- he is one handsome dude, he takes care of his girls and he loves you- you just need to get him some more women!

And it is true how observant they are. I remember one day Mr. Fashion Police Luke objected loudly and strenuously to the shorts I wore out to the coop. They were turquoise, purple and green, and he did NOT like them. He preferred me in denim.

I still miss that boy.

 

[jeremy]

Quote:
Very promising looking Delawares, I'd love to see more pictures!

Way to go Stacy, those birds look fantastic. Their color is very intense and even throughout. I don't think I see a single marking of smut on that pullets back.
I like the darker colored hackle colors, they're actually black not gray. You can ship me 5 pullets like the one in the picture, anytime you want.

When can I place my order?

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
Very promising looking Delawares, I'd love to see more pictures!

Way to go Stacy, those birds look fantastic. Their color is very intense and even throughout. I don't think I see a single marking of smut on that pullets back.
I like the darker colored hackle colors, they're actually black not gray. You can ship me 5 pullets like the one in the picture, anytime you want.

When can I place my order?

Well, thank you... I will tell you now, that "bowl" underline needs improvement (as I told snowhunter) but I still haven't got a bird to add to the program that has that bowl look... I do see these pictures of people who have Braden's Dels and they seem to be "bowled"... going to try to get some of his birds, then of course, there are the others I'm lined up to get, as you know. I think by this time next year I'll be able to have that being bred into them. All Dels are a work in progress, so I feel very hopeful that 2011 will be the year of the Del here.

Jeremy, patience. Sit and relax... you will get your pullets. lol. You know there is a waitting list. If I could only breed hens that laid 3 eggs a day each I might catch up.

I hatched some of my own a couple weeks back and already am excited. They are brooding with other breeds and are bigger than all the rest... so either the genetics are right for growth or they are eatting everything and not leaving much for everyone else.... my money is on the first.

One of the boys already looks good. Comb is still small but it looks like 5, maybe 6 points. Not too big a deal... more important to get straight combs without "thumb prints" or other DQ traits and nice even points (not even number, of course, but even in size. lol.)

 

[Serrin]

Quote:
Beth

I think I know how you feel. I know if Chief or any of my boys for that matter, were to die suddenly, it would literally devastate me!

Keep those memories of Luke close to your heart and he'll never truly be far from you.

He was such a beautiful little man. I hope that Alexander can fill Luke's roost.

Speaking of the Great Xander: How is he doing these days? I've not heard you say much after the first few days. Is he settling in well? Still in his Q pen? How are the girls doing? Are they still making googly eyes at him from across the yard and giggling conspiratorially to each other from behind their wings?

Women!! They can be so hard on a guy's ego sometimes!

 

[jeremy]

Quote:
Very promising looking Delawares, I'd love to see more pictures!

Way to go Stacy, those birds look fantastic. Their color is very intense and even throughout. I don't think I see a single marking of smut on that pullets back.
I like the darker colored hackle colors, they're actually black not gray. You can ship me 5 pullets like the one in the picture, anytime you want.

When can I place my order?

Well, thank you... I will tell you now, that "bowl" underline needs improvement (as I told snowhunter) but I still haven't got a bird to add to the program that has that bowl look... I do see these pictures of people who have Braden's Dels and they seem to be "bowled"... going to try to get some of his birds, then of course, there are the others I'm lined up to get, as you know. I think by this time next year I'll be able to have that being bred into them. All Dels are a work in progress, so I feel very hopeful that 2011 will be the year of the Del here.

Jeremy, patience. Sit and relax... you will get your pullets. lol. You know there is a waitting list. If I could only breed hens that laid 3 eggs a day each I might catch up.

I hatched some of my own a couple weeks back and already am excited. They are brooding with other breeds and are bigger than all the rest... so either the genetics are right for growth or they are eatting everything and not leaving much for everyone else.... my money is on the first.

One of the boys already looks good. Comb is still small but it looks like 5, maybe 6 points. Not too big a deal... more important to get straight combs without "thumb prints" or other DQ traits and nice even points (not even number, of course, but even in size. lol.)

I'm very pleased with my Braden girls size and shape, thus far. They were hatched May 21st, they're now part of the older "teenager flock" that was hatched on March 19th and April 1st, size wise they are just as big if not bigger than the others. They're fluffy little chunkers, that's for sure! Their color isn't as dark in the hackles as the pullet in your picture, but it is black too, not gray. I wish I would have held on to one of the Braden cockerels to see how they turned out.

I'll try to get some pictures this weekend. They've calmed down and are acting more like Dels now and not freaky chicks just out of the brooder, so its easier to take pictures of them.

Stacy, I want pullets and cockerels!

 

[joletabey]

Stacey, those are beauties- they really are. Like I said, I have not seen a hen with the correct amount of hackle markings till this one. Did you check out Paul Harter's site? The roo on there looks like he has the perfect bowl going for him.

Amy, 'Xander the Great is already in with his girls. I couldn't resist their whining. After a week of watching him closely, and knowing that Kathy had just had a vet out testing her birds for anything and everything, I was naughty, precipitate, went ahead and broke every rule in the book, and put him in with his girls. He walked in like he owned the place from the beginning, dropped his wing and nailed Cora and Janie within the first 30 seconds. He is a good boy, he calls the girls for treats, and herds them in at night. I think they like him overall, He is gentler than Luke was, although Eleanor had gotten so good at avoiding Luke's rapist methods that she is not giving him a chance- but I think in time he will win her over. He still is giving me the hairy eyeball and keeping his distance, but he is watching the girls carefully when they are all over me, and you can see him thinking it all out - As far as looks go- he is not as big as Luke was overall, but is better in the body balance and the tail angle, is darker in the hackles and tail barring, yet is still black and white, his comb follows his head. I think he is a good choice of roo for my good Isaac daughters. Ike gave me really nice plumpy hens, and I hope to get good results. I wish I could get more Ike daughters, I like their looks and I like how they lay.

I look on Craigslist at least three or four times a day for coops and bators- I got my little cottage coop for my English Orps of there - no good bators yet, but I am still hoping.