Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[that_crazy_lady]

oooh aaah
I got 9 chicks about a week ago, one is a blue OEG roo, there are 4 RIR pullets, and 4 are Delaware str, I think I'v got 2 maybe 3 hens. they are about 5-6 weeks old I'm guessing, they had been at the store a while, got them cheep. came from ideal

I did not know the breed was rare though

 

[speckledhen]

Hatchery Delawares are not rare. Many are outcrossed with Columbian Rock blood. The actual heritage Delawares, the ones descended more closely from the pure, original lines are very rare.

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Just put my three Delaware Cockerels in the cage and in the truck to the butcher. While that saddened me, you could almost hear the pullets sigh of relief.

Talked to the very long-suffering spouse about trying again next year. I need to get him used to the idea for about 6 months.

He wants to go to Farm and Fleet and order them, which means they will come from Cackle Hatchery. {Sigh} I'm looking at Sand Hill, or a breeder.

Thanks for the pictures all!

 

[rancher hicks]

How would one know the difference btwn the two? Who knows who has true heritage birds? How could they prove true blood? I'm not so interested in keeping completely with the standard I just want to keep the breed alive. Which is the same for the other heritage breeds I desire. I can't understand why anyone wouldn't want Dels they are great birds and excellant layers. At least that has been my experience w/ the girls I have. My Ideal hens seem pretty good. I only know the 4 from the private person are good cause they were by themselves for some time and I kept a daily count. Never had a day when I didn't get at least 3 eggs. avg. 3.7.

 

[speckledhen]

Really, you just judge the bird by the Standard. For instance, I understand that Sandhill Preservation still has some decent Delawares. You could luck out and get some that are better breed examples from a hatchery, but I've seen some of Ideal's Delawares. They show evidence of heavy Columbian Rock influence (the owner of the feedstore grows some out to sell, so I got to see them older than chicks), like solid black in the hackles or solid black tail feathers rather than barred, etc.
If you get a copy of a picture of what they are supposed to look like and go by that, you can try to keep the best examples the hatchery sends you and breed up from there, but it's a much longer road than getting some from a breeder who has done culling to improve the lines already.


ETA: Sorry, Cher, we posted at the same time.

 

[walkswithdog]

Heck Cyn - you said it in short form.

Me I get wordy. Especially after the three generation incident with the hatchery Partridge Rocks.

By most people's definition they were purebred, they were certainly in their own way beautiful, they laid like champs six or seven days a week, winter or summer. And I had people banging down the door to take their flawed rear ends when I decided to sell them out.

There's a pain to losing that much effort. But the DQ was there and nothing was going to fix it. Most people I sold to didn't even care about the DQ they just wanted pretty Partridge Rocks, and they were. But they will never produce a bird that meets the SOP.

If I can help someone see how to avoid having to live through selling off two years of work and birds they are fond of, then I'll do that.

I should be apologizing for the long windedness.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, delawaregirl, guess all this discussion is keeping the thread alive till someone else with Delawares can see it and post their pics!

 

[rancher hicks]

That's all well and good but I can't find Del breeders here in NY, and it would seem no one on this forum is shipping anything. I drove 6 hrs round trip to get the 4 I've got, not including the 3 from Ideal.
In fact I've given up looking or trying, I'll deal with what I can get. As far as I'm concerned a Del that doesn't meet the standard is still a Del. I'll cull and work with what I've got.

 

[walkswithdog]

When shortcake is back on I'm sure she'll be selling eventually, and can refer to others. Most people with new stock, combining new lines are hatching and holding their stock to evaluate in spring, it's what a responsible person does before they sell anything.

If you feel a white spotted labrador is still a labrador - I can't change your mind but I won't agree with you. I will sell my culls as mixes until my culls actually begin to meet most of the standard.

I know the frustration of not being able to get good stock, try finding heritage Partridge Rocks for sale. It doesn't happen.

When you get into a new breed with a limited number of good breeders, and a lot of new breeders, you're going to hit road blocks at first. That's the way it is. If it was easy everyone would do it.

You do have to work with what you can get. And then keep trying for better stock. Frustrating but worth it.

 

[Country Heart]

What beautiful birds. Delaware's are on my wish list. I am hoping to expand my microflock by a few birds in the spring and would be interested in a Delaware pullet at that time.

Can anyone recommend a good breeder? I am located in Northern California.