Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[Zanna]

I would love some opinions on this young cockeral of my breeding. He is 5 mos. old now. I am sure he will fill out in the chest and have a nice bowl shape, Dad is large and this guy I think will be larger. Too many points on the comb but there are no serrations, etc. and it looks pleasing to me. Nice yellow legs, nice open tail. Last pic his chest looks narrow but it is the pic. he is pretty wide. He seems to hold the right wing slightly lower showing more of the black feathers in the pics, not sure what to make of that, the wing is not split and I am not sure if this is normal for him or if it was because I was disturbing him in his pen. Colour is a little smutty over the back, time will tell if that changes. What have I missed? Considering taking this guy to a show and breeding him back to his Mom. Please tell me if you think I am way out there I had a full brother to him last season, 8 mos. old, awesome bird. Moved him to the breeder pen from the grow out pen to get started with some breeding and he was dead on the ground next morning, thinking heart attack. Needless to say, I am going to probably wait till this guy reaches a year before doing any breeding as I do not want to be breeding forward weak birds...........










Here is a Pic. of his mom, (butt shot, head turned to the rt.), and siblings, full and 1/2. She is 3 years old now, hence the pale legs......... She has a very bad looking comb to me but love her type.



Here is a full sister, also 5 mos. old. Her tail is pinched and she has a comb similar to Mom but I like everything else about her.



Any and all comments are appreciated, I am here to learn!!!

 

[Zanna]

I would love some opinions on this young cockeral of my breeding. He is 5 mos. old now. I am sure he will fill out in the chest and have a nice bowl shape, Dad is large and this guy I think will be larger. Too many points on the comb but there are no serrations, etc. and it looks pleasing to me. Nice yellow legs, nice open tail. Last pic his chest looks narrow but it is the pic. he is pretty wide. He seems to hold the right wing slightly lower showing more of the black feathers in the pics, not sure what to make of that, the wing is not split and I am not sure if this is normal for him or if it was because I was disturbing him in his pen. Colour is a little smutty over the back, time will tell if that changes. What have I missed? Considering taking this guy to a show and breeding him back to his Mom. Please tell me if you think I am way out there I had a full brother to him last season, 8 mos. old, awesome bird. Moved him to the breeder pen from the grow out pen to get started with some breeding and he was dead on the ground next morning, thinking heart attack. Needless to say, I am going to probably wait till this guy reaches a year before doing any breeding as I do not want to be breeding forward weak birds...........










Here is a Pic. of his mom, (butt shot, head turned to the rt.), and siblings, full and 1/2. She is 3 years old now, hence the pale legs......... She has a very bad looking comb to me but love her type.



Here is a full sister, also 5 mos. old. Her tail is pinched and she has a comb similar to Mom but I like everything else about her.



Any and all comments are appreciated, I am here to learn!!!

 

[Zanna]

I would love some opinions on this young cockeral of my breeding. He is 5 mos. old now. I am sure he will fill out in the chest and have a nice bowl shape, Dad is large and this guy I think will be larger. Too many points on the comb but there are no serrations, etc. and it looks pleasing to me. Nice yellow legs, nice open tail. Last pic his chest looks narrow but it is the pic. he is pretty wide. He seems to hold the right wing slightly lower showing more of the black feathers in the pics, not sure what to make of that, the wing is not split and I am not sure if this is normal for him or if it was because I was disturbing him in his pen. Colour is a little smutty over the back, time will tell if that changes. What have I missed? Considering taking this guy to a show and breeding him back to his Mom. Please tell me if you think I am way out there I had a full brother to him last season, 8 mos. old, awesome bird. Moved him to the breeder pen from the grow out pen to get started with some breeding and he was dead on the ground next morning, thinking heart attack. Needless to say, I am going to probably wait till this guy reaches a year before doing any breeding as I do not want to be breeding forward weak birds...........










Here is a Pic. of his mom, (butt shot, head turned to the rt.), and siblings, full and 1/2. She is 3 years old now, hence the pale legs......... She has a very bad looking comb to me but love her type.



Here is a full sister, also 5 mos. old. Her tail is pinched and she has a comb similar to Mom but I like everything else about her.



Any and all comments are appreciated, I am here to learn!!!

 

[Mrs. K]

I have 25 straight run Delaware chicks ordered through sand hills preservation. Any comments. I have had a mixed flock for years, thought I would try a breed. This has had some great advice.

MRsK

 

[cubalaya]

i would like to see pics of the sandhill delawares when they are mature. i think they are pretty good and heritage.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I got Delawares from Sandhill last spring. Many of them matured to develop split wings. Most of them had pinched tails. I still have a few but they are freezer bound.

 

[NJNick]

Do you remember how much sandhill charged per chick. I think the price was 6 or 8 each. So you are saying you did not get what you where hoping for.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I did get what I wanted. I got them for a meat supply, not to raise or show.

There were a few that were pretty nice but if I wanted to get them to raise/show, I'd find someone else who had them and had some available.

 

[1muttsfan]

CSU (Chicken State University) is featuring Delawares, and I hope some of you breeders of great quality birds can take the time to come over and post some pics for review and evaluation. It is a great thread for those hoping to improve on their birds, and I have found the various breed evaluations to be immensly helpful. Thanks! Mary


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...e-university-large-fowl-sop/520#post_10651855

 

[finnfur]

I would love some opinions on this young cockeral of my breeding. He is 5 mos. old now. I am sure he will fill out in the chest and have a nice bowl shape, Dad is large and this guy I think will be larger. Too many points on the comb but there are no serrations, etc. and it looks pleasing to me. Nice yellow legs, nice open tail. Last pic his chest looks narrow but it is the pic. he is pretty wide. He seems to hold the right wing slightly lower showing more of the black feathers in the pics, not sure what to make of that, the wing is not split and I am not sure if this is normal for him or if it was because I was disturbing him in his pen. Colour is a little smutty over the back, time will tell if that changes. What have I missed? Considering taking this guy to a show and breeding him back to his Mom. Please tell me if you think I am way out there I had a full brother to him last season, 8 mos. old, awesome bird. Moved him to the breeder pen from the grow out pen to get started with some breeding and he was dead on the ground next morning, thinking heart attack. Needless to say, I am going to probably wait till this guy reaches a year before doing any breeding as I do not want to be breeding forward weak birds...........










Here is a Pic. of his mom, (butt shot, head turned to the rt.), and siblings, full and 1/2. She is 3 years old now, hence the pale legs......... She has a very bad looking comb to me but love her type.



Here is a full sister, also 5 mos. old. Her tail is pinched and she has a comb similar to Mom but I like everything else about her.



Any and all comments are appreciated, I am here to learn!!!

I am in no way an expert [still reading at page 1050 of this thread] and learning fast but I think your self critique nailed it , I like the shape of the Roo and Mom - can't tell much about the sister from pic. I think you are on the right track. I hope I am there in under two years as my chicks will soon be on the way.
May be a expert like Walt or some one with judging experience can add to it.
Tom