Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[Elaine Wright]

5 weeks. Shouldn't there be smutting?

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

5 weeks. Shouldn't there be smutting?

I would think so. On ours, the very first wing feathers always show gray.

 

[Elaine Wright]

I would think so. On ours, the very first wing feathers always show gray.

The feed store told me they were a week old. Perhaps she was wrong. This is going to be interesting. They are larger than my other breeds were at that age, but there isn't any color at all. They spent the night in the coop last night (in a separate dog kennel) for the first time.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

The feed store told me they were a week old. Perhaps she was wrong. This is going to be interesting. They are larger than my other breeds were at that age, but there isn't any color at all. They spent the night in the coop last night (in a separate dog kennel) for the first time.

They could be anything, really. Lots of breeds come in "white." Even with yellow legs. It should be fun to watch them grow.

 

[Zanna]

They could be anything, really. Lots of breeds come in "white." Even with yellow legs. It should be fun to watch them grow.

I do not think they are Delawares, they almost look like Cornish Cross.

 

[gjensen]

Unfortunelty I cannot get my pictures uploaded to this sight anymore....

Perhaps Leslie will have the old print that we consider "our standard".

 

[gjensen]

For some reason I lost the picture of the hen,. This is an old Schilling print. The best picture of the "ideal" Delaware that you will find. Notice the front end, the well rounded breast. Notice the depth, or length, of keel. See the topline, and see the bottom line. See the length, the tail, and the tail break. Notice the position of the legs, and the impression of distance between them. See the head. The comb, the beak, the eyes. All of the details. See the color and the placement of the color. Where it is, and where it is not. The color of the legs is a rich golden yellow. Perhaps with an orange stripe down the sides. See the position of the wing. Up tight, held tight, and level.

This is an excellent Delaware. I only wish there was ever so slightly more length, and the legs were centered on that bird precisely.

The SOP has THE description, and I think the picture is pretty good.

 

[gjensen]

I do not think they are Delawares, they almost look like Cornish Cross.

They do.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Here's the hen.

 

[caychris]

For some reason I lost the picture of the hen,. This is an old Schilling print. The best picture of the "ideal" Delaware that you will find. Notice the front end, the well rounded breast. Notice the depth, or length, of keel. See the topline, and see the bottom line. See the length, the tail, and the tail break. Notice the position of the legs, and the impression of distance between them. See the head. The comb, the beak, the eyes. All of the details. See the color and the placement of the color. Where it is, and where it is not. The color of the legs is a rich golden yellow. Perhaps with an orange stripe down the sides. See the position of the wing. Up tight, held tight, and level.

This is an excellent Delaware. I only wish there was ever so slightly more length, and the legs were centered on that bird precisely.

The SOP has THE description, and I think the picture is pretty good.

would be interesting to note how old this bird was the saddle feathers seem a bit on the short side which to me is an indicator of a younger bird. Spurs also seem to indicate youth. The shapes change a little as they age and put more meat and fat onto the frame. All in all the shape of the bird is getting there at least in a number of them I have seen. Especially the ones from Kathy's line that Kim is producing.
Color is going to be very hard but shape is getting there.

I was looking at some pics of NH hens the other day and if you bleach out the red in a lot of them they would look a lot like Delawares. The tails and columbian pattern while faint on the NH red is clearly visible on good birds. Thats why I think some trying to "fix" the color pattern are willing to breed Del males back to NH hens with good results. It looks like this outcross might help improve tails and color pattern if your birds seem to be lacking but as Leslie and others are saying your have to be very careful of introducing other elements. Working withing the birds you have would be preferable but sometimes the genetic drift of the line leaves you with little options.

To be perfectly honest Im thinking that recreation and merging of the lines might be a better option.

Im considering getting some PBR and NH from eight acre next year and give it a go.