Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[Germaine_11.20]

Isaac is incredible. My mouth just dropped open when I saw him.

 

[joletabey]

So if your hens need better ie. blacker tails, a roo with the darker, yet barred feathers would be a possible good choice to correct that? And if you were going to a show, Dexter would be a good choice because of his lighter, more distinct barring?

 

[Lizzy_Lane_Farm]

Quote:
I'll send a PM to Shortcakes....

 

[speckledhen]

I've been trying to reach Tracy (shortcake) for awhile now. No idea where she went. Janet (seriousbill) is a college professor and is just probably swamped or I'm sure she'd be here. My own crew came from seriousbill, Kira from some she had in the past, and the rest from her current flock, which consists of two roosters and I think about two dozen hens.

I've only actually culled/eaten one rooster. Usually, folks are very impressed with the Delawares and I have been able to sell cheaply or give away my extra boys. I posted a picture of my second and third choice boys at the feedstore one day and before we got home, had a msg that a guy wanted to come see them that day. He took them both, said they were very impressive. I think if someone has never seen a good Delaware, they would be impressed with them.

So if your hens need better ie. blacker tails, a roo with the darker, yet barred feathers would be a possible good choice to correct that? And if you were going to a show, Dexter would be a good choice because of his lighter, more distinct barring?

I would say that's true, yes, though one of the foremost authorities on this breed says that most show quality Delaware males are heavy on the black in the tail.​

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
Hi Lizzy, yes, the fence is mostly for bears, and is a pulsating current powered by a marine battery. It keeps out dogs, too, or at least did until someone broke the line. Gotta get out there and fix it... the bears are chowing down before winter already.

I feel better about Dexter already. I knew aesthetically that he was a good looking boy, and he's still young so he might fill out a little more. My girl Galena, on the other hand, is very narrow bodied, light on the barring, and has white legs (which I didn't notice until Cyn pointed it out in my first Delaware 101 lesson

). She has only missed 3 days of eggs in the 3 months that I've had her, though, so she willl be kept for her eggs for sure.
The boy I have in with her now is just as nice as Dexter, though very flighty. I'm hoping for some better offspring from them to work with next year. Cyn, your girls almost look like Orpingtons with the columbian markings! LOL! So pretty! All of the girls I have right now are going to be paired with a RIR roo for Sexlinks in the Spring, but since my one lavender silkie rooster passed away, the Delawares and Red Dorkings have become my pet projects. Can't wait for February to get here so I can fire up the incubator again!!

Thank you for the critiques everyone... I'm learning as I go, and this is great!

 

[walkswithdog]

People want the extra delawares when they see them, regardless of our perception of quality, stunning birds.

And whether eaten or gone on to some home layer flock they are good dual purpose animals.

 

[speckledhen]

Tori, thanks for the compliments on my crew. They are very chunky ladies! My own girls' legs do go very light from laying, so maybe your girl's is just from that. I think maybe I was thinking she wasn't laying when I first said that, but don't recall. Legs are one thing that is off on so many Dels. Even one or two of mine had more dusky yellow than bright yellow at first, before they laid. I think Dexter is very nice, really.

 

[Cetawin]

I must show off my Isaac babies now that they are 4 weeks old and terrorizing the brooder and house constantly

This is Fattie

This is Cannonball

This is them both thinking about tasting the camera (You can see your blue orp in the back in the middle of them and my blue EE to the right in the back)

Speckledhen just so you can see their back...

Fattie on the left Cannonball on the right

Your little very dark blue Orp peeking around on the right

I love all of my babies but these two Delaware make it hard not to put them at the top of the list...they demand it. As you see, they are the first to the door when I open it.

 

[speckledhen]

Aw, sweet. They are wild ones, the bunch I have in the brooder. One in particular is always looking for a way out, even taking a flying leap off the stuffed turtle in there to try to make it over the wall, LOL.

 

[Cetawin]

Quote:
muahahaha he is trying to make a jail break. Cannonball still tries to make it over the 5' wall of the brooder. She is doing right now because I am sitting beside them. LOL

But I do believe we are correct...Fattie boy Cannonball girl LOL