Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[Germaine_11.20]

I love that last picture. She looks like she's saying "Excuse me? Are you finished yet, I'm not done bathing"

 

[delawaregirl09]

I agree rustyswoman! Lol, so cute. That is precious. Unfortunently, after my white birds dust bathe, they look red from this Oklahoma clay. Haha, its pretty funny.

Thank you, Horse Feaherz NV, but I dont think I can take the credit for the whole thread. Cynthia (speckledhen), TimG, and the others made wonderful comments to share information, as well as everyone who provided pictures.

ETS: Whew, I cant spell today.

 

[Laney]

This has indeed been a wonderful thread. Thank you to everyone who has contributed. I hope the discussion will continue. Delwaregirl your girls are beautiful.

I was trying to get a copy of the standard but I couldn't find one. Can anyone point me in the right direction. I can see everyones birds are beautiful birds, and I have been told my trio have nice legs and the girls have good tail feathers but I'm not sure what the exact standard is.

I know they are supposed to be large birds but I don't know really what the shape is supposed to be? I've seen some birds even have the degree of the slope of their back be defined. I've seen it said Delawares should be full breasted? What does that mean?

I know that the boys should have barred tails, but how barred? 5 pointed combs but should it be over the eye or start at the beak?

And how much of the hackles should be speckled?

Laney

 

[broodfowl100]

i love chikens ther so good i like it in chines and in the grell

 

[speckledhen]

Some groups have part of the standard written online, but you may only find bits and pieces since the APA wants you to buy the book and does not publish it online.
The comb should be moderately large, well-developed, set firmly on head, perfectly straight, with five well-defined points, those in front and rear smaller than those in center, blade smooth; inclining slightly downward, but not following contour of the neck too closely. (The back blade does not count as a point, but the points count, from the front blade back.)

The hackles should show irregular indications of barring is what the standard says. The male's tail is supposed to have barring with black predominating. Female's tail should have black feathers, edged in white, rather than barring, though some may have a bit of tail barring as youngsters that molts out as they mature. Male should carry the tail 40 degrees above horizontal and females 30 degrees, I believe, but correct me if I'm wrong.

As far as body type, it should be broad and deep chested, but really, a picture is worth a thousand words so you know exactly what we mean when we say that.

 

[delawaregirl09]

Wow, thanks for the information Cynthia. I know I didn't ask for it, but its nice to have it on here! Too bad I didnt copy that down from the S.O.P. when I went to the library and put it on the opening post, huh? Lol.

 

[speckledhen]

Laney asked and I just wanted to help with a couple of tidbits from the Delaware standard. If you're breeding them, sure helps to know what they're supposed to look like, right? The only thing that the standard does not tell you is exactly how to get there, which traits are less important, which ones can easily be bred out, which bird to breed to which to offset or set in certain traits, etc. That's where good breeder knowledge comes into play and relying on the experience of those who have been breeding this particular breed for years.

 

[delawaregirl09]

Exactly how I feel, speckledhen. I wish they would tell us all those things, but learning about it yourself helps you gain more knowledge about the breed and enjoy your birds even more. I hope more people have Delawares out there, I sure would like to see them!! Lol.

 

[Laney]

I hope to start breeding Delawares this spring. I'll probably breed the hatchery stock I have just for egg laying. I hope to be able to obtain some eggs from a few different breeders to hatch so that I can grow up a bunch of Delawares and see what they end up looking like. Then with the advice of someone more experienced than me, and a copy of the Standard I'll give it a try matching Hens and Roo's to try to match the standard.

I am guessing it will be more like a puzzle than that though. Picking a girl with good shape and feathering, who has an OK comb and matching her with a Rooster who has good shape and feathering and a good comb and seeing what I get.

Next generation I'll like the shape I get and maybe I'll want to add a hen into the mix that has better legs but still has the good shape and comb, but maybe her feathering isn't quite as nice as the first gen Hen.

And I'll go on that way tweaking until I get a bird that is Show quality.

Laney

 

[kathyinmo]

Laney, I , too hope to begin breeding Heritage Delawares next spring. I have oh so much to learn. I did read somewhere, that one of the last things to breed for is the comb perfection. I don't know if that is in all breeds, or in the breed I was reading about. I am guessing there may be a methodical way of breeding, some sort of "order," to go by ??

I am just learning about line breeding, and spiral breeding, etc. What are the thoughts of the posters here, on that topic, with the Delawares? I understand many believe a closed flock to be best, while others dispute that, believing they need, "new blood," to reach their ultimate goal of perfection.

I have yet to order a SOP book, and do need to do that soon, so I can "study," before spring! Is this book updated often? I see on Amazon that the most current is a 2001 edition?? I assume, for example, if the Black Copper Marans make it in 2010, there would be another addition to add to the book. ?

I really love the heritage poultry, and hope to make an impact sometime in the future. I think when there is such a seriously low population of a breed, people *should* practically give away eggs and chicks, to encourage an increase in the population. It is heartbreaking that some do just the opposite, and charge a fortune to "entice," your interest. I certainly will not be, "in it for the money!" OTOH, I DO understand the expense that goes hand in hand with breeding. Oh, I dunno.... just sayin' ....

I am really enjoying the pictures and the information of this thread, and I thank all the contributors.