Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[Laney]

Wow the pictures are so beautiful! All of them look great. I won't tell you how jealous I am Kathy!!

I want those babies!

I have 4 eggs in the bator that I got at Whole foods. 2 are a Blue Green color, and 2 I believe are Java's. One of the supposed Java's is a moderate brown, one is a pale cream color. They are on day 7 and after candling I can see veins and movement only in the pale cream egg. I can see only darkness in half the egg in the other three eggs. I don't know if this is because these three eggs are too darkly shelled to tell before day 10-18 being green and a medium brown, or because they are infertile? If this is the case this will be my second solitary chick in a row and I really don't want to do that.

My question is, I'm on day 7, I do not have a second incubator, but should I get more eggs and do a staggered hatch so that this chick will at least only be alone for a few days? I don't know anyone around that would have chicks at this time of year, and any chicks that I could order from a hatchery aren't the type of chicks I would want?

Laney

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

I'm sorry to post bad news on this thread, but I am searching for an answer. I found my Delaware, Lily, dead this afternoon, wedged into a corner on the floor of the coop. She was absolutely fine earlier in the day. I am mystified as to what may have happened to her. My other three hens ( (all different breeds) seem fine at least for the moment.

Are Delawares subject to any health problems that might manifest suddenly?

Does anyone have any idea what might have happened to her? There were no marks on her body, no blood or signs of trauma. She had only been laying for about a week. I think she laid an egg this morning but I can't 100% prove it - her eggs look very similar to my Buff Orpington's.

Would appreciate any thoughts about what may have happened.

 

[kathyinmo]

Oh no, what a terrible thing to find. I am so sorry you lost your Lily.

I don't believe Delawares are prone to any sudden death health problems. You have my sympathy. So sorry for you.

 

[har]

Laney
I have done a staggered hatch before and have had good luck with it. Probably a good idea so that the chick has some buddies to hang with.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
I saw your post in Emergencies and thought the answer you got from usschicago was quite likely. She may have just broken her neck, flying into the wall. Delawares are not prone to anything in particular. I can't vouch for hatchery types, if that's what yours is, but the ones I have are very healthy and robust, not weaklings by any stretch of the imagination. I did have one who had a freak heart defect and her heart couldn't take it as she was about to come into lay, but that is just an odd occurrence, not something I associate with this breed at all.

 

[that_crazy_lady]

bawkbawkbawk - Sorry to hear that. I would have to say no, as far as I know.

joletabey - thanks, he is not quite as wide as he looks but close

can a Delaware be too wide/blocky?

Don't you just love it when they do things like that Delgirl

the only drama here is Sweetheart dose not like being in the brooder while all the other birds have the whole coop, but I don't want the others pushing her away from the food or pecking at her. I took her out yesterday and let her roam around with the rest of the flock while I cleaned stuff up. no body was picking on her, but they did nock her around. oh and her eye is there. I guess blood dryed over the eye and scabed then fell off, cuz one day it was dark and the next soft and flesh colored. there is a lot of swelling though, so even when she opens it, it's hard to see.

 

[kathyinmo]

Here's a picture of a couple of the newest Dellies:

It is 25* here today, and we still have about 4 inches of snow on the ground. My chickens act like they are afraid of the snow (or they are cold). I have 45 chickens (4 mth olds) that just are not interested in going outside. They look out, and turn back away from the door.

Hope you are all keeping warm.

 

[joletabey]

Bawkbawkbawk, I am so sorry about Lily-

that is so very sad! My experience is limited, but I am the very proud owner of Superchick, who was glued together at birth and is 6 1/2 weeks of toughness, so I am under the impression that Dels are tougher than nails. What Cynthia reported from the other thread about breaking her neck does make sense. The way mine shoot around the brooder scares me to death sometimes!

Kathy- adorable, adorable, adorable. *sigh*

Crazylady- yay! Sweetheart has her eye!

Delgirl- maybe the comb area bleeds a lot more than other areas?

 

[har]

Kathy
What beautiful chicks, congrats on your new family.

 

[Laney]

I'm very excited!!! I just won a bid on ebay for 12 Dellie eggs! They looked like really good birds from the pics. So we'll see when they grow up how they will mix in with the existing line we have around here now. All I have to do now is get a hold of some Isaac babies and I'll be set.

Bawk, I am so sorry about Lily. The only things I can think about when you find a hen dead like that are egg bound, or hidden wound/infection. I hope you are able to figure out what it is. I know you said she laid an egg, but maybe it wasn't hers, and she was eggbound?

Laney