Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[popcornpuppy]

One or 2 of my PA gals have some black in their beaks as well, but are not as hevily marked through the neck. The pullet with the black in her beak is not petite, but a little narrow. The pic I posted as my #2 roo choice is NOT actuallly my #2 choice, it's my number 3 choice. I need to get a pic of my #2 choice because he really is a beautiful boy. I just wish he was friendlier.

 

[popcornpuppy]

hold on while I go through my pics, I'm not sure about the pullet with the black in her beak. I have one who is narrower but one that hat better body type.

yes, the one in the pic has a narrower body, but she is as large (tall) as the other gals, just not as broad.

 

[joletabey]

CrazyLady- NO one plots here. No one.

I am glad to here someone else's Dels are big babies about the snow. I worked for a half hour digging a clear area for mine, put them out, and then they sat and pouted and huddled and gave me the stink eye -this is going to be a loooong winter. . . .

Claudia, those are beautiful, beautiful birds. You must be really happy -

PCPuppy- thank you for posting those shots- yours are about two months older than mine, so it helps me to see what I might expect, AND to see some similarities in our Ike babies - #1 roo especially- three of mine look like him, and they are my #1,2,3 as well.

Cynthia, I got thinking about this Columbian coloring-my mentors in horse breeding told me traits can come from as far back as 6 generations; if chickens are the same, then it most certainly is nothing you could have predicted, nor probably Seriousbill either. The only thing you could do would be to try and figure out which hen mated to Ike has the combination. I have two roos and one pullet with it - they have the dark beak, too. And I love all three of them. One of the roos is the biggest, and all three are super friendly and sweet. Superchick did NOT have it, so that is only 3 out of 16 and I think that is really good odds. I guess that is why breeding programs take time and patience, huh?

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, it takes much time, patience, study and lots of stock in fencing companies, LOL. I won't be doing it on the scale needed to produce what I hope some of you will with the birds you hatch from eggs I supply. The breed is very worth the effort, as you have seen. What you can do is hatch and cull and hatch and cull and come up with something wonderful. All of you are becoming well-informed and should be able to have spectacular Delaware flocks in a few years.

As far as the dark beak is concerned, I noticed that Isaac started with some on his, but as he got older, it has all but disappeared, so unless the beaks are really black like Kathy's pullet in that picture, could be that the color will fade out as the birds age. Scott has L'il Bit--I wonder if the black on her beak is still there?

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

I will check her in the AM, but pretty sure her beak is all yellow now (L'il Bit). Sasha, however, has a bit of black on hers right now as do 2 of my young pullets

 

[speckledhen]

Well, if L'il Bit's is gone, then maybe some of the rest of these who started out with the black on their beaks will be rid of it soon, too. Scott, L'il Bit shouldn't have a yellow beak- does she? Should be horn color. We need updated pics of Pepper and L'il Bit.

 

[joletabey]

I vote for updated pics of Pepper and L'il Bit, too! The more I see the more I learn.
Cynthia, you have taken us all quite far down this road, but we need you for a LOOOOOONG time yet- don't quit on those Dels quite yet!

 

[popcornpuppy]

Okay, I just went out and got pics of the #2 roo pick. He is a nice looking bird and has alot of good qualities but he pecked at my husband while trying to get these photos. Is he worth keeping if he acts like that?

I need opinions on this one. I can't decide if his pecking is enough to cull for since he is so nice looking.

And I would like to see updated pics of Scott's to see how they look as they age

 

[speckledhen]

I'm not quitting just yet. tnchickenut is coming down on Tuesday to pick up some eggs from me to blend in with her stock and I'll get to meet another Dellie slave!

Kathy, when he does that, grab him up and hold his beak a few seconds, then put him down. If it's just pecking, that may be curable. You have to be consistent and if he is trainable, then he'll quit. Isaac even bit me at about 14 weeks old and he hated to have his beak held. Now, he's an angel. That boy you have is good looking! Nice, distinct tail barring, good hackles, nice comb. Not sure how large he is due to his position in the picture.

 

[joletabey]

Kathy, he is beautiful! It looks like he is going to be a 5 pointer! My Dels are all sort of pecky now and then - if I even grab at their beak, though, they get the picture and quit for the time being. It almost seems like a testing thing - you know "Hmmmm, maybe TODAY I can get away with it".

Cynthia, I am glad to hear that. There just needs to be more Ike kids out there before you quit.
And what about what Gracie might pass on? I can't wait to hear Tnchickenut's reaction upon seeing Ike in person!!!!!