Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[joletabey]

You could rent Buckshot or Luke for a month. . . . .

 

[popcornpuppy]

Okay, I just came in the house after talking with my neighbor and had to share this with all you Dellie lovers. My neighbor said to me "what happened to the other chickens. I don't see those grey ones anymore."
He's referring to my Barred Rocks.
I said "they are on the other side of the fence, in a seperate section."
He said "why, don't they get along with the white ones?"
He's reffering to the Dels now.
I said " Yeah, they get along just fine. I just don't want the grey ones mating with the white ones." He said "Why?"
I said "because I want pure breds, not mixed breeds."
He said "why does it matter, a chicken is just a chicken, RIGHT?"

My Dels are JUST CHICKENS?!!!!!!!!!!! I had to hold myself back, and I politely said "the white ones are a rare breed and I can sell the hatching eggs to people looking for this type of chicken."

Delaware "Just a chicken."
No more free eggs for him!

 

[speckledhen]

Sacre Bleu! JUST a chicken?

Reminds me of when my DH called a swap shop radio show to try to sell some extra chicks. He said in the verbal ad that they were all pure, no mixed breeds. The host said he'd never heard of a purebred chicken.

Cannonball's beak is healed completely, looks like!

 

[joletabey]

Just a chicken?

 

[speckledhen]

Just when you think you have it all figured out.... sigh.

I may send Isaac to live with Ladyhawk after all. He is a bit too, well, shall we say, vigorous, for my old ladies, even though Miranda adores him. Both Sunny and Ginger resisted him this afternoon and he insisted. Sunny didn't even get up afterward, feathers all over the place. I had to go pick her up off the ground. Ginger ran and ran and when he caught her, I was afraid he'd hurt her. He's just such a young stud and these elderly hens just don't want or need that much attention anymore. Suede is too big for them, even though they are Orps, and his coop is too small anyway, or I'd put them in with him since he is also an older man and slowing down in his mating activity. Nugget is bald because she is a favorite and Riley is almost bald. I realize that is just the way it is with roosters, after having them for years, but I've never had these aging hens before. Makes me think a good use for that coop would be as a Old Hens Home, a rooster-less one. Isaac truthfully needs more than a dozen hens, preferably about 15-20, not just a handful. My best large hens are the RIRs, but they pick at his comb and he's healed up now. I don't want him back at square one.

Well, back to the drawing board....

 

[JamesA]

It was a nice day out so I finally took some pictures of the Dellies.I havent taken any pictures since they were young chicks.I've culled down to three roo's and 11 pullets but I'm going to get down to 2 roo's and 10 pullets I believe.One roo has the best body but his comb isnt very good and I just can't seem to get rid of him.

 

[speckledhen]

James, they look really good. I see some great tail black on most of those girls and the boys look good, too. Nice leg color! I think you got quite a nice group out of those.

 

[Cetawin]

Well dammmmmmm it. You know all you have to do is say the word....I am taking 21 - 23 birds...only 2 boys so I will have plenty of biggie girls for him...

Cyn...why not just give him more girls....keep him confused? LOL Dang it I will buy him (eggs) Jersey Giants and send them to you. Those big ole girls should handle him okay...


And OMG

A Dellie is not just a chicken!

 

[JamesA]

Quote:
Thanks for sharing them with me.I think my preference with the girls is getting in the way of the standard as most of my girls have light coloring around the neck.I think I might should have kept a couple of the girls I gave to my friend that had more coloring.

 

[speckledhen]

Ladyhawk, that coop only holds 12-13 comfortably. The issue is finding girls who are not too small, plus who won't pick at his wattles and comb. I'd rather leave the Ameraucanas in with the main flock because I plan to let the BW Ameraucana cockerel roam with them and Dutch. I just can't figure out what to do for Isaac. I'd even put Delilah in there, but I've seen her pick at Dutch on occasion. Reba, my hatchery RIR, is a sweetie, but again, she one of the older ladies.

I really don't want to add many to my flock right now, in fact, wanted to downsize a bit or sure, I'd get more, bigger, younger ladies for the Ikester. Maybe Glenda, Delilah and June could go in there. They are good sized girls, the first two being Suede's daughters and June is a chunky girl for an EE. That might take the pressure off the older hens in that group. Dang, I'd have four possible broodies in that same coop, though! Still...

James, I see a couple in there with really nice hackle color, but I know what you mean. The good thing is that it takes DNA from two parents and the youngsters may end up with better hackles than their mothers.