Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[popcornpuppy]

Quote:
My understanding of that is that it is a "bleed through" of red from the New Hampshire red genes. It does show up from time to time. It's normal but not desirable as the Dels should be white. They do change color slightly whith age as they molt. They usually lighten up.

ETA: just want to clairify that Dels came from New Hampshire Red hens over a Barred Rock roo to produce silver sports. The sports are where the Delawares come from.

 

[meadrian]

Ahhh. Thanks! I can see where it's an undesireable trait. The white is gorgeous. But I like her anyway. Thanks again for the explanation!

 

[Cindiloohoo]

I am just about ready to give up on Delaware's! I have girl's with barred tails...now i can't tell pullets from cockerels....

I just wanted to get that out

They're driving me mad...MAD I tell ya! Some girl's have weird neck feathering....from NICE parent's...I wanna scream some days. Why has this not bothered me before? I guess it's just one of them days...frustrating. NO IDEA how many cockerels I have now..or how many girls I've sold as cockerels...LOL!! I can't wait for the next hatch though. CRAZY I know... I am sooooo just asking for more trouble..so I gotta ask you veteran Del masters...is it worth it? Will my flock EVER look "right" or am I just being extremely picky with the young birds? Anybody else have these issues? SOMEBODY MAKE ME FEEL BETTER PLEEEEEASE! I'm on the verge of just having a mixed flock of whatever I want instead of one breed!!!!!

 

[kathyinmo]

Give us some pictures, Cindi ...

I think I know what you are saying. Just today I was trying to figure how many of each sex I have (22 Dels) from my Claudia and Cyn hatch. I am actually seeing alot of almost pure white kids here. Well, maybe not alot, but at least 5 of 6. Some appear more mature than others too, and that confuses me.

I agree, this is a tough breed to figure out! (But, they are soooo sweet!)

 

[speckledhen]

Cindiloo, my pullets sometimes have barred tails until they are close to maturity. Gracie had a tail a rooster would be proud of, barring-wise, until she molted those out at about 16-17 weeks old, then she got gorgeous tail black.

With this breed, you have to keep them longer than say, a solid-colored bird, to determine quality. They go through changes, like the tail barring on pullets, that make it hard to rush your selection.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
I'll get some pics tomorrow or maybe after supper...if I go out there right now smelling like fried chicken I might not get back out

This breed can be SOOOOO frustrating! I have more females than males, but I have noticed barred tails on the girls!

I have some of the sweetest cockerels that I am SURE are cockerels. The neck feathers look barred but not at all like the parents right now...I'll get pics in a few. I really wanna just quit some days. Oh and greenish legs? Where the crap does that come from?!?!?! I had a couple girls like that and I sold them because i knew I wouldn't breed them. Now honestly I have these birds to sell a few too, but with these issues am I wrong to be selling them as Delaware's? It doesn't seem right if the birds aren't "right" to sell them as such...but I have already sold some....

I thought i was rid of the bad genetics when i got rid of those hens and roo's with too much Columbian rock influence. Now THIS! Blah!

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Here are examples of the weird neck feathers.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

pullet

cockerel

cockerel

cockerel

pullet

pullet ? This is one of the 2 confusing ones....

Here's the other...this one looks boyish but acts girly

The first pics I posted I think I figured out that they are likely leftovers from that Columbian Rock looking roo I had. They are the oldest sisters. Glad I keep a log of who hatches when. But, could his sperm have lasted 5+ weeks? He was gone almost 5 weeks when I started hatching!!! These were out of the first batch of eggs I set back in December....and one from the second batch, in January. I got rid of those girls I had from that batch with that roo. Ya'll think maybe I missed one hen? I have some really nice Delaware looking ones, and then those I posted first that are questionable. If there may be a hen that is throwing those questionable ones i KNOW which one at least....this is so annoying!

 

[jeremy]

So I've taken a liking to one of my little Delaware boys. He is not scared of human interaction at all, typical I know, but it's to the point of where he won't leave me alone. When I go sit in the new gigantic brooder (yes, I do) with them, he is always the first to approach me. He'll hop up on my legs when I sit indian style and look up at me with his head turned to the side, as if he's wondering, "What are you? Why are you so much bigger than me?" Even though at this point I can tell he already knows he's a "big boy"! I really hope that he feathers out well, color wise. He is showing some barring in the hackle feathers that he has growing in, with moderate smut on his back. His little legs are HUGE! When I grab him to hold him he hardly squirms around anymore, I'll stroke his beak and he calms right down and sits with me. I've counted what looks to be 5 points plus a blade on his tiny comb, so hopefully that's a good indication of his quality.

What I'm trying to say I guess is, thank you Cynthia for an amazing little Del cockerel!!!

So far he's exactly what I wanted to start my own breeding flock, I'll just have to watch his temperament as he grows and try to deter any bad behavior as it occurs. I'm not sure still how many Del ladies he'll have yet, I'm still confused on the other 4 babies that hatched with him. I know I've got another roo, or 2 at least. I'm not too worried though, I put in another 12 Del eggs in the incubator last week and I've go another dozen + arriving from Bill Braden tomorrow! So he'll eventually have some women of his own.

Oh, I've named him Stewart. One of his girls I'll name Martha. (Get it, Stewart and Martha... Martha Stewart! Ha, ha. I know...

)

Thanks again Cyn!

ETA:

He's the little guy on the left, looking right at the camera.

I don't have a current picture of his comb, I'll try to get one soon, but this is him at about a week or so.

 

[kathyinmo]

Yup, Jeremy, that is exactly what I used to do with my Dellies! I just love their sweet curious nature! Have fun!

PS .... Love the names!

Cindiloohoo .... I'm waiting to hear Cynthia's response to your pictures, as I am curious also!