Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[speckledhen]

Kathy, those are some great looking boys. I see one too Columbian in there, but the rest look really good. As far as I know, what Janet means is that the head is broad and rather flat on top, not narrow. There is just a look I can't really put into words that seems "right" when I see it. Maybe it has something to do with the eyes, the earlobes, the beak, the comb... hard to say.

The second and fourth pics from the bottom show to much black on the beaks and one of those is the Columbian marked boy as well. That first boy is a TANK!

 

[kathyinmo]

Would you cull for the too much brown on the beak? How important is that, do you think? I have about 4 boys in this bunch that I am really liking, but 2 of them do have brown on the beak. I think I am gonna thin out the Columbian ones in a week or so. Time to downsize again, but not too many!

I like watching those boys grow and mature. They make so many changes! I have a few really light girls, too. I will keep them anyway, but probably not for breeders. These Dels are such good layers, I don't want to get rid of any of the girls!

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Oh handsome boys! That first one is huge! Definetely in the keeper group. And I totally agree with you Kathy, I can't get rid of any of my Del girls either. They are great layers but they are also sweet. They aren't quite as curious anymore, more gentle and motherly. I wondered about that... if they would stay quirky and curious. I like them even better now and I really enjoyed them then. How on earth did this breed ever get endangered? They are too good of a bird!

I am glad I was able to see the Columbian pattern compared to the Del pattern. It clears things up for me.

I have Roo pics I need to post and get advice on but I don't want to butt in on your pics. Maybe tomorrow or the next day.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Oh handsome boys! That first one is huge! Definetely in the keeper group. And I totally agree with you Kathy, I can't get rid of any of my Del girls either. They are great layers but they are also sweet. They aren't quite as curious anymore, more gentle and motherly. I wondered about that... if they would stay quirky and curious. I like them even better now and I really enjoyed them then. How on earth did this breed ever get endangered? They are too good of a bird!

I am glad I was able to see the Columbian pattern compared to the Del pattern. It clears things up for me.

I have Roo pics I need to post and get advice on but I don't want to butt in on your pics. Maybe tomorrow or the next day.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Oh no ..... please, post them now! Really! I would love to see them!

 

[joletabey]

Kathy, chunkers!!!! They look really good. The first one is a hulk, and #5 is really giving you a look- Watching them grow is SO much fun.

Rwoman- do put up pictures- we can multitask!!

I agree, too, my hens are SO sweet, I don't even care about the shell-less egg layer- whoever she is, she can stay just based on personality- these kids are way too fun. Mine calmed down as they got older, too- but they still cluster around my feet the minute I walk in the run- makes things difficult unless I bring treats. Guess they got THAT figured out. . . . . .

Gloria Jean, well, at least you got SOME babies-

Cynthia, did your naughty broody give you any hints she was getting sick of her chicks, or did she just suddenly turn? What a stinker!

So do you suppose Cetawin is sleeping it off??? JUST KIDDING!

 

[speckledhen]

Kathy, I did cull a couple for a very black top beak. Isaac had a thin streak of it, but as he grew, it disappeared. A small amount may disappear, but if it's very evident, it probably won't. L'il Bit was the only pullet I culled, mainly for size, but she had a very dark top beak as well.


Beth, no warning at all from Dusty when she turned on her chicks. With the last bunch, the one Gracie was in, I let her out to roam with the five week old babies and I heard one cheeping. Thought it was running with a bug in its mouth, but then I realized it was running from its mom, who was chasing down every one around the strawberry patch and trying to hurt them. They were trying to hide from her!
I literally grabbed her up, said "You want to go back to Suede, you got it, sister", slapped a saddle on her and pretty much threw her back in the pen with her flock. I had to herd the babies back to the broody pen where they cowered in the back for a long time before coming out to eat and drink. Poor traumatized things. Dusty is an awesome broody, right up until she decides they must die.

 

[crazyhen]

Thats what my buff orp did too. She killed two before I caught her. Whats with these broodies. Or what are we doing that may cause it? Gloria Jean

 

[speckledhen]

They are chickens, is all. They do what they do and sometimes, no amount of psychoanalyzing will explain them.

 

[Cetawin]

True Cyn but the right amount of seasonings and the right temperature and you can fix a baby killing broody.

That Dusty is a weird one...it would be nice if she went into kill mode about the same time every time instead of oh these are 6 weeks old KILL THEM...and then oh these are 4 weeks old KILL THEM oh these are 2 weeks old KILL THEM. That would make me crazy with her...never knowing when she is going to go all homicidal on them.



For the latest drama...I hate drama as much as I hate Hughesnet. Someone dumped off a teeny tiny little chichi here yesterday. The little toerag decided to chase my birds. As I went out the back door I saw girls running everywhere and Thor with Severus by his side charging this little rat in the yard...I thought at first is was a rat until it yelped. It yelped because it had 11 1/2 lbs of mad rooster all over it. Thor beat the snot out of this dog with Severus blocking his escape. Severus was literally patrolling behind the dog and Thor and in front of the girls. They had huddled near the woodline and while Thor was taking care of business, Severus was guarding the girls and getting in a hit or two himself. Thor had doggie by the neck shaking him.

I made the mistake of trying to get the dog away from Thor and have a wonderful deep scratch that starts in my palm and continues all the way up past my wrist. Doggie has a few pretty nasty cuts, Thor is fine, Severus is fine and doggie has a new home. I tossed doggie into a dog crate and went to check everyone. Faith has a small scratch on her which was cleaned and fixed up and Domino lost a few feathers. My neighbors when they came to take me to dinner, had her MIL with them that we were dropping off at home...she aw little doggie and wanted it. So I gave the dog to her.

So...I had a wonderful dinner, a marquerita and a daiquiri.