Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[kathyinmo]

Well, my Stella will not be contained. She is not at all happy with the move to the big layers coop. She flew up to the corner roost (tree branch in the fence corner), and then flew over the 6 foot fence TWICE! She then proceeds to walk right over to me to be picked up.

Poor girl, does not like change.

Everyone else seems to be adjusting well to the big coop. A few are in the tractor tire dirt bath, a few girls on nests, and others on the side (shady dirt bath). Jacob is very busy .... trying to make the new nests suitable for the girls! So far he has been in 7 of the 15. RIRs and Buckeyes are adapting to their new pen and run without problem.

My Ameraucanas are generally skittish. For the most part they are staying inside the pen, rather than coming out into the run. And guess what ..... I found a soft shelled egg in there! I think it is from the one black Ameraucana. Now, if my Silkie feathered Ameraucana roo will breed her, I can move on with the project!

Another 95* day here is in the forcast, so I am enjoying the cool morning (of only high 80s!). Hope you all have a great day. Keep cool and drink lots of fluids (water is best).

 

[Lotsapaints]

I don't know yet but they start off smaller then catch up but they still are not as big as my Dellies it looks like they will be the first to lay judging by their combs they are flighty but the next batch I have is much friendlier my favs are the Dellies first then my Cuckoo Marans then my New Hampshires. I so want some rocks so I'm hatching the Silver Penciled ones so I'll see if I like those better than the Partridge these are SQ not hatchery I'm sure that makes a difference too.

 

[macmama]

Okay Delaware experts... my babies are 2 1/2 weeks old, so probably too young to tell, but any thoughts on gender? They both look very similar, which will end up being really good or really bad. Crossing my fingers for "Daisy" and "Lilly"...
Daisy:

Lilly:

 

[joletabey]

Daisy and Lily. Instinct.

Kathy-PLEASE do not say Stella is flying 6 feet high! I just got done working in the blazing sun, making a fenced in connection that is 4 feet high so that the Dels and Ultrasuede can play in the big space under the maple tree- RATS!

I am going to plant some fairly fast growing trees on the west side this fall.

Lotsapaints - I don't know anything about NH- are they good layers?Are they friendly?

Chks and Lotsa- you are both saying the Partridge Rocks aren't as friendly- I wonder why. I think they are beautiful, and they are on my wish list ( which just gets longer and longer) so I am curious as to personality.

Lizzie is doing better with the group. She was on the bottom of the monkey pile in the nest box last night, right under Ultrasuede, and I was SURE she was going to be smothered in the night, but she was fine. She did stay in the coop for a long time. BUT she shared yogurt and banana with two of the others and Ultrasuede isn't doing anything more than giving her dirty looks today, so maybe, MAYBE all is well.

 

[kathyinmo]

macmama .... No clue on the sex. But, if you want girls, then I will hope for girls!

Beth, Great news with Lizzie! I hope it gets better and better. Ya know I had 3 or 4 Dels that used to sleep on the floor rather than to roost. I lowered the roost to less than 3 feet, and I put them on the roost each night. It took less than a week and they roosting with the rest. I will have to check and see how it goes in their new home.

 

[Lotsapaints]

Quote:
Well they are very much like Dellies wonder why

my first time having them so I don't know but I bought them to cross with my Dellie Roos for a meaty roo good laying hen this is an old cross and I don't know if you can sex them by color when they are born but I'm going to find out. I too have meat project birds a person can't have too many projects????

Partridge Rocks have been on my wish list too for many years so I went for it and I don't know yet-Dellies were not on my list but I found this site in January kept reading all your posts and I am now controlled by these birds.....I tried to hatch out some White Rocks didn't have good luck tried to hatch Red Laced White Cornish had no luck can't find any White Cornish so when I found some Silver Penciled Rocks I fell in love and the chicks I have are pretty friendly so I'm hatching some more and in 5 months I'll let you all know how I like them. I really prefer chicks that I can sex easy and early I cannot tell on those PR until they are at least 6 weeks too so that's another consideration.

 

[ChksontheRun]

I heard that MM hatchery where I got my PR's has a "flighty" line of them. Perhaps that is why mine are not so friendly. I raised all of my chicks together and they are definitely the least interested in human contact. They are the only ones that still won't even take food from my hand, much less sit on my lap.

 

[Lotsapaints]

Quote:
My first run of them are from MM but the ones I like the best and I just ordered pullets are from Welp they are much different they hang out with the dellies and act a lot like them so that's why I haven't given up on them yet MM have beautiful color but were on the small side the other ones are a little bigger but maybe don't have as good of color hard to tell at 8 weeks...

 

[joletabey]

Lizzie spent her second night in the coop - this time on the edge of the monkey pile. She is still shy about coming out this morning - I think it's because Luke and Ultrasuede chase around so much when they first come out- especially Ultrasuede - he chase the hens, chases Luke, just a regular grump for some reason.

If I lower my roosts, I won't be able to get in the coop- I need to figure out how to raise the roof and make this coop taller. I think it was originally meant for bantams-

 

[speckledhen]

I'm glad your Lizzie is making her way back to her normal life now. My roosters are wild in the morning, too. The girls sometimes stay on the ramp rather than get chased down.


You have to see our Georgie. She insists you pick her up and when you hold her close, you can almost hear her sigh with pleasure. She snuggles and drifts off to sleep on your shoulder. These Delaware ladies are just something, as is my big Isaac. Gosh, he is just the perfect rooster! And he likes me better than Tom, hehehe. Such a regal, big strong guy and he lets his mama rub his chest and stroke his back.

This is what Delawares are supposed to be as a breed. And they are awesome layers as well.