Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[jeremy]

I had to separate my two young cockerels this morning. Stewart, my Del, has started to mount the pullets he's with and I guess Claude my BW Ameraucana boy didn't much appreciate it. They've been housed together in the same "teenager" pen for a couple months but now that the hormones have started raging I guess their friendship is being put to a test. I went out to feed and water and noticed blood on top of Stewart's head. I freaked and jumped into the pen, grabbing him up and checking him over thoroughly. Well his comb had a few bloodly bite marks where it looked like Claude had chomped into him.

I scooped Claude up and threw him over the fence into the older women's pen, where he was given a good thump on the head by the girls. Claude has grown to be the same size as the older hens so I'm not too worried about him. He'll eventually assert himself over the women and Stewart can stay with the pullets.

I've heard of people housing several roos/cockerels together without problems, what do you think might have caused the animosity between the two? I was thinking about expanding the teenager pen but just haven't got around to it. It's not small but maybe it just isn't big enough for two boys? It's about 16 ft. wide X 35 ft. long.

ETA: countrychickengirl, IMO those would all be culls from my breeding program. Not only do they have far too many points but the very front point on several of the boys combs sorta folds over, see? Not something that you want to pass on genetically, as it's VERY hard to breed out. Remember Delawares should have a clear 5 point comb. The most I allow over that number is 6 points. Anything else goes directly to the layer flock or the stew pot! It's weird those points that you're talking about towards the back almost look like a carnation comb that's found in a Penedesenca.

Cheryl, those are some pretty girls for being from a hatchery! How is the barring in their hackle feathers?

 

[joletabey]

Countrychickengirl - I think it is far too soon to tell. The blade is not even distinctly separated yet. PLUS comb is not the first thing you worry about- worry about chunky body type first, wing set and markings. You would want to cull any with columbian markings. I see 6 points and one possible five pointer in there, but I think it needs a little more time- the tiny bumps in front may never get bigger, and as the blade lengthens out, it does have a tip or edge to it. At least that is what I have gathered in my search to learn about single combs! I could be wrong about the count. But I believe I am correct in saying it is not the most important culling factor until you have body type and general conformation down. Then go for the comb.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Look at those beautiful beaks! As far as the combs .... like Beth said, it is really to early to cull, AND the comb is not something I would worry about anyway. First, go for body type. Really, I would just wait and see.

 

[speckledhen]

Lisa, Jeremy is right- the side sprigs are all culls. Never keep those as it will pass on, either will express the trait or will at least carry the gene for it. And those are side sprigs, for sure. Yes, body type is paramount, but side sprigs are considered a very bad fault and you would be able to cull the ones with those side bumps now. It's one of the few things you don't have to wait on to cull. #1, 2 and 4 are definite culls, but you can wait on the other combs if they don't have side sprigs. On occasion, a comb will straighten up a bit as the bird grows. Hope that helps.

 

[joletabey]

O good, I get to learn something!
Cyn, are those definite side sprigs on #1, #2, and #4 in the back of the comb? The combs are so little I can't tell if they are on the side or just part of the growing process. I would have waited to tell, so my eye is not yet good enough, or at least not as good as yours. Now that I look closer I can tell on one out of the three, but the others. . . maybe it's my computer and not my eyes!
Ultrasuede has two little ones, but I never saw them when he was young-
But you would only cull because they are side sprigs, not because of the number of points at this point, right?

Someday I will get all this down! Sorry if I gave bad advice-

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, side sprigs are instant cull, as sure as you can tell that's what they are. Any side bumps are sprigs. As far as the number of points, they tend to develop one of the front points later, so you won't really know till they are about 12-14 weeks old if a front hump will really be an actual point. Sprigs can pop up when neither parent has them, but they are carriers of the gene, like wry tail.

Excellent pictures, Lisa. Made the diagnosis easy.

 

[countrychickengirl]

Thanks so much everyone for your input - we thought these were probably culls but because we had never seen such a thing before, I wanted some more thoughts. The strange thing is that it seems to only be present on the ones that we think are male.....This was a really bad batch, but we will keep at it until I get the flock I want!!! Thanks again!!!

 

[joletabey]

It happens- better luck on your next one. And I am glad you asked, as I learned something.

 

[jeremy]

As Cyn said, great pictures! I know how hard it is to get a good shot of your bird's combs, mine flip out as soon as the lens starts to zoom towards them.

I would hold onto the chick in picture #5, just for a little while longer. I don't seen any of the sprigs offhand and though it looks like he has too many points overall he looks like a good, chunky boy. Did all of these chicks come from the same hatch? Have you checked their sire for the side sprigs?

 

[speckledhen]

I hatched some chicks (not Dels) and two had side sprigs. The parents and none of the flock had any visible sprigs-- I trust the person who sent me the eggs, She went through her entire flock looking for some comb bump she missed, but could not find one on any of the birds. It's one of those things you may only discover upon hatching out chicks from a particular pair and you may see it only if you mate the right pair and they both carry the gene.