Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[har]

Both of my Sandhill girls have barring in there tail feathers. They are close to 3 months old. So far I'm disapointed in my Sandhill Dels and like my Braden Dels a lot better. I know I need to post pictures but I'll get there someday.

 

[speckledhen]

Kathy, Beth, Scott and Cetawin, have sent you messages. The info we were waiting on is in on a recent issue.

Here is Gracie before and after molting out her barring:

 

[joletabey]

Har- hold on, those tail feathers can molt out like Gracie's did.

Cyn, I answered -

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Quote:
I unexpectedly received 5 Dels from Sand Hill about mid-June. At first I was very pleased with how they were growing, nice and chunky, always the biggest of the mob. Only one had a greenish tint to the legs.

This weekend I did some re-arranging of the pastures and had time to sit and look at the birds (Boys Behaving Badly pen became absolutely necessary

).

4 girls, 1 boy.

Boy is thinner, leaner than the girls and has quite a bit of smut. Not a great comb at this point, but he is so young...

The girl with greenish legs has pretty barring in the neck feathering, none in the tail. Other than her legs, she looks pretty good

The other three girls have something incorrect with the neck feathering. It does not appear to be barred, more like several light v's on each feather. (I will try to post pictures, when I get them to stand still.) It gives the appearance of a lacy high-necked collar.

It is really pronounced on one girl, who has it all down her back and looks nothing like a Delaware should. Her comb was so late in developing I thought it was going to be a pea comb. This chick arrived with three very distinct thin black stripes down it's blond head and back. At the time I did not think it was meant to be a Delaware, I thought it must be a Jaerhon (as those are new to me and I did not know what they should look like and there were some of those in the box too).

They are attractive, good foragers and healthy, and I am sure they will be good contributors to the laying flock. Their personalities are good, and one is my youngest son's favorite (comes right up for those chest rubs even on pasture). But unless they change drastically by November, I would not consider them good examples of Delawares and would not breed them as Delawares. Cannot really have the boys show them as such either.

I don't like to pass judgement on a hatchery based on only 5 birds, especially as I know they were scraping the bottom of the hatch to fill my order, so I probably got birds that had been passed over when they were filling orders specifically FOR Delawares. I know we have heard that Sand Hill has good Delawares "for a hatchery". I think they have nice body type and calm personalities, but the feathering shows there is something else in the mix there, which will probably continue to pop out from hatch to hatch. Just reporting my limited and inexperienced observation.

For me personally, this year's disappointment is probably for the best. I need to prove we can keep the winter coop warm enough for those beautiful single combs and wattles before I commit to keeping a Delaware Roo. But if we decide to raise Dels, we will be looking elsewhere for breeders.

Enjoy your Dels!

 

[kathyinmo]

Good morning to you all !

JoAnn, Thank you so much for reporting to us what your experience has been. It is always nice to know the good and the bad.

vegaschick, It appears that all 3 of your Delawares are pullets. They are excellent layers, and I am sure you will enjoy them!

 

[joletabey]

JoAnn- it sounds like those Dels are exhibiting that Columbian patterning we all are trying to get rid of- you are right, don't breed them, but if they are good layers, and have that wonderful Del personality, they can still add something to your flock!

 

[speckledhen]

Spoke to a very respected breeder and heritage breed expert today who mentioned the Columbian influence and wanted to share it with you. Hackles are not the only sign of Columbian blood. Super black tail and hackle in the female, narrow body, very distinct, dark, barring in the hackle as well as the gray to blackish undercolor can indicate Columbian ancestry.

I was also told by this long time breeder(no, not seriousbill), that Delawares with smut in their fluff, moss in their back plumage, and black showing through in the shoulders of the males are also telltale signs of outcrossing to Columbian Rock at some point.

Also, drawing from a conversation with this same man, on Feathersite are examples of all these things. Some of the lighter birds are showing hints of rust coming through the white areas. Excess stray black undercolor bleeding through the thin transparent white surface feathers and often off colored shanks as well are also signs of Columbian.

All that said, a show quality Delaware is a rare thing. New Delaware breeders may have to cull lots of garbage out in order to get to anything resembling a true Delaware, the way it was intended to look. We're all in the same boat, culling for type first, then all the other things to follow. Helps tremendously if you can start with good stock, but since that is so rare, you have to start somewhere, right?

It helps to remember that the bird will only be what its genetics allows it to be. Delawares began out of Barred Rock/New Hampshire crosses. Take a look at a New Hampshire male on Feathersite--we have spoken about the barring gene, but we can't forget the other half of the equation from whence this breed sprang. They are meaty boys, those NHs. That is just as much part of the Delaware genetics as the BR. Just some food for thought.
Here's a pic for you to check out on Feathersite of a NH male:

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGK/NH/NHRedC.JPEG


Now, back to my regularly scheduled quilting session...

 

[Lotsapaints]

If rocks have yellow shanks and new hampshires have yellow shanks how is it some of the dellies shanks have a greenish cast to them? Who added the columbian rocks to the dels anyways why not barred rocks? Oh well food for thought

I just got done with putting up a PVC feeder for my piggies I think I will cut down on their messiness it's hot here today 100 in the shade ugh we were thinking that we missed out on summer

 

[Serrin]

We're back up into the mid 90's here today. No heat index numbers to deal with as we're smack dab in the middle of high desert country. No humidity = no heat index!

I'm lovin it to pieces but any of my birds of the black, blue or darker color persuasions aren't too thrilled with the turn in the weather. Poor babies are walking around with beaks open and wings drooping. My Del impostor wannabees are just about the only ones laughing about the whole situation as they scarf down on yet another piece of freezer ice crystals as I defrost that beast! Ever seen a chicken with "brain freeze"?

 

[joletabey]

Amy , it is amazing that the Dels take it so well - having white feathers, even if they are dirty ones, seems to work for my kids- the Orps are hot, the Dels are giggling.