Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[speckledhen]

Quote:
Actually, it can be either, or a combination thereof. My own lines are not prone to yellowing, but I've seen many that were. And if you feed a diet heavy in corn, that exacerbates the issue. I think they may yellow a bit as they age, but my oldest are now two years old and they haven't yellowed that I can tell.

 

[jenanneray]

I love my delawares!! I would like to get one (or two!) more hens sometime soon. I was lucky to find the ones that I have now. There doesn't seem to be too many people with delawares around central NC.

About the yellowing... so he's stuck with the yellow feathers? He's about 3 years old and he eats the purina layer pellets.

And the hens are very social... they sing an egg song for everyone that lays an egg. (6 hens total) One of them will go sit next to whoever is laying at the time, then runs around the yard announcing the new egg. Silly hens!

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Actually, it can be either, or a combination thereof. My own lines are not prone to yellowing, but I've seen many that were. And if you feed a diet heavy in corn, that exacerbates the issue. I think they may yellow a bit as they age, but my oldest are now two years old and they haven't yellowed that I can tell.

If I understand correctly, the sun can also cause this or contribute to it.

I have also read that it affects the males, though not the females.

 

[speckledhen]

I bet when he molts, he'll grow in some whiter feathers. Old feathers may take on a yellowish tinge just prior to molt.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Beth (joletabey) is in North Carolina!

 

[jenanneray]

Where in NC? I'm north of Raleigh.


I also just posted an ad on craigslist looking for a few more delaware hens. I hope I'm able to find some soon... I think the "chicken math" is working on my DH too.... he said we might add a few more cuckoo marans hens as well!! And we originally were going to start with 5 hens. Ended up getting 6 hens and a roo.

 

[speckledhen]

She's around Asheville.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

Quote:
Chicken bath = no water. Give them some sand, sawdust, peat moss (their favorite) and they'll clean themselves right up for you... LOL

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

What do you all think of this guy... He has a weird comb but I think I'm gonna get him for a breeding male... Any thoughts?

Dave

 

[VillageChicken]

I am not a Delaware expert, but some of the birds I'm seeing on this thread, including the above rooster, appear to be missing some of their "barring" in tail and hackle. I have seen in at least one recent post a picture of a bird in a delaware flock that looks like a Silver Sussex, which if it was bred from Delawares is also a sign that the rooster only carries one gene for barring instead of two. Even if Delawares are a fast feathering breed, there should be a noticeable difference in the spacing of bars on the hackle feathers between roosters and hens. Roosters should have more narrow bars than hens.