I think the body is real close... a little more curve on the front and we probably have a winner. You all have to remember, I'll hatch around 50 to 300 chicks this year from him and my hens. It will be the best of those I keep for the next round...
Year one (last year): Best looking birds... Closest to the color and body shape... Like I said earlier, I ended up with NO roosters out of this batch. About 500 chickens hatched and culled down or lost to predation... Was most impressed with the chick's vigor coming out of eggs and activity at birth.
Year two (this year) body type and size. Breeding for that Delaware look not color but size, shape and structure. Coloration is still important but is on the back burner and size, shape and structure will play a more important role than color. I'm also looking at rate of growth. Which chickens weigh the most at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks. I will probably cull at each of those points well at least starting at 8 weeks. Continue to look for the same vigor shown last year.
Year three (next year) Breeding to rooster who comes from a known high layer flock. I'm not looking for the biggest egg as that can be a problem but rather good size egg (large as Delawares are supposed to be) but I'm looking for a hen that lays almost every day.
Year four: Coloration, this year, I'm looking for the best of the best. Which birds would win in a prize. I'm going to judge the birds and cull according to which fit each of the descriptions I've been working toward each year. I will be hatching HUGE numbers this year and will probably only work with this breed.
Year Five: Another huge hatch year and will be checking to see if I'm getting the same results as in year 4...
I will continue each year with the same routine.
This is the plan. I had given up on being able to pursue my process as I had not had luck with finding a rooster until Scott the owner of the bird in the picture told me he had one he'd sell. So, that is why I posted him.
I appreciate all your input.
