Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[math ace]

Quote:
I would have to ask "WHY"....

Why don't they have potential for bright yellow legs? What is missing ? Why is this happening?


The standard calls for "RICH" yellow legs. To me that is the golden yellow that two of my roos have.

Why don't any of my girls have the golden yellow legs.. . . If I am only seeing the rich yellow on roos, then there has to be a potential for it.
BUT WHY only the roos? ? ? I am wondering about a sex link issue here.

I don't think there is enough information out there to conclude that a "strain" doesn't have the potential.

I am also wondering if we are going to see any other traits being exhibited by the birds that have the pale yellow legs as chicks....

I do believe that the issue is from genetics at work and not environmental.

 

[math ace]

Kathy,

I was wondering what would happen if we crossed one of these delaware hens with the poor leg coloring with one of those really fine New Hampshires of yours...

Would we get good yellow legs then? What negative side effects would result from this?

IF NONE of our environmental experiment produces results. . .. . maybe we could try something like this.

Has anyone tried this yet ? ?

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
I would have to ask "WHY"....

Why don't they have potential for bright yellow legs? What is missing ? Why is this happening?


The standard calls for "RICH" yellow legs. To me that is the golden yellow that two of my roos have.

Why don't any of my girls have the golden yellow legs.. . . If I am only seeing the rich yellow on roos, then there has to be a potential for it.
BUT WHY only the roos? ? ? I am wondering about a sex link issue here.

I don't think there is enough information out there to conclude that a "strain" doesn't have the potential.

I am also wondering if we are going to see any other traits being exhibited by the birds that have the pale yellow legs as chicks....

I do believe that the issue is from genetics at work and not environmental.

Well, the above posts with my chicks and Michael's chicks rather proves that it is not genetic in our case. Obviously environmental (or "chemical," as in feed).

Have you read the other posts about "green legs" and why the rooster has yellow legs when the girls don't?

 

[math ace]

Quote:
I don't think that is the case yet.... There is still some experimenting to do.

For example, If Michael took his chicks off of the feed, would they have the same color feet that your chicks do?

The feet, beak and feathers are being affected by the feed he is using. So, I don't think apples to apples are being compared.

HOW do we get yellow legs WITHOUT changing other aspects of the bird ? ? ?

When I hatch chicks and some have golden yellow legs and some are paled yellow, then I am not looking at an environmental issue.

YES, I have read the other posts about "green legs".... and they indicate a sex link issue with the genetics. The males get two sets of leg color genes and the girls only get one. I am doing some experimenting on this to see if it can be validated.

If I feed them Michael's feed, they will all have visible yellow legs. However, the problem will still be there and will show up as soon as I stop feeding them the yellow ingredient - - -whether it is from marigolds, sweet potatoes, tumeric, etc.....

OBTW, I am just tossing my thoughts out there and do not mean to offend or deter any one from their own concept(s). I agree with what Michael said early . .. if we are all testing our ideas, sooner rather than later, we will stumble across the solution to the various issues with the delawares. It is IMPORTANT, very important that we keep the lines of communication open. By bouncing these ideas around, new ideas are developed and solutions will be found.

 

[rebel yell]

I have a quistion, I hatched 3 chicks on Tues. & one chick has a little dark spot on the back of its head, is this normal of Delawears, this is the first of this breed for me.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
I don't think that is the case yet.... There is still some experimenting to do.

For example, If Michael took his chicks off of the feed, would they have the same color feet that your chicks do?

The feet, beak and feathers are being affected by the feed he is using. So, I don't think apples to apples are being compared.

HOW do we get yellow legs WITHOUT changing other aspects of the bird ? ? ?

When I hatch chicks and some have golden yellow legs and some are paled yellow, then I am not looking at an environmental issue.

YES, I have read the other posts about "green legs".... and they indicate a sex link issue with the genetics. The males get two sets of leg color genes and the girls only get one. I am doing some experimenting on this to see if it can be validated.

If I feed them Michael's feed, they will all have visible yellow legs. However, the problem will still be there and will show up as soon as I stop feeding them the yellow ingredient - - -whether it is from marigolds, sweet potatoes, tumeric, etc.....

OBTW, I am just tossing my thoughts out there and do not mean to offend or deter any one from their own concept(s). I agree with what Michael said early . .. if we are all testing our ideas, sooner rather than later, we will stumble across the solution to the various issues with the delawares. It is IMPORTANT, very important that we keep the lines of communication open. By bouncing these ideas around, new ideas are developed and solutions will be found.

I don't understand what you are wanting to know, Lisa. It is apparent to me, in this case, that these birds have yellow legs. Whether they are expressed more or less, due to whatever reasons, they DO have yellow legs. That was my concern, and I have my answer.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
I don't think you can say they have yellow legs if getting the yellow is the result of the feed or a supplement only.

It is like the athlete that gets DQ because of the use of steriods.... It is the additive that made the difference in their performance.
I would think we would want birds that can meet the standard independently, without the use of additives.

I think short term and limited solutions are not really the answers we are after. We should be looking for answers that will work for delawares whether they free range all day OR are provided a gourmet diet in a pen.

 

[har]

Quote:
Yes its fairly common for that black spot to be there, it will not last very long

 

[joletabey]

I don't believe sunshine/indoors/outdoors affects it unless temperature might? My own hatch, from hens that all had bright yellow legs as chicks and a roo from Kathy that I think I remember had bright yellow legs as a chick ALL have bright yellow legs, live in a chicken tractor with plenty of sunshine. They are 11.5 weeks old. Their mothers lost the bright yellow over their first winter. I was told my someone at some point in time that cold temps will diminish the yellow. Now that could be a fable, but its more info for the pot.

Whoever asked about crowing- I had a few Kazoos in the pen from the 11.5 week boys this morning.

One more piece of info- the gentleman who did my NPIP testing (I PASSED!!) looked at my Harter chicks and said that the yellow legs would still come in. Stupidly, I just said, "really?" and didn't ask how he knew that or how it would happen or why or what. I could probably call him and ask.

Chicks aside, does anyone have adults who have KEPT bright yellow legs?

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
I don't think you can say they have yellow legs if getting the yellow is the result of the feed or a supplement only.

It is like the athlete that gets DQ because of the use of steriods.... It is the additive that made the difference in their performance.
I would think we would want birds that can meet the standard independently, without the use of additives.

I think short term and limited solutions are not really the answers we are after. We should be looking for answers that will work for delawares whether they free range all day OR are provided a gourmet diet in a pen.

Well, good luck to you. I am satisfied with the information I have.