Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[DelDels]

I have had luck getting pullets by putting apple cider vinegar in the hens water. I had read this somewhere and it seems to work for me. It is also good for the hens and keeps the water cleaner. I am making no claims as I don't have many years of experience with it. I had 15 pullets and 5 cockerels on the batch I used it on this year. I don't remember the numbers from last year but it was similar. I stopped using it because I wanted more cockerels for the freezer.

 

[kathyinmo]

I have had luck getting pullets by putting apple cider vinegar in the hens water. I had read this somewhere and it seems to work for me. It is also good for the hens and keeps the water cleaner. I am making no claims as I don't have many years of experience with it. I had 15 pullets and 5 cockerels on the batch I used it on this year. I don't remember the numbers from last year but it was similar. I stopped using it because I wanted more cockerels for the freezer.

A friend of mine did the same thing, and also hatched more female chicks!

 

[harleyjo]

A friend of mine did the same thing, and also hatched more female chicks!

Interesting, I may have to try that. I have heard all kinds of things even rainfall amounts, Heaven only knows how dry we are in southwest IA this spring. Right now if I can get a few more pullets hatched for my next year layers the rest are going into the freezer anyway.

 

[Kansaseq]

Sounds like an easy and harmless way to try and get more girls. If it doesn't work, you're not out anything, either.
How long before you can tell sex on these guys? I've got 3 that are 5 weeks old; one obvious roo (he's huge with bright red comb & wattles) 1 is smaller but may have the beginnings of redness in the comb & wattles, and the other has none as of yet. But all 3 of them appear to have barring in the tail feathers. I thought the girls had solid black?
I'll attempt to get some pics later, if I can.

 

[kopeck]

How much vinegar do you use?

Of my 10 4 week olds I've got 3 that I'm 95% sure are cockerels, comb and wattles turning red thick legs...

If that ratio holds that would be really awesome.

K

 

[Kansaseq]

This is just a test post. Trying to upload photos and having issues.This is only a test.

 

[Kansaseq]

5 wk Delaware chicks. Please tell me this is a girl .

And I'm guessing this is a boy (huge cockerel behind him)



And my huge cockerel on the left, next to what I hope is the pullet. Lav Ameraucana cockerel on far right?

 

[GhostRider65]

 5 wk Delaware chicks. Please tell me  this is a girl .



And I'm guessing this is a boy (huge cockerel behind him)



And my  huge cockerel on the left, next to what I hope is the pullet.  Lav Ameraucana cockerel on far right?

Top and bottom chicks appear to be pullets to me, tho the top one has alot of smuttiness still for a a pullet, but still appears to be one next to the easy to see cockerels. Hope I'm right.
I add ACV to my birds water since day 5 ...first 6 days are electrolytes and vitamins,. 2 tbls per gallon, but I start out with less day 5 to 15 and add more as they get older, like a 1/2 ts to a quart at first for babies, my hatches have been so far, 5 chicks 3 pullets, and 4 chicks 3 pullets, I incubate at 99.3 for 21 days, the humidity and temp goes up a bit after lock down day 19, I have a brinsea, mini eco......... usually set 8 eggs at a time, but it is a tad crowded at hatch.... I lost 2 this last hatch that pipped and didn't zip, 1st hatch was 3 no pips, I was a cross beak the other 2 perfect but never hatched, second hatch 4 chicks 2 no zipps and 2 clears....

 

[kathyinmo]

I took some pictures of my Project Delawares, with my new camera.....

This first picture I was at my house and zoomed wayyyyyyyyyy down to the coop (a LONG way!)









The "extra roosters," pen...........

 

[kathyinmo]

Oh, by the way, those are not the original pictures.

Those are, "watercolor," and "illustration," mode.