Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[kathyinmo]

These are some of my older Del project birds..... F3s

 

[Bentley]

They look nice. Just goes to show you what the original creators of breeds went through. It takes several generations to clean up all the color patterns that leak through. They are looking good.

 

[kathyinmo]

Yes, it is gonna take lots more hatching, and lots more culling.

 

[Lacy Blues]

These are some of my older Del project birds..... F3s

I choose these four. Very nice Kathy. You've put so much work into these birds and it shows. You may not be where you want to be yet, but they're nicer than hatchery birds! Are you enjoying the process?

 

[kathyinmo]

I choose these four. Very nice Kathy. You've put so much work into these birds and it shows. You may not be where you want to be yet, but they're nicer than hatchery birds! Are you enjoying the process?

I have enjoyed it - yes. I still have soooo much work ahead though. All of these birds are from cock #1. I hope to hatch 100 chicks each from #2 and #3, also.

Most of the smut clears up as they age, so I don't worry so much about that. Type first. Then the paint job...
I have lots that I know are culls right now. (They are just too small to eat yet).

 

[Barred Rocker]

Can't wait to see your final product. They looks so nice already.

 

[kopeck]

Their bodies types to my untrained eye look really good. I love how the tail sets, plus they look like bowling balls!

Makes me very jealous.

K

 

[Bentley]

Yes, it takes lots of hatching and lots of culling. I have a Delaware project myself and have selected 2 males and 12 females from my first crosses. My birds are on 16 hours light year round and I plan on hatching every egg they lay for the next 6 months, cull hard and then turn over the generation. I began without using any Delaware stock at all but used some other stock I ran across. I plan on setting 100+ eggs a week for the next 6 months and hope to catch up to you, haha. You are doing a great job!! Keep it up!!!

 

[kathyinmo]

I don't use lights, and never will. I am in no hurry. It's just a hobby, and the hens need a break as much as I do.

What stock did you begin with? Do you have pictures? Would love to see them!

 

[Bentley]

I don't use lights, and never will. I am in no hurry. It's just a hobby, and the hens need a break as much as I do.

What stock did you begin with? Do you have pictures? Would love to see them!

This was my original stock. They were basically an old commercial brown egg laying sex linked bird preserved from many years ago that I got my hands on. These birds were all from the same hatch, females brown, males sort of Delaware color pattern. From this I decided to create Delawares from them. F2's from this cross were a mix, 50% brown and 50% light pattern with a mix of males and females in both. I kept the best colored birds and am now hatching my first batch of F3's from them and will attempt to start cleaning up the smattering of red and look more at type this time as well. They are about 1-2 pounds heavier than the Delaware standard but I think size will come down on them on its own.