Thoughts on this heritage breed.....

[BarredBuff]

After spending 3 years trying to find a perfect self reliant breed. We have tried BRs, BOs, RIRs, Doms, and Aussies. We have been most impressed with the Australorps. We use our chickens for meat and eggs, so its important for us to have a GOOD DP breed. This spring we are planning on hatching Delawares from a flock in Tenessee, and integrating with our Australorps. We will also be accquirng STD. Bronze Turkey Eggs to hatch as well.

From what I have read, Dels are supposed to be good SS birds. They supposedly are good for free range broiler operations, lay big eggs, go broody and forage good. Is that true, are your breeders birds like that?

How would a Del Australorp X look and how would their utility qualities be?

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

In my experience they were all that you say. Nothing beats a Cornish Cross for meat producing efficiency, but the cockerel culls were certainly big meaty birds.

Why would you want to crossbreed something that's already everything you want?

 

[BarredBuff]

In my experience they were all that you say. Nothing beats a Cornish Cross for meat producing efficiency, but the cockerel culls were certainly big meaty birds.

Why would you want to crossbreed something that's already everything you want?

Just for experimental purposes, just to see. Maybe sell, or eat either one.

 

[cubalaya]

After spending 3 years trying to find a perfect self reliant breed. We have tried BRs, BOs, RIRs, Doms, and Aussies. We have been most impressed with the Australorps. We use our chickens for meat and eggs, so its important for us to have a GOOD DP breed. This spring we are planning on hatching Delawares from a flock in Tenessee, and integrating with our Australorps. We will also be accquirng STD. Bronze Turkey Eggs to hatch as well.

From what I have read, Dels are supposed to be good SS birds. They supposedly are good for free range broiler operations, lay big eggs, go broody and forage good. Is that true, are your breeders birds like that?

How would a Del Australorp X look and how would their utility qualities be?

if you get the right delawares, i think you will be just as impressed with them as the australorps. i have both and while i really can't fault the aussies, they really don't excite me that much. the dels grow faster and lay a bigger egg. we started with dominiques and kept them for years, had ameraucanas, production reds, true rir, games, bantams, barred rocks, marans, and cubalayas. i crossed some barred rock hens with some cubalaya cocks and got some great tasting birds with big breasts. i think you will be disapointed with crossing aussies and dels. i would cross some del roosters on some new hampshire hens and try them.