Heritage Delaware
To begin with, what makes a chicken a Heritage Breed ?
According to the American Livestock Breed Conservancy (ALBC) it must be defined
as follows: “Heritage Chickens must have
the genetic ability to live a long, vigorous life and thrive in the rigors of
pasture-based, outdoor production systems. Breeding hens should be productive
for 5-7 years and roosters for 3-5 years.”
Heritage Delawares have been on the chicken scene since
1940, developed by one Mr. George Ellis who hailed from Delaware, as a meat
production bird for the commercial industry and for a short lived period as the
broiler bird of choice. He started off
by crossing a Barred Rock with a NH Red and went from there. After selective breeding and developing his
"silver sports", he had his finished product and it was recognized by the American Poultry Association Standard of
Perfection in 1952 as The Heritage Delaware.
Unfortunately, for the
Delaware, soon thereafter around the mid
1950’s , the mutant Cornish Cross was developed to begin the saga of fast
food (around the same time that KFC was coming onto the scene fast and furious)
and big Box Super Markets where in their infancy but a rapid projection of
growth was expected and planned for. Even
though the Heritage Delaware was bred for faster maturation –and still does mature
faster than most Heritage breeds - it was not fast enough for the instant
gratification society we were destined to become.
Since so many are now looking to provide healthy options for their
families, chicken is many times the first meat choice in the farming venture. Most start out with the Cornish Cross broiler
and for many in turns into a horror show.
So if they are still up for another round they go in search for a different
breed. The Heritage Delaware will fit
the bill nicely.
Heritage Delawares are on the ALBC list as “Threatened”
which is only one step from “Critical”.
This breed has played a historic role in homesteading and in the
commercial chicken market and as more educate themselves on the health risks
and overall morality of “factory farming” - it will once again become a popular choice.
For more information Mother Earth News has a wonderful
article on Heritage Delawares.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this rare
Heritage Breed.
Would love to add a new gene pool to our delawares!
ReplyDeleteCountry Star Farm
Carrie Snyder
I bought my Delaware hens on the spur of the moment decision to hatch Red Sex Links. However, they have quickly became my favorite breeds. I wouldn't consider my chickens to be tame, but these girls will walk right up to me and carry on a conversation. I will talk and they will "answer". I even have one that will peck on my jeans. Not hard, she's just curious. My girls are by no means show quality, but I absolutely LOVE them and can't wait to add more to my flock in the near future!
ReplyDeleteLove Delawares. Currently have three ladies in my flock, and they are some of my favorites. Would love to add more of these beautiful chickens!
ReplyDeleteI have never raised Delawares, but would love to add them to my flock. Very pretty birds.
ReplyDeleteI have one Delaware whom I love her name is lacy due to the lacing around her neck.
ReplyDeleteI had Delawares in the past and loved them. We sold a lot of our birds before moving here to Maine 3 1/2 years ago. I would love to raise them again.
ReplyDeleteI have a flock of Heritage Delawares. They are one of my favorite breeds on the farm. I would love to have some of your bloodline here to cherish. Alexandra at Stellar Game Birds, Poultry, Waterfowl
ReplyDeleteI continue to look for these around and have not been able to track any down, so some hatching eggs would be a great way to get started. :-)
ReplyDeleteOur middle son has taken Cornish Cross to the fair for two years now and I have never met birds with less personality. We would love to try a different breed that would grow quickly but suit our small family farm.
ReplyDeleteI have 2 Delaware hens and by far are the most friendly and docile hens I have ever raised. I would love to get more.
ReplyDeleteWalter
Semper Fi Farm
New Britain, CT.
Lovely birds. I've not had any experience with Delawares. They sound like the type of chicken I need on our place. Would love to have the chance to try some.
ReplyDeleteI am always looking to add new birds to my flock and heritage breeds are my favorite! Would love to get some hatching eggs!
ReplyDeletewould love some to add the rest of my heritage thiers nothing like the old birds for egss and fun :)
ReplyDeleteThe first chore I was given as a child was taking care of the chickens. I just turned 50 this year and can't remember ever not having a small flock of various breeds on the place but never a Delaware. Thanks for giving us the fun of a give away!
ReplyDeleteI have never had Delawares, but you make them sound like a really spectacular dual-purpose bird! This year, we ordered our first lot of "meat birds." Of course, we got Cornish-Rock Crosses; the whole family agrees we aren't doing that again. I would love to give a small flock of Delawares a try! It's so important to preserve and spread the Heritage breeds. Thanks for the give-away!
ReplyDeleteI have 3 Dellie hens, they are very curious and in-your-face gals. I love the big brown eggs they lay!
ReplyDeleteI happened to get lucky and found someone on craigslist selling Delaware chicks. I had never heard of them before but they were beautiful and cheap so I bought two of them, lucky two pullets. I think they are my favorites. They are definitely the smartest and they teach the other chickens things. They follow me around and come when I call for them. They also lay well. I haven't found anymore for sale in Texas recently. If I had known how wonderful they were when I got these two I would have bought more. Now I just wait and try to find hatching eggs or day olds in Texas.
ReplyDeleteI am in Canada & these are not common birds to find outside of hatcheries! I finally found someone a few hours away & have reserved my eggs IF they have any fertile for next spring. My flock is all dual purpose, heritage breeds. My plan is to have many of the critical listed birds breeding here on the ranch...as many as possible!
ReplyDeleteWe just purchased 10 Heritage Delaware hatching eggs a little over 3 weeks ago, and none of them hatched, due to the postal service "scrambling" them. We did have a great hatch rate for the other breeds we ordered at the same time. My teen son was very disappointed that none of his expensive Delawares hatched, so winning these would be a huge boost for him!
ReplyDeleteI would love to have Delawares. The ones I have met (belonging to friends) are wonderful hens. Hard working girls and beautiful temperaments, also.
ReplyDeleteI would love to add some Delawares to my flock. In the article it mentions that "the Delawares are more economical to bring to market weights in a forage situation." With I think is great ! I am looking for a good meat/egg breed.
ReplyDeleteWe would love to add this heritage breed to our back yard flock!
ReplyDeleteI had a Delaware cockerel once. He was such a beautiful, sweet rooster. Would love to have more one day. :)
ReplyDeleteI would love to have some Heritage Delawares. :) They are so pretty! :)
ReplyDeleteI currently have three Delaware hens and they are my favourite chickens. One of them is the head chicken of my flock of seven and looks after them all - telling them when she thinks a hawk is near and leading them to safe places - normally under the Bamboo in our garden, as they free range within the garden during the day. They jump up on a wall and a couple of them will come up and look straight in my face and peck my jumper to get my attention for scraps. Very personable birds who communicate every emotion they are feeling. I have decided that I would like to breed them and get a rooster and some more hens. We are in the middle of buying 5 acres (as we are currently living within the city limits of Little Rock at present and already have over our allowed quota). I would be very sad if this amazing breed was allowed to become extinct. Im originally from the England and I very much enjoy telling my English friends all about my Heritage Delawares and also hopefully persuading my American ones to start a little flock of their own :-)
ReplyDeleteI am very interested in delaware,but i cannot find breeder here in europe!Is it possible to order some eggs?
ReplyDeleteI am excited about the prospect of helping to preserve and continue a very worthwhile breed of chicken. I first heard of Delawares a few weeks ago, and I think they may be exactly the new breed I've been wanting to add to our farm!
ReplyDelete