Delaware fertile eggs - Help save this prolific dual purpose breed!
Real, heritage Delawares are currently endangered from vanishing from the U.S. due to low, limited breeding stock. Delawares have become extremely rare to find, even more so than their counterparts, Rhode Islands and Plymouth Rocks. There are so many great things I can share about this wonderful breed, which in my view, makes the Delaware a very desirable chicken in my homestead.
According the Livestock Conservancy, the Delaware and the Delaware/New Hampshire crosses were the most popular broiler chickens on the Delmarva Peninsula, for about twenty years because of the breed’s ability to produce offspring with predominately white feathering. This is an advantage for carcass appearance because white feathers don’t leave dark spots on the skin when they grow in. Delaware and the Delaware/New Hampshire crosses were replaced in the late 1950s by the Cornish/Plymouth Rock crosses (solid white) that now dominate the broiler industry (2020). The Delaware was developed and bred specifically for the broiler industry. For this reason, the breed was not popular on many small farms and homesteads, thus becoming increasingly rare. Although the breed is very rare, it is being rediscovered by today’s young farmers with whom it is becoming more popular. We are honored to help restore and recover this amazing heritage breed.
Did you know the Delaware is a versatile chicken? When you cross a Delaware with a Rhode Island Red, for example, you produce your own line of Isa Browns or Red Sexlinks, which are super egg layers. The Delaware chicken produces about 4-5 large-jumbo eggs every week (ours are doing about 5-6 per hen, per week). Temperament wise, Delawares are calm, friendly, and curious. They enjoy human interaction and follow their people around. I have a hen, named Amy who loves to go where I go. She loves to hang out with me and chat. They are very chatty also. The roosters are also friendly and exhibit a gentle disposition despite of being great sentinels for their hens.
All in all, the Delaware chicken still makes an excellent dual-purpose bird for today’s small farms. They are low maintenance, requiring just food, water and shelter, and they are a healthy breed.
The breed is noted for its rapid growth and fast feathering. They are medium-sized with a deep and broad body that gives a robust appearance. From the side, the body is shaped like an inverted triangle with a “U” indentation in the back. The keel is also long, extending well to the front at the breast and rear of the legs. They have moderately large single combs with five points, and a medium-sized head and neck. Their comb, wattles, and ear lobes are red, their eyes are reddish-bay, and their beak is reddish horn or yellow. The legs are well set apart and are large and muscular, and shanks and toes are yellow. Males grow up to 8 lbs. and females 6 lbs.
Please read the description in its entirety before ordering. All hatching eggs orders are pre-orders!
All orders of chicks and hatching eggs are pre-orders. You will receive a text or email from us when your order is ready for pick up or being shipped. For shipped orders, please let us know whether you want your package held for pick up at your local post office. If so, please provide a good phone number that you can be reached at when your order arrives. Minimum purchase of 6 eggs for shipping or local pick up. To place an order, select the quantity desired and add to the cart. Please select FREE local pick up option during check out if your order is being picked up locally. If you require shipping, please make sure you are selecting the right fulfillment. Any order under 12 eggs qualifies for shipping rate of $25; For any order above 12 eggs, shipping charge is $35. We double box and we always try to include a few extras as extra insurance and courtesy., so it adds up quickly.
Our Hatching Egg Order Policy
All hatching eggs are pre-orders. Minimum order of 6 eggs. When ordering hatching eggs, please factor in the number of eggs that may not develop nor hatch; please be also mindful of the ratio of males vs. females you might get. Due to factors beyond our control (hatching techniques, humidity, weather, USPS handling) we cannot be held responsible for eggs that don't develop or poor hatch rates. There are no refunds nor replacement for eggs that don't hatch. Please note that just because an egg does not develop, it does not mean it is infertile. There is only one way to know if an egg is fertile and unfortunately, that means breaking the egg open to look for the white spot, which is the germinal disk. (looks like a donut!!) You will see a yellow hole in the center and there would indicate that the egg is fertile. WE DO NOT GUARANTEE HATCH RATES OUTSIDE OUR FARM. Avoid counting your chicks before they hatch!! We do not offer eggs from any breed that we have not successfully hatched ourselves. We scrutinize the eggs we sell. We only sell and send the freshest eggs collected within a max of 72 hour collection, kept under appropriate temperature and turned frequently throughout the day. The eggs we pack for you will be free of any deformities and defects.
Cancellation/Return Policy
If life happens and you decide to cancel an order that has not yet been filled, 50% of your payment is refundable and the other 50% will be issued as a store credit for a future purchase with us. We do not issue full refunds. If you need to cancel your order, please email us with your order number and cancellation reason. In the event we are unable to fill an order, we reserve the right to cancel it, and a full refund will be issued.