Delaware chicks
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! Please read up on our farm policies before purchasing. All sales are final.
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.
Cancellation/Return Policy
All sales are final. 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.
We do not accept returns of live animals or hatching eggs for any reason whatsoever. Please understand that once you drive off with the animals you have chosen to raise, they are now yours and are under your care. Anything that happens to them after you take them is beyond our control, thus, we cannot be held responsible.
We are not responsible for any vet bills.
We are not responsible for any predator incidents or any bacteria or virus contracted by birds living outside our farm.
We have the right to cancel any order or appointment due to unforeseen circumstance, or if we need to retain for our own breeding stock.
