I HATE DELAWARES-THEY KILLED ELSA

[baymule]

I ordered 50 Delaware chicks, straight run, a couple of years ago. Big mistake. I thought I would get a 50-50 mix of male/female--WRONG! We processed 33 roosters and had 11 pullets.Six of them were murdered by the others. Those were the meanest durn chickens I ever had-and they haven't got any better. This fall would be their second molt, and I planned on slaughtering them, but they won't make it that long.

Those murdering witches killed Elsa today. Elsa was a pure white Easter Egger with the muffs, laid a green egg and was so sweet. The grand daughter #1 could pick her up and carry her around. I opened the coop this morning to see blood on several of the hens. I saw that Elsa was their target and scooped her up. Her beak was open, panting and in shock. They had started dragging her intestines out, literally eating her alive. She died later. I hate them. I'm going to kill every damned one of them. It's all I can do not to kick those Delawares like footballs. I am angry. I am furious. I am sickened over what happened to my Elsa.

They have killed other hens before, but never a white one. Racist chickens. They normally made the black and red hens lives miserable, sometimes I found a dead one. Elsa was safe because she was white like the Delaware hens. Or so I thought. Elsa and Dottie, an old SLW, were the only ones I was going to keep from that coop.

I didn't get full production from that coop and lately, the witches have been eating the eggs. I was already aggravated with them, but now, with Elsa dead, they are doomed. I'll can them and we'll have Mean Old Hen soup. Since Dottie fell in there with them and started eating eggs too, into a jar she will go. I'm done. I will never, ever have Delaware chickens again.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That is awful! Poor Elsa - so sorry! I'd be getting them gone too.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Oh Bay! I'm sorry! I'd be doing some skinning tonight... I almost got Delaware's... Not now, not ever! So, so sorry. It's hard enough to lose a hen, but a favorite that dies due to downright meanness is just heartwrenching!

 

[sumi]

Bay, I'm so sorry! Poor Elsa What horrible birds they are and how awful for you and her

 

[NH Homesteader]

Evil, evil birds! I hope they taste delicious! Sorry about Elsa

 

[Mini Horses]

It's always the sweet ones that we lose -- so sorry. Yes, my EEs are, for the most part, sweeties. But, a couple are not. It depends on what was in the cross it seems. One of the reasons I like the larger hens, BOs, BRs,etc., they don't seem to be bent on hurting the others. A BR can be bossy but rarely have I had one attack.

I have sharp knives -- would sure help if near you!

Do you have other layers already?

 

[Nardo]

I only have one Delaware, Della, and she is at the very bottom on the pecking order, so maybe that makes you feel a little better. She gets picked on by everyone.

 

[Beekissed]

Bay...hate to say it, but you should have killed them the very first time they killed another hen. No excuse for a flock that will kill another of their own kind. Kill 'em all.
I've had Dels and got rid of them so fast it'd make your head spin. As chicks they ate more than meat chicks, so got rid of all but two. Kept one as a broody for a few years but had culled the other for pure meanness, then culled the broody one after 2 yrs.

SLW are the same....mean as snakes, every single one I've ever gotten down through the years, regardless of source, were mean birds.

Kill 'em all and spread the word. I'm sorry about your sweet little hen, Bay.

 

[baymule]

When I ordered the CX, I also ordered 10 Australorp pullets and 2 roos. They are supposed to be an even tempered large chicken and good layers.

I have two Wellsummer roos that hit the wire when I walk by, so they are going too. Is there such thing as a nice roo? I used to keep only hens, we lived in town and I didn't want the crowing to draw attention. The Wellsummer roos are big and will make some nice Mean Rooster Soup!

I only name a few of the chickens. Elsa was special.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

We have a wonderful sweet Roo. He's an EE. He was number two for a long time until his partner got taken out by a fox. He's head and shoulders above all the hens, even the big ones, but he's really good at keeping them together, calling them if he finds food, letting the hens eat first, and standing between the hens and any possible danger. He's never once attacked any person, and doesn't leave any marks on his hens. They all follow him. The seven new chicks we have are all from him. He's still pretty young, but we like him a lot.