Large Fowl

heritage american utility breed

Delawares

We have had chickens since 2011 for eggs and enjoyment. In 2021 we shifted focus to family sustainability, and decided to learn how to raise and process our own meat. We chose Delawares because they are not only wonderfully suited to this purpose, but are friendly docile birds who are a joy to keep.

During the 1940’s, the breed supplied chicken to the entire East coast of the United States. The Delaware rapidly became the premiere broiler fowl in use in the region, thus affecting the industry at large. These were the Sunday night chicken dinners of days gone old, until they were replaced by the emergence of the Cornish Cross commercial hybrids in the 1950's.

The Delaware is listed as “threatened” by the Livestock Conservancy, and we are doing our small part to restore their place on the family farm and dinner table.

Table Qualities

The Delaware provides ample breast meat and rich dark meat when finished. Their predominately white feathering is an advantage for carcass appearance since white feathers don’t leave dark spots on the skin when feathers are growing in.

Growth and Maturity Rate

Delaware chicks grow and feather quicker than most breeds, and can be moved from the brooder to pasture by 4-5 weeks depending on climate. Cocks grow to 8.5 lbs and hens to 6.5 lbs, cockerels 7.5 lbs and pullets 5.5 lbs. Hens come into lay by 20-24 weeks and lay 200-220 XL brown eggs per year.

Our Lines

Our lines originate from DawnRidge Farms and The Good Shepherd Conservancy. This combines the work done since 2013 on the recreation by Kathy Bonham, and the lines developed by Frank Reese at Good Shepherd. While bred to SOP, ours are utility lines and show stoppers will be more rare.

german über huhn - the perfect chicken

Bielefelder Kennhuh

This breed originiates from Germany, and was first impotted to the US in 2011. These gentle giants have quickly made a name for themselves here, and have all the elements of the perfect dual purpose homesteading bird.

They are large, quick to mature, and auto-sexing. Their barred pattern camaflouges well when free ranging, and they lay an abundance of beautiful terracotta colored eggs.

Bielefelder are especially known for the docile temperment of the roosters. Our male Johan Sebastian Bock is no exception! He is easy to handle and kind to his hens. And man, what a stunner! Everyone who visits is impressed with this magnificent boy.

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Table Qualities

We have found the Bielefelder to provide ample meat with lovely flavor and depth. They do take a little longer to get up to their full size than the Delawares, but they are worth the wait and easy keepers.

Growth and Maturity

Bielefelders keep up with the Delewares on feathering quickly and maturing at a respectable rate. Cocks grow 10-12 lbs and hens to 7-8 lbs, cockerels 7.5 lbs and pullets 5.5 lbs. Hens come into lay by 22-26 weeks and lay 200-230 XL brown eggs per year.

Our Lines

Our birds come from the Greenfire Farm German import flock by way of our good friends at Clap-A-Long Farms. We are members of the very new North American Bielefelder Association, working closely with the breed founder Gerd Roth in Germany to establish a US Standard.

Seasonally Available

Hatching eggs and chicks from our heritage Delaware and Bielefelder breeding flocks.