Dual-Purpose Delaware Cross Chicks

Product ID: 2DL
Delaware Cross chicks are a great choice for growers who want a traditional meat-and-egg chicken. They grow slower than Cornish Cross but offer a sturdy frame, balanced meat qualities, and large brown eggs.

Delaware Cross: The True Dual-Purpose Chicken

The Delaware Cross is a heavy dual-purpose chicken created for farmers, homesteaders, and backyard poultry keepers who want both meat and eggs from one hardworking flock. This cross is a strong fit for self-sufficient families looking for a bird that can lay large brown eggs while also growing into a useful table bird.

Before the Cornish Cross became the standard broiler chicken, the Delaware was a preferred meat bird in the United States. The Delaware Cross grows slower than Cornish Cross, and it offers a more traditional farm-chicken build with a sturdy frame, good body depth, and balanced meat qualities. If only raising to fill the freezer with meat, this chicken can reach market size in about 12–15 weeks, depending on feed, weather, housing, and overall conditions.

Delaware Cross hens produce large brown eggs, with growers able to expect around 200–280 eggs per year under optimal care and climate conditions. They typically do not go broody.

Active, hardy, and natural foragers, Delaware Cross chickens are well suited for free-range, pasture-raised, backyard, and homestead poultry setups. They are a good choice for beginners and experienced growers who want a dependable dual-purpose chicken for meat, eggs, and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

This cross is cold-hardy and heat tolerant, though extra care should be taken in cold months to help prevent frostbite on their combs.


Average grow-out time: 12-15 weeks
Average mature weight (15+ weeks): Roosters 8.5 lbs, Hens 6.5 lbs

 
Ordering Details:
  • A minimum of 5 females per breed is required, this does not apply for males. 
  • Free shipping to Zone 1 or Zone 2 on orders of 25+
  • Small order fee on all zones for 15-24 chicks.
  • For pricing and orders above 300 please Call our office (814) 539-7026.
  • Want to add more to your flock? Browse our full selection of brown egg layers here.
  • View our shipping chart here.

 
delaware cross rooster
delaware cross chicken hen
delaware cross chicken coop
delaware cross baby chicks
delaware cross chicks outside
delaware chicks
delaware cross chicks hatchery

Pricing

Sex 1-5 6-14 15-24 25-49 50-74 75-99 100+ Quantity Hatch Date
Straight Run $5.13  $5.06  $4.15  $3.50  $2.87  $2.87  $2.46 
Min: 5
Male $4.48  $4.38  $4.15  $3.50  $2.87  $2.87  $2.46 
Min: 1
Female $6.18  $6.11  $6.00  $5.43  $4.63  $4.25  $4.05 
Min: 5

Recomended Add-Ons:

Marek's Vaccine - $0.50/Chick

Marek's vaccination

Aquastart - $9.25 Ea.

Hydrating gel beads enriched with electrolytes to support the health and growth of your flock. Use as a feed topper to encourage feed intake. AquaStart is ideal for providing nourishment upon arrival. One 100g bag is good for 100 chicks.

StresEEZ Plus - $9.75

Water-dispersible source of vitamins, trace minerals, and electrolytes. 6oz pack per 128gal of water/ 1 GALLON DOSAGE: 1/4 tsp powder to 1 gal of drinking water.

Optional Vaccinations are performed at the hatchery.
GroGel and Vitamin packs may be shipped with the birds or shipped separately before your birds arrive.

The table below is for the next several hatches.
 
Hatch Dates Go Back More Shipping Dates
SEX (7/8) (7/15) (7/22) (7/29) (8/5) (8/12) (8/19) (8/26) (9/2) (9/9) (9/16) (9/23) (9/30) (10/7) (10/14) (10/21)
Straight Run
Male
Female
Key:
Available
Limited availablity (we will call you if your order is affected)
Not Available

Egg Color: Brown
Egg Size: Large to extra large
Egg Production: Excellent
Disposition: Calm
Hardiness: Cold-hardy and heat tolerant
Broody: No
Hen Weight: 6 lbs
Rooster Weight: 8 lbs

Learn more about caring for Delaware chickens with our poultry guide.

Quick Facts About Delaware Chickens

What will my Delaware chicks look like? Because they are a cross, there can be some variation. Your baby chicks may be pale yellow with some charcoal spots, or may be darker black color overall. Their true coloration will develop as they become fully feathered.

Is this a suitable dual-purpose chicken breed? This is one of our best dual-purpose breeds. Growers value them equally for meat or eggs, as they do an excellent job of providing for both purposes.

What kind of comb does this breed have? They have a bright red single comb with red wattles.

Will my Delaware hens go broody? They typically do not, but if they do set, this breed tends to have good mothering abilities. 

When did Delaware chickens first come about? Originally they were referred to as the Indian River chicken. This is the location in Delaware where the original breeder, George Ellis, developed them in the 1940s. His goal was to create a good laying hen that could also be used for meat.

What are some advantages to using this breed for meat? They usually pluck and dress well for easy processing. 




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