Delaware at a glance
| Egg production | 180–200 eggs/year |
|---|---|
| Egg color | brown |
| Size | large; hen weight 6 lb |
| Temperament summary | Calm, friendly/gentle |
| Housing class | large chicken |
Strongest documented traits
Temperament
Very calm and easy to handle
calm and friendly/gentle
Source confidence: High
Dual-purpose value
Excellent dual-purpose breed
well-developed egg and meat qualities
Source confidence: High
Foraging
Good forager
good forager
Source confidence: High
How the planner uses this breed
The flock planner does not rank Delaware from a single overall score stored in the database. Instead, it weights individual traits differently for each household. Cold hardiness matters more in harsh winters; heat tolerance matters more in hot climates; docility receives additional weight when children will handle the birds; and housing size can prevent a breed mix from being recommended even when its preference score is strong.
Sources used for this record
- Mississippi State University Extension: Choosing the Right Breed for Your Backyard Flock
- The Livestock Conservancy: Quick Reference Guide to Heritage Chickens
Last database review: 2026-10-03. Trait values are normalized to a 1–5 planning scale; see the methodology for how uncertainty is handled.