A useful departure from a parent cross
Knowledge for understanding and preserving Delaware.
Illinois Extension traces the Delaware to pale offspring appearing around 1940 in matings of Barred Plymouth Rock males and New Hampshire females. Selection established the recognizable light bird with barred markings. That history distinguishes a maintained Delaware breeding population from recreating a similar-looking cross. The source also describes sex-linked crosses using Delaware females; those offspring remain crosses, rather than automatically becoming pure Delawares.
Sources behind this article
This is original Conservation Legacy teaching informed by the sources below. Follow the official material for the full account and its context.