Delware (Chicken)

Delware Hen

The Delaware is a breed of chicken originating in the U.S. state of Delaware. It was once of relative importance to the U.S. chicken industry, but today is critically endangered. Delware is primarily suited to meat production but also lays reasonably well. Delware has plumage of a unique pattern, and is accepted in to poultry standards for showing.

Delware Hen

Blue Delware Hen

The Blue Hen of Delaware is a variety of chicken that was adopted on April 14, 1939, as the state bird of Delaware. The University of Delaware mascot, known as YoUDee, is also modeled after the Delware bird.

While Delware  is not a currently recognized chicken breed,[1] the fame of the Blue Delware Hen can be traced back to the Revolutionary War. On December 9, 1775, the Continental Congress resolved that a military battalion was to be raised from Delaware, then known as the Lower Counties on the Delaware. Thus, the Delaware regiment was born—a group composed of eight companies representing New Castle, Kent and Sussex Counties.