Reviews by redrocketrooster

If your looking for a fluffy, slower moving chicken that can handle a childs rough or surprise handling....look no further. They come in large varieties of fluffy. As in, buff fluffy, white fluffy, blue fluffy and etc. Kidding, but really. Silkie's take to confinement well however they are not good at grooming themselves and can get really nasty. They are not good flyers and have a hard time getting to roosts, this can result in getting pooped on! I have noticed that they are not very smart. Often times running into objects or doing....silly things. Some can be skittish. I would suggest them only in a flock that has no aggressive chickens. They are prime targets for smarter chickens.

I really like this incubator. It's well designed, holds temperature and humidity steady and is easy to use. I highly recommend it for busy folks or newcomers with the auto-turn cradle. In order to get proper humidity please invest in a good hygrometer. The ECO model does not come with one. If you need to boost your humidity cut two sponges in half and place them in the water troughs. After hatch throw them out. DON'T RE-USE THEM as they will have absorbed bacteria. In between hatches your cradle needs to be lubricated to ensure smooth movement. White silicone grease works best. Get yourself a small screwdriver and dismantle your lid. The clear plastic doesn't always show you how much bacteria is inside your bator. Wipe it down for the sake of your next batch.

I love my d'Uccles! They come in a massive variety of colors, even my poorest bred hatchery strain turned out pretty and did I mention how SMART these little ones are! They are quite, easy keepers that use their agile nature to figure things out long before the remainder of the flock does. As chicks they are the first to eat and drink, discover the best perch spots and still be as sweet as buttons to other chickens of all types. I can see how some d'Uccle can be targets for agro breeds but mine are just too fast and smart for boss hens. While I would love to see them in a large fowl form, their small size makes them pretty little scamps.

I personally don't like my flock without these chickens. They are my quirky old men with beards --- even my hens! If you find a decent bloodline the plumage of the adults is striking. I enjoy that they are curious about everything I do, whilst I have one or two that will happily watch from a safer distance. They occasionally get a hair up their butts and do something silly like flap around the coop or jump on your lap. Some of my hens are fairly affectionate. I would prefer if they laid more frequently but nothing beats cracking open a blue egg for omlets!