D'uccle Thread - Page 572

Awww You have pretty porcelain babies too!  I just love seeing other people's d'Uccles.  I've been converted by birds like yours in less than a week - how long did it take you?

parker
 

my lavender d'uccle (avatar) was my very first chicken that i have owned had chickens as a kid so i am very happy to own my own :D

Quote:Originally Posted by coffeekittie 

Awww You have pretty porcelain babies too!  I just love seeing other people's d'Uccles.  I've been converted by birds like yours in less than a week - how long did it take you?

 

parker
 

I fell in love the when i first held them as tiny bits of fuzz, these ones are @2 months, i think they are going to be on the small side?  They have gentle loving personalities, the one that everyone I.D'd as a booted bantam is nervous and flighty by comparison.  These guys fit in great with my EE's  :)  I don't think they will be my broodies for my EE eggs though, like i originally planned because they are soooo small!

Hi! just got this pair of young roos. Hatched out in the spring some time, not crowing yet. Can anyone tell me about the color? They are "culls" from a breeder who has some spectacular birds. Would like to know which is better at this age. I know they change in their second and other molts. 

If I were a breeder, which would I keep and why?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helen in the Desert 

If I were a breeder, which would I keep and why?

Hi Helen!

Gosh I wish I could tell you, because that would mean I knew something more about these adorable birds myself!  I'm still  hoping some of the other experts who sometimes hang out here will come and critique mine.  Keep your fingers crossed - there's a lot of really knowledgeable folk here! 

And I'm hoping some (honest) flattery will entice them to talk, too! 

Your boys look pretty to me, but I know that isn't what you are looking for, sorry.

parker

ETA:  What made you decide to take on d'Uccles?  I'm very curious

left: his color is way to dark and he doesn't appear to have any white hardly (the white can come in later as he molts though)

right: appears that he is getting to much white on him and on his right foot in the pic looks like he might be missing a toenail

both: have good foot/leg feathers (could be a bit better though) and the beards are nice 

only my opinion though lol i'm sure someone else can pinpoint some other flaws and good traits 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helen in the Desert 

Hi! just got this pair of young roos. Hatched out in the spring some time, not crowing yet. Can anyone tell me about the color? They are "culls" from a breeder who has some spectacular birds. Would like to know which is better at this age. I know they change in their second and other molts. 

If you can keep them both, do so. They're a long way away from being done growing and changing. If you HAVE to pick now, and want to show, go with the one on the right.

But... I like the one on the left and would keep him if you can. He's too dark now, but that can change. It looks like he has good toe feathers coming in on his middle toe, and I like the way he carries his tail.

As mille fleurs get their color, it comes in and scoots down to where it belongs. So Mr. Right has too much white at the moment, but the black will grow in and squish it down to where it belongs. IMO, I don't think he has too much white. But you won't know for sure for a couple more months, at least.

Mr. Left is too dark, and it's a little uneven. But that may change as well, as the color phases into adult plumage. If you have space, keep them both and enter them both in a couple of shows.

And then, before you decide who to rehome, look closely at your hens. Do they have all their toenails? Do they have enough or too much white? How are their foot feathers? Judge the hens honestly, and breed them to the roo that will best balance the physical traits. Don't worry about color.

"You have to fix the building before you paint it." That's what I was told when I was breeding my self-blues. That means get to the type, THEN worry about perfecting the color. With my self-blues, I found that focusing on type brought the color into perfection as well. Go figure! ;)