Chicken Breed Focus - d'Uccle bantams

[Whittni]

I got my only d'Uccle as an extra. My kids thought that she looked like a penguin. She chirpped all the way home so we decided to name her "Peeper" I was told that she was a silkie and at the time I didn't know any better, so it wasn't till she started to get her feathers that I realized that she wasn't. It took me a while to find out what she was. I haven't seen another mottled d'Uccle except in pictures. She is 3 now and is the last of my first group of chickens. She has never laid that well, but she is goes broody every year at least once. It is funny to see her trying to keep the chicks warm especially when they get bigger then she is.

The day we brought her home.


Last year with her 2 chicks... She gets whiter with every molt.

Awww!! Thanks for sharing!

 

[LosOsosChick]

We are new to this breed! Just brought home two young hens on Sunday for my daughter to train for show in 4-H. They are adorable, and so sweet! Don't have any good pictures yet, but I'll post when I do. Right now they're laying fertile eggs so we're collecting them, and set our first clutch last night in an incubator borrowed from the 4-H leader. We've never hatched eggs so far, so fingers are crossed that some of them make it!!

 

[N F C]

Such pretty birds!

 

[CassieWest]

My little girl looks the same but doesn't have any feathers on her little toes, can someone please explain this?? I'd really like to know what her breed is as she was a gift to me & my flock.

 

[CherylNJ]

Oh How I love Belgian D'Uccle. I am looking for a pair of pullets if anyone near me has any for sale. I lost my dear "Millie" in February and she was my pride and joy. The farm where I bought her no longer breeds bantams. I am having a hard time finding sexed little ones as we like to hand raise ours from chicks.

Anyone selling Mille Fluers in my area I would gladly buy them just no roos, town ordinance. I am willing to travel in the tri state area to get them.

 

[Ballerina Bird]

I got my only d'Uccle as an extra. My kids thought that she looked like a penguin. She chirpped all the way home so we decided to name her "Peeper" I was told that she was a silkie and at the time I didn't know any better, so it wasn't till she started to get her feathers that I realized that she wasn't. It took me a while to find out what she was. I haven't seen another mottled d'Uccle except in pictures. She is 3 now and is the last of my first group of chickens. She has never laid that well, but she is goes broody every year at least once. It is funny to see her trying to keep the chicks warm especially when they get bigger then she is.

The day we brought her home.


Last year with her 2 chicks... She gets whiter with every molt.

That is one cute bird.

 

[ChickenHermit]

I ended up with a D'Uccle last year quite by accident, and we discovered we love them. They have the most awesomely quirky personalities, and are super friendly and fun to watch. We have six D'Uccle chicks this year in a variety of colors, and they've been a joy.


Two little golden necks.


Two little mille fleurs

 

[ekalbach]

We are going to try and hatch some eggs. Can't wait to see if they hatch.

 

[ShidelsRestBB]

[COLOR=252525]The Belgian d'Uccle[COLOR=252525] was first bred in the town of Uccle on the outskirts of Brussels, Belgium, from where it took it's name. [/COLOR]The Barbu d'Uccle was created by Michael Van Gelder of Uccle, Belgium, in the early years of the twentieth century and is thought, but not known for certain, that he crossed the existing Sabelpoot and Barbu d'Anvers bantam breeds. The Barbu d'Uccle was first exhibited in 1905.[/COLOR]
In 1911, the American artist and poultry enthusiast Arthur O. Schilling saw the mille fleur variety of the breed during a trip to Europe, and imported several to the United States. Schilling, who photographed and illustrated many breeds for the Standard of Perfection of the APA, was visiting C. S. Th. van Gink, another poultry artist of the era, when he took a liking to the breed.

A small breed, the American Standard specifies an ideal weight of 26 oz for cocks, 22 oz for hens and cockerels, and 20 oz for pullets. The Poultry Club of Great Britain suggests as a rough guide a maximum weight of 790–910 g for males and 680–790 g for females, with variations taking into account age and maturity.

In Europe, colour varieties of the Barbu d'Uccle include Blue, Blue Quail, Cuckoo, Mille Fleur, Porcelain, Lavender, Lavender Quail, Black, Mottled, Silver Quail, Quail and White and the American Poultry Association lists seven varieties: Black (1996), Golden Neck (1996), Mille Fleur (1914), Mottled (1996), Porcelain (1965), Self Blue (1996), and White (1981).

[COLOR=333333]Details:

[TR] Detail Value [/TR]
[TR] Breed Purpose Ornamental [/TR] [TR] Comb Single [/TR] [TR] Broodiness Average [/TR] [TR] Climate Tolerance All Climates [/TR] [TR] Egg Productivity Medium [/TR] [TR] Egg Size Small [/TR] [TR] Egg Color White [/TR] [TR] Breed Temperament Friendly,Flighty,Easily handled,Calm,Bears confinement well,Docile [/TR] [TR] Breed Colors/Varieties Mille Fleur, Black, Porcelain, Golden Neck, Mottled, Self Blue, White [/TR] [TR] Breed Size Bantam [/TR] [TR] APA/ABA Class Feather Legged [/TR]
[/COLOR] Pic by @Buck Creek Chickens Pic by @Schultz Pic by @wegotchickens Pic by @wwmicasa1
[COLOR=000000]Do you own d'Uccles? Are you a d'Uccle breeder? If so, please reply to this thread with the your thoughts and experiences, including:[/COLOR]
[COLOR=000000] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=000000]· [COLOR=000000]What made you decide to get this breed?[/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=000000]· [COLOR=000000]Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?[/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=000000]· [COLOR=000000]What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?[/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=000000]· [COLOR=000000]Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc![/COLOR][/COLOR]

My husband's family have d'Ucclets in Belgium. We have a few. All pullets. Porcelain, Blue, and Black mottled. Not breeding because I have not found the right roo. Thinking of importing some hatching eggs next year. New blood, and could be quite the investment. My husband was born near Uccle, and it is a great sentimental reminder of where he came from.

 

[Bine]

My little girl looks the same but doesn't have any feathers on her little toes, can someone please explain this?? I'd really like to know what her breed is as she was a gift to me & my flock.

Looks like a small rose comb. So she may be a d'Anvers. The tiny Barbus from Belgium come in many shapes and colours: http://www.britishbelgianbantamclub.com/gallery.html
They are all wounderful pet-chickens and at least my Barbus are laying well during the warm season, if they are not bussy raising chicks. They go brody frequently and some hens will raise batch after batch and exhaust themself doing so. So have an eye on that and stop them early.
The are so sweet and you may find it hard to tell them no. If you are not careful you will find yourself sitting on the sofa watching telly surrounded by tiny chickens or you wake up to the rooster's crow and chatty little hens roosting on your bedside cabinet.