d'anver lovers,discuss the breed and post some pics!

[juliechick]

So, is this a good colored Millie chick?

 

[CALI CHICK]

I'm new to the d'anver breed and wondered if anyone could share their experience with a couple areas. I have large fowl chickens and silkies and am just curious if these things are different for the little d'anvers.

How old are the hens when they typically start to lay eggs?
My little cockerels (about 6 weeks old) are starting to do "roosterish" things like sounding the alarm for danger & their combs and waddles are really growing. At what age do the boys start wanting to mate the pullets?

Do some cockerels develop late? I have 6 babies. 3 of them are developing bigger, redder combs and 3 still have flat combs staying yellow. I don't mind 3 girls and 3 boys. But, I'm really wondering if any of the 3 girlie ones could also be roosters down the road?
Do d'anvers roost at night? I set up a roosting branch in their coop yesterday but the chicks (6 weeks old) preferred to cuddle in the pine shavings like they've always done.

Was it just because they are still young and eventually they will sleep on the roost (or are they like silkies that "dog pile")?

Thank you for any input you've had with your d'anvers.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

So, is this a good colored Millie chick?

yep looks like it to me

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

I'm new to the d'anver breed and wondered if anyone could share their experience with a couple areas. I have large fowl chickens and silkies and am just curious if these things are different for the little d'anvers.

How old are the hens when they typically start to lay eggs?
My little cockerels (about 6 weeks old) are starting to do "roosterish" things like sounding the alarm for danger & their combs and waddles are really growing. At what age do the boys start wanting to mate the pullets?

Do some cockerels develop late? I have 6 babies. 3 of them are developing bigger, redder combs and 3 still have flat combs staying yellow. I don't mind 3 girls and 3 boys. But, I'm really wondering if any of the 3 girlie ones could also be roosters down the road?
Do d'anvers roost at night? I set up a roosting branch in their coop yesterday but the chicks (6 weeks old) preferred to cuddle in the pine shavings like they've always done.

Was it just because they are still young and eventually they will sleep on the roost (or are they like silkies that "dog pile")?

Thank you for any input you've had with your d'anvers.

will be happy too.

normal bantam stuff on laying a breeding 6-9 months old all all pount mentioned related to breeding. they for me at least are seasonal layers though. So if the chick hits 6-9 months old, but it's dead of winter when they do, forget it, they'll start the following spring. That would be the only difference there.

roosting , yes they like to rooste. Silkies dont because, well they cant fly.. haha so the pile up .
as chicks, if they dont have a mother to show them. It can take a while, but once the figure it out, they will roost like normal every evening.

sexing and age. This can be a loaded question. Since you have silkies I'll put it this way.... they are about as easy to sex as the silkies are... just about impossible. The comb is the only help over a silkie chick.

You can get a good guess at 6-8 weeks, but often that's all it is. Sexing is easiest when it's a feather pattern sexing color like quails. Males will have a more less solid back, pullest will have laced backs. The comb works to a degree. yes 9 times out of 10 the bigger redder combs are always male. But yep sometimes you get a late bloomer and what was thought to be a pullet turns out to be a cockerel. Not always though. usually you can get a good idea of them that way, but they can suprise you at times. I honestly got to the point of where I just throw them in the brooders and let 'em go haha once they get half grown it's a no brainer then. They can drive you crazy if you sit there day in and day out checking them. That's the joy of a rose combed breed though, they are a pain to sex til the adult feathering starts coming in good. will be happy to look at them if you have some pics though and try to narrow it down for you. If it's quail, get a back picture. The feathering never lies there on them

 

[CALI CHICK]

Thank you SO much. They are splash quail so hopefully the patterning will help with sexing them. The "boys" have a lot of orange on their backs and wings and the "girls" only have this color on their chest. I will take some pictures and leave the final verdict to an expert- like yourself.
We are loving these d'anvers.

 

[CALI CHICK]

Figures they didn't want to cooperate for pictures tonight! I got one of each and will cross my fingers that the girlie looking ones "stay" girls. Can you believe one of the boys has already attempted to crow.

 

[juliechick]

I've had good luck sexing mine by 3 weeks or so just by the combs getting redder in the males. By two months old, my little roosters are crowing, so you shouldn't have to wait too long before you'll know.

 

[CALI CHICK]

Quote:

I've had good luck sexing mine by 3 weeks or so just by the combs getting redder in the males. By two months old, my little roosters are crowing, so you shouldn't have to wait too long before you'll know.

We've had a couple 4 week olds attempt at crowing.

My son got really freaked out because one sounded like a "snake getting strangled" in the garage-hehe! Then when we went to investigate, we saw the little guy standing up straight and tall making that screeching noise!

 

[SonRise Silkies]

Hello everyone,
I need some help, ...I hatched several [9] little Quail d'Anvers from my dark Quail pair and they are now about 8 weeks old.
Some of them are showing some weird spots!
There are three roosters and 6 pullets in the bunch, three of them has what appears to be "spangles" on the tips of some of the feathers.
One pullet has tips on her tail feathers and several on her back and shoulders.
What in the heck????? Where did this come from? Is this really strange?
I also have 4 new chicks that one of my dark quail hens hatched after being in with a Millie Fleur rooster.
They look like dark quail except one who is red headed with a dark strip on head and then bold light and dark stripes down it's back.
Like a chipmunk
Light colored beard.
It is rainy out today or I might get some pics, but does any one have a clue where the spangles come from???
Thanks for any and all info on this.
PS they are cute as a bug no matter what!

 

[CALI CHICK]

I can't help figure out the spangles, but would LOVE to see pictures of them all.