D'uccle Thread

[CuddlesDuccles]

I gave my pullet and cockerel crickets for the first time...........what a riot!! I've never seen them go so crazy! The pullet started attacking to get to the box of crickets LOL they also finally ate the live mealworms after tasting cricket. Before they would only eat dried mealworms. They would just carry the live ones around and peck. But the cricket snack was very entertaining!

 

[hdowden]

can you safely pull the foot feathers if you use blood stop? also how long does it take for those feathers to grow back?

 

[Folly's place]

Hi everone, I'm looking for input on temperment. Twenty years ago my first d'uccles arrived from a neighbor's small flock. These are tough birds, free ranging and raising thier chicks over the years, with only a couple of outcross pullets introduced. They are PQ, not show birds, but cute and nice to be around. I keep 10 to 15 total with my 20- odd big birds. This year I acquired 5 chicks from Eagle Nest hatchery; very cute and much closer to standard in type, both as needed new blood, and to get more correct type. The new chicks are almost too sweet and gentle! They aren't interested in exploring their environment, unlike everyone else. They're now 12 weeks old, and much less adventurous than my 4 week olds. Is this normal for 'SQ', or what? Thanks, Mary

 

[mstricer]

D'uccle temperament, should be that way, Mine are docile and nice even when raised by mothers. My are being raised by friendly Spitzenhaubens who will take them all over the yard. I also have to D'uccle hens raising some babies right now, they are confined in a coop and run, due to me wanting to sell eggs, but 2 of the girls went broody, so now I can't sell any. I'm interested in seeing the difference, of being raised in confinement vs free range.

 

[mstricer]

can you safely pull the foot feathers if you use blood stop? also how long does it take for those feathers to grow back?

I don't think so, maybe cut it.

 

[mstricer]

Okay now I had 6 hatches now from my 2 Milles and 1 Blue Mottled and my Black Mottled Roo. Only one produced Milles, go figure it is the one I hatched in the incubator. All others have been Blue and Black Mottled and this crazy reversed Mille, All black, but the hackles have the red like the Milles. What do you make of that? Luckily the first hatch did produce a Mille boy which I want to breed back to the Mille girls.

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

hdowden,

I wouldn't pull any feathers out. I only pull of feathers when they are almost totally broken in two, and even then I just break off the feathery part. Why do you want to pull out foot feathers in the first place? If it's because they don't look very good, they'll fall out and just grow back nicer soon.

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Hi everone, I'm looking for input on temperment. Twenty years ago my first d'uccles arrived from a neighbor's small flock. These are tough birds, free ranging and raising thier chicks over the years, with only a couple of outcross pullets introduced. They are PQ, not show birds, but cute and nice to be around. I keep 10 to 15 total with my 20- odd big birds. This year I acquired 5 chicks from Eagle Nest hatchery; very cute and much closer to standard in type, both as needed new blood, and to get more correct type. The new chicks are almost too sweet and gentle! They aren't interested in exploring their environment, unlike everyone else. They're now 12 weeks old, and much less adventurous than my 4 week olds. Is this normal for 'SQ', or what? Thanks, Mary

I think d'Uccles have the best temperment of any bird I have ever owned. I would say they are less adventerous in general though. I literally spent an hour outside last night and this morning cuddling with my 3 hens. They love to set in my lap and rest their head over my arm. Eventually they even go to sleep.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
x2 They are real sweeties and they seek out human attention. I LOVE that my d'Uccles don't like to free range far. It is not a problem that they can fly over my fence. They stick close to home and aren't wanting to scratch up my bark nuggets up by the house. (Mine are now about 3 week old chicks but I am referring to when I had adults in the past.)

I have never had SQ d'Uccles, so can't comment on that. Mine have always been from a hatchery.

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

I have never had SQ d'Uccles, so can't comment on that. Mine have always been from a hatchery.

Me neither. What hatchery do you get them from? I go through McMurray, and they've all been pretty good looking (for a hatchery bird).