I was at show yesterday, but only showed my millies. I had a pullet that snatched the cloth out of my hands while I was trying to polish her feathers and pecked at me when I tried to spruce up her comb and beak before the show. She was FULL of the spunky d'Uccle attitude I love so well.
She yelled at me in that sassy d'Uccle voice every time I walked past her cage, before the judging.
And then she preened and strutted for the judge, as pretty as can be, and peacefully allowed him to pull her and out and look her over. She took Best of Breed, and that meant a lot because I was competing with a man who has been breeding d'uccles for 35 years.
After the show she yelled at us all the way home. Today, as soon as she me coming to the coop, she made sure to wallow in the damp sand, throwing it all over herself. Then she looked up, laughed at me, and went back to tossing sand.
I am very proud of that pullet. I deliberately bred her out of an awesome roo and a hen that most would consider way too dark. Her sister is almost as pretty. I have high hopes for their offspring, currently growing out in the coop. I have sold very few mille fleur chicks this year because I want to see how this particular breeding set is producing. I even sold some show pairs of adult birds in order to have more space to grow out my birds.
My self-blue d'Uccles and black d'Uccles also do quite well at shows, but I am not satisfied with them. This summer I will be working on making both colors better. I set out to improve my self-blues 2 years ago, and they have come a long way. But they can be better....
I feel very blessed because I have gotten to know several breeders who have been working with my chosen breed for a very long time. A genetic calculator did not accurately answer my breeding questions, but these gentleman have each, independently, exactly described what I got from each combination. I have heard first-hand stories from the men who got additional colors admitted to the Standards in the 90's. I have learned a great deal about what it will take to get new varieties admitted, as well.
If you show d'Uccles, and are dedicated to breeding to the Standard of Perfection, please post here and share your experiences!
She yelled at me in that sassy d'Uccle voice every time I walked past her cage, before the judging.
And then she preened and strutted for the judge, as pretty as can be, and peacefully allowed him to pull her and out and look her over. She took Best of Breed, and that meant a lot because I was competing with a man who has been breeding d'uccles for 35 years.
After the show she yelled at us all the way home. Today, as soon as she me coming to the coop, she made sure to wallow in the damp sand, throwing it all over herself. Then she looked up, laughed at me, and went back to tossing sand.
I am very proud of that pullet. I deliberately bred her out of an awesome roo and a hen that most would consider way too dark. Her sister is almost as pretty. I have high hopes for their offspring, currently growing out in the coop. I have sold very few mille fleur chicks this year because I want to see how this particular breeding set is producing. I even sold some show pairs of adult birds in order to have more space to grow out my birds.
My self-blue d'Uccles and black d'Uccles also do quite well at shows, but I am not satisfied with them. This summer I will be working on making both colors better. I set out to improve my self-blues 2 years ago, and they have come a long way. But they can be better....
I feel very blessed because I have gotten to know several breeders who have been working with my chosen breed for a very long time. A genetic calculator did not accurately answer my breeding questions, but these gentleman have each, independently, exactly described what I got from each combination. I have heard first-hand stories from the men who got additional colors admitted to the Standards in the 90's. I have learned a great deal about what it will take to get new varieties admitted, as well.
If you show d'Uccles, and are dedicated to breeding to the Standard of Perfection, please post here and share your experiences!
