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

[warmheart]

Gosh, a lot happens in a few hours! My fiance's co-worker, a science teacher, asked us to take/raise 6 chicks from an upcoming school hatch project.

Then, he said "They can be mille fleur D'anvers"

and that we can select the vendor and purchase the eggs ourselves. My head is spinning just yet.

I'd wanted an adult hen to spoil right away. Looks like my honey and I will be discussing what we can manage here best, and what is right for us. It seems now that one way or another, I'll be giving my heart to a D'anvers. I joined the D'anvers club this morning. Whichever way this happens, I'll eagerly research how to provide the very best care for a D'anvers.

 

[Arvanah]

Can anyone tell me about maybe some nesting prefrences they may have?
little nest? big ones? The ground.....??

 

[Backwoods Bntms]

Can anyone tell me about maybe some nesting prefrences they may have?
little nest? big ones? The ground.....??

I have made nest boxes 8" x 8" some will use them, most don't. They pretty much lay where they want, but mostly in the same spot each time.

 

[warmheart]

A few more D'anvers questions, for those more experienced than I.

Have you found any specific brand of feed or supplements that really make the D'anvers look and feel best? I imagine they take to crumbles and not pellets, as they're so small? We currently use Nutrena Naturewise for our small flock, so if we'd be raising chicks, would use that brand-- or whichever you suggest may be better for them. I'm eager to learn and open to suggestions.

BackwoodsBantams-- Your silver quail girl has such a poofy beard! Is that due to some colorations having fluffier beards than others, or do you reccomend a specific diet? She is absolutely a-dorable!

Speckledhen-- How did you work with your sweet Miss Penny, to encourage her to become so happy to be held? Did she live in the house for a long time? Is Carly as happy being held? (she's gorgeous!)

Do D'anvers chicks need anything special in their care, or are they typically as hardy as other breeds of chicks? Do you do anything special for your D'anvers to improve their health and wellbeing? Thank you for any tips and insights you care to offer. I'm grateful for your guidance!

 

[SonRise Silkies]

Lots of questions.....first i find that these little darlings are super healthy and happy critters, easy to hatch and to keep. They eat everything!
I just feed a good start grow lay ration for the first couple months and then might change to laying pellets. The pellets are not too big at all, and it saves waste.
i worm regularly and give vitamins in the water. Lots of fresh water.
Turn them in the yard whenever I know I'm not going to leave the house and be gone all day.
[coyotes]

The nests for mine are small boxes up on a shelf in the chicken house. The ones in pens outside have milk crates wired to the sides about 3 ft off the ground with a piece of cardboard or something solid on the bottom keep the bottom closed with no holes or drafts.

They will lay eggs in the same nest if there are too few nests but mine prefer to have their own nest, but of course they are spoiled! My nests are open top but I know by the way they hunker down and "hide" that they would prefer a closed top.
I hatch in incubator so far, haven't let them hatch their own even though they certainly would like to
Hope any of this helps.

 

[warmheart]

Thank you so much, SonRiseSilkies! I'm pleased to hear that the chicks are resilient.

My fiance has been raising chicks since he was 9, but I'm new to this, and I'll be the one home with the little dears. We will be raising the day-old chicks from a school hatch project, and the science teacher permitted me to choose the breed. I'll be keeping a hen for myself, whichever one seems the friendliest, and the most happy to be held. I'm really looking forward to raising my new best chickie friend.

I love seeing photos of people's D'anvers!

 

[Backwoods Bntms]

BackwoodsBantams-- Your silver quail girl has such a poofy beard! Is that due to some colorations having fluffier beards than others, or do you reccomend a specific diet? She is absolutely a-dorable!

Most good d'Anvers have a good beard. This picture was taken after a bath and blow dry which enhanced the beard.

The one thing I would watch for on the chicks is "pasty butt". If you keep them on clean sand for a week or two they will eat some sand and it keeps them cleaned out, by then they are good to go.

jj

 

[Arvanah]

Thanks guys. so nothing special. I wonder why they haven't taken to anything yet

 

[KrisH]

Cant wait to get this hatch out of the hatcher. It looks like I have some interesting chick that hatched. A couple look goldneck, but 1 of them does have the distinct stripe down the back for millie, but it is such a light yellow chick otherwise.

I too dont know why these guys havent been a big hit, they are such sweet cute birds. We actually have 3 roos together right now, major buildong is happening over the next month so I can seperate them.

I am so excited to get moving ahead on my project and having all these cuties too.

 

[speckledhen]

.......

Speckledhen-- How did you work with your sweet Miss Penny, to encourage her to become so happy to be held? Did she live in the house for a long time? Is Carly as happy being held? (she's gorgeous!)

.....

I couldn't stop her! She's been like that since she was about 6 weeks old. None of them have ever been in the house. Carly is the same way, as is Aimee. Lucy is least likely to want to be held, for some reason, but then, she's always been an oddball.