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I got them at a post-poultry show auction at least 5-6 years ago, and they probably were a couple years old then, so these aren't young birds. I am guessing they were breeder stock, as the way they were banded with multiple, numbered and color-coded bands that might have indicated that they were being numerically ID'd for breeding and/or show. It was also evident that they were kept on wire as it took them a year to learn how to walk on solid ground or to dustbathe.
Really, they were tough as nails until this year. The cock is still healthy and fine; he recovered completely. But the hen went downhill and died last week. I'm wondering whether they had an absorption problem in the intestines. At first I thought worms, but they are wormed along with the rest of the birds. It made me wonder why just they had the issue and none of the other 25 birds.
It could be that they were badly inbred and maybe were siblings. It's amazing that some weird genetic traits can emerge from botched "line breeding."
d'Anvers really are great little birds, though, and I will definitely be getting more if I can find the right breeder.