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

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

well it was worth the wait, cause he sure has turned out nice.

 

[Inkheart]

Ok these are the prettiest little birds - what is their temperament like? Are they flighty? Hardy? etc?

 

[CupOJoe42]

So sad that our friends who own the SQ Quail D'Anvers that hatched 5 chicks while we were farm sitting, now want to get rid of the parents (1 roo and 2 hens) because their daughter is "tired of feeding and taking care of them." They are going to keep two of the three 5-week old chicks that hatched (we kept Gazpacho and Amelia Egghart from that hatch, and they gave away one other chick) and I don't see the big deal about feeding a couple more when you have 20 chickens, 3 goats, 2 rabbits, 2 dogs, and 2 cats to begin with. They also want to get rid of the 2 rabbits. They kept the D'Anvers in a cage in the goat barn, away from the rest of the flock. I don't think they get much attention (I spend at least an hour a day of quality time with my 18 chickens) and maybe they would be better off (I am trying not to judge,) but it still made me sad when she offered me the 3 adult D'Anvers. I didn't want to have to deal with another age group, as it is hard enough to have two 10-week olds and sixteen 5-week olds without a coop. They are currently in a divided brooder and I will be moving the two D'Anvers to a large cage soon so that I can open up the divider in the brooder. I just don't consider my pets disposable and won't take on more than I am willing to handle responsibly. Just sayin'.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
Knox, the pullets are absolute angels. One of my pullets, Penny, I call my "Pocket Penny" because that's where she'd like to live. She must be held every second I'm in the pen/coop. Such a love!

The little males are fiesty, full of attitude. Rufus, my alpha, is the friendliest. He likes to have his beard and chest rubbed and holds very still for it, but he's not above nipping a finger on occasion, silly boy. Rusty is like an over-wound wind up toy, very indignant if you think you are going to touch him, LOL, as is the larger porcelain male, Aubrey. Angus, the smaller porcelain, is the low man of the totem pole and doesn't seem at all aggressive. D'Anver males are not cuddlebugs at all, but Rufus probably comes close, at least for a D'Anver. The phrase "ten feet tall and bullet-proof" was probably invented for this breed.

The cockerels are super alert and ready to defend their women at the drop of a hat. I really like them, but you have to just know, as Aubrey told me right up front, that they are attitude personified.

 

[Inkheart]

Thanks Cyn! They are just beautiful . I was getting the impression the roosters were little "napoleon's"!!!!!

 

[speckledhen]

You got that right! They are so handsome and boy, can they crow in the morning!

 

[Inkheart]

How do they handle the cold????

 

[speckledhen]

I haven't had mine through the winter yet, but Aubrey had some temps in the teens last winter even down in extreme south GA and his coops are very open. He said they did very well.

 

[NottinghamChicks]

Quote:
I have had d'Anvers in the past and live in NH and they always did well. As long as you give them a wide perch so they can leep their toes warm they have no issues at all. Cynthia speak the truth about the pullets and hens, they are absolutely amazing and quite cuddly. Like Aubrey from Boggy Botom Bantams has stated, The boys have to have a pint size attitude to take care of their love bug hens. Not verbatem, but it's all true. I especially recommend them if you want a "pet" or for children who want to show. I cannot say enough

~Julie

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

yep, everyone's been dead on with their descriptions of them. An yes being a rose comb breed, they do very well in the colder climate winters. In Fact, the largest group of d'anver breeders, (number of breeders per state) is found in Ohio. For some reason, they got it right there. They are like old english every where else in the country.

As long as they have some wind shelter, they will be just fine. Like Cynthia said, my pens are full opened, just a 3 walled coop in the middle and a roof on top, as it gets horribly hot here, but doesnt phase them a bit in the winter either.