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

[speckledhen]

He's really different, that's for sure. I'll definitely keep pictures of him coming at future stages. If he's Buff Columbian, no mottling gene, what will he throw bred back to a Mille Fleur or porcelain, coming from this parentage? Would someone get more Buff Columbians and Mille Fleurs? Just wondered what to tell someone, in case JJ wasn't interested in taking him- I will not be keeping any males from any of the hatches since I already have three; still on the fence about Rufus going to KY since DH is attached and he is quite amusing, but even then, I'd still have my two porcelain guys.

 

[Backwoods Bntms]

It will be a while till Aubrey can answer so in the mean time here is my guess. If he doesn't show mottling, he should be split for it so bred to a mottled bird results would be 50/50 mottled and splits. I guess it is also possible for him to be split to lavendar but it would take a test mating to know that.

jj

 

[speckledhen]

This sure was unexpected. Those gremlin genes just keep on playing tricks, don't they?

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

It will be a while till Aubrey can answer so in the mean time here is my guess. If he doesn't show mottling, he should be split for it so bred to a mottled bird results would be 50/50 mottled and splits. I guess it is also possible for him to be split to lavendar but it would take a test mating to know that.

jj

X's 2 on that.

There was one of the porcelain males that I never saw a lot of mottling on. He had it, just not a lot if I remember. Wondering if he maybe was the dad?? If so they'd be lav splits for sure.

Like JJ said, either way you slice it, this chick is split for mottled, should be totally mottled, but?????? Who knows, he could fool us all and end up being a mille in the long run, just a darker color or something

But if he infact turns out to be a buff columbian and shows not mottling, just tell them he is split for mottled and possibley lavender (unless you know he had a lav dad) them split for both for sure. He could be bred to more buff columbians (if any exist in the world) or to mille or porcelain with no problems.

 

[speckledhen]

As far as how much mottling the porcelains have on them, I think that Aubrey has a "cleaner" look to him, less variation in color and Angus ended up with more mottling. Here is Angus:



Here is little Aubrey-sorry the picture isn't straight on. He attacks the camera if I get in his face with it, LOL:




I'm still betting on this being a Rusty, Jr. I need to go check pics of Rusty as a chick. If I recall, one of them had what appeared to be barring, remember?


ETA: I found a picture of Rusty at around 4 weeks old for you, JJ.

 

[Backwoods Bntms]

Rusty is dark, I don't have any that dark. I took some pictures this evening, It looks like I have three colors gold, light brown and darkish. Is it worth hatching any more of these or should I try and find some new stock?

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Yep I was the lightly mottled one I was thinking of, couldnt remember which one it was, knew one was a bit thin though. But now after the refresher on the potential papa as a chick...kinda looks like father like son dont it. Most likely will end up as a mille then, just has an unusual chick down





JJ,

I dont see anything wrong with them so far...personally I like the lighter ones myself.

With any of these, it's almost impossible to tell whether or not to cull til they are almost 2, after their first full year of age molt at least. Seems like they are constantly changing til then, especially in pattern and mottling quality. The light ones will be a bit off for proper color as far as the book says.... but I never cared too much for someone 100 years ago telling me what I should be breeding for today. I breed for what I personally like. Now if you plan to show, yes you'll have to conform, but what I'd do for now is breed and hatch the heck out of them. Select your best of the best for show potential breedings and use the others "off" colored ones with excellent type for personal breedings unless YOU dont like them...in that case just send them to me!!!

As far as finding better milles to buy to breed, good luck...man they are hard to find. And most with them are so competitive in shows with them, that they wont sell anything but their junk.... actually Tom Shepard and Adam Cheney are the ONLY two in the country I have ever found that would sell any milles. Think I heard Adam sold off all his, they were mainly Tom's line any way with a little addition to it. I have some from both now and you can see the similar traits in both mens birds. Outside of those 2, I wouldnt even know where to tell you to try. There are a few out there with them, but mainly junk or d'uccle crosses. Don Hartman MAY have some, cant remember if he still breeds them or not. He'd be my next recommendation, always liked him and his stock. My black, bb's, blue and a few others originated from him.

 

[Backwoods Bntms]

I know what you mean about them being hard to find, took me a year to get the ones I finally chose after looking at a lot of real bad ones. I was thinking I would use my dark rooster on some then maybe mix them next year and see what happens, At any rate as you know there is this project that I have in mind where I will need a few extra millies, light ones might work for it.

jj

 

[speckledhen]

Moved them to the outside interim brooder before they go to the actual grow out coop. This is the cage formerly occupied by my late Zane (gosh, I miss that rooster!). It's much larger than the inside brooder and I will have a second night time light as a backup. It's in the Orp coop so there is a black sheet that will drape between their cage and the Orp side so we don't keep the big birds up with the babies' all night parties.

Look out, JJ! There are some of the troops in these photos-you may want to avert your eyes! Notice in the next to last pic which chick is facing off with my Splash Ameraucana hen, who we lifted up to see the babies.

 

[Backwoods Bntms]

Those are good looking chicks even if some of them need a leg waxing. The eye stripe chick is looking like rusty except his sholders look like they are comming in a little redder.

jj