d'Anvers - What are these wonderful creatures?

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

My husband and i just bought a Quail Bearded Belgian d'Anver at the Stockton Poultry Show yesterday, and she is the sweetest thing! There was only the one and i forget if the tag said pullet or hen, so i have no idea how old she is. Any ideas? Someone did have two beautiful d'Anver roosters, but told me that they are not so friendly to people, so decided to just get the lady.

i've never seen this breed before and i am fascinated. We have her inside for now for her quarantine period. But i really don't have a current group i think she will fit into. So now pondering getting a small herd of them, or others of similar size. i was just wondering, if anyone here has any, what other types of birds might be compatible? Are the bantam EEs of similar size? Do they like to sleep on roosts? What type of housing is appropriate? Is there anyone in Northern California that breeds them?

Thanks for any and all info! i think i have a new favorite breed.

Here she is (pardon the background, she is living in the bedroom we use for linen storage):

 

[apbgv]

I had one a couple years ago, the only survivor out of the hatch, she was very sweet, her name was gertrude. I think they are probably sweet babies. Would like another one or 2 some day.

 

[HorseFeathers]

Beautiful!

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

We ordered a bany but the poor thing didn't make it in the order, because it was so small. I hear they're very friendly, very showy birds. Good luck!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I have a beautiful pair of these wonderful bantams! Both my rooster and my hen are very friendly!

Robert is my roo and Fran is my hen! They will be one year old on February 23

Robert

Fran

You have a very pretty girl there! I have found these to be one of the friendliest breeds! Mine like to fly up to our shoulders when we are walking around the yard.

Mine are housed with the rest of the flock outside.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

So Quail_Antwerp, your roo is friendly? From the little i've read, it sounded like they can be aggressive. Perhaps it depends on the bird and how it's cared for.

Sorry about your little chick, ThePolishPrincess. i was just wondering if it would be safe to order some from mypetchicken.com. Perhaps if i ordered other small chicks together it might be okay.

 

[glowworm]

I was at the stockton show too, and I saw so many cute bantams!!! I'm glad I can't buy any adult birds right now- there was so many in the sales barn!

congrats on your new girl- I really like her.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

We're ordering my MPC this Feb. I'm not getting bantams, but I've asked around and people say that they sex all of their chicks and they're pretty accurate. Unlike McMurray, who we've ordered from in the past, they sex bantams too. For now, bantams are just fun pets. I'd like to think about getting some for the future, but our coop can't handle any more than a small order policy. It's sad.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i ordered from mypetchicken two years ago. i ordered 12 silkies and bantam polish and received 13 in all. All arrived healthy and happy. i did rehome some of them, deliberately over-ordered so i could choose which i wanted to keep. Only had one silkie that turned out to be a roo. But that was one big mean roo! i wouldn't hesitate ordering from them again. So that might be my avenue for getting a few more d'anvers, maybe a couple bantam EEs, perhaps a few more silkies . . . ah, it's like being at the donut shop, might as well get a baker's dozen.

 

[EweSheep]

It is the D'Anver rooster trait to be aggressive toward anyone they feel threatening to their harem.

I had two D Anvers hens that came from Catalupa Farms and they are very beautiful birds and hubby's favorite! He even named her Jenny I and Jenny II LOL! They are very very sweet in nature...very typical of the pullets and hens.

Not too often they will be broody.