D'uccle Thread

[speckledhen]

We have had two gorgeous spring-like days, after cold mornings in the 20's. I was in shorts and t-shirt working on some fencing, wrapping the old ladies' pen with turkey wire and chicken wire, just so the D'Uccles can't get out of the fence when they move over with Nugget in a few weeks. I think at even at 7 weeks, they'd still fit through the 2x4 welded wire and the chainlink openings.
Took some pics of Nugget out and about with her babies. The D'Uccles are still quite skittish, but Beau will eat out of my hand and so will Lizzie. JoBeth, the lighter colored one, still hangs back.

Question: How much/well do they fly? These seem to fly all over the place, but get distance rather than height. The pen they'll be living in is 6' in spots, maybe a little less on one side, and maybe slightly higher than 6' on the other side. There are lines crisscrossed with CD's hanging from the lines to deter a hawk dive, but not sure if the D'Uccles will fly up and through the openings between the mason's line. My banty Cochin never has.

 

[spook]

Gypsy, stop with the swear word... snow

(ha ha although not to sure if its all ha ha) I will keep you all in mind when it comes egg time. Unfortunately these girls are real earth movers and its hard to locate eggs. The eggs were in one corner and now they pitted the other corner. Oh well, minor details, they certainly are in love with Mr. Humfrey from RI. Glad of that!

Now I do have one girl with a toenail malfunction(?) it grows up. Now is that a DQ in showing? Of course asking THAT question is like counting a chick before it hatches.

Hope you guys keep warm and comfy during this next cold snap, and storms. Instead of a "rain dance" we all need to do a "anti-snow dance" or at least a "green grass" dance. Next we know our birds will be unbearably hot (remind me to be quiet) Thanks for the positive feed back on my most happy moment!

Cyn, they are so sweet ! Good momma Orpington! Lucky you! TY for sharing!

 

[wegotchickens]

Well, I'm happy and sad.

I'm happy because I have 4 new d'Uccle chicks. I am sad because none are lavender. I am happy because I thought #4 wouldn't make it, but so far she's doing okay and her little foot even straightened itself out. I'm sad because 4 out of 12 for shipped eggs is not the stats I wanted to achieve.

Happy happy, sad sad. That's me.

The first to hatch looked very much millie. The 2nd to hatch was Miss Fragile, who is all pale gold. Not the yellow or white I associate with goldnecks, but golden. The other 2 have pale heads and dark golden bodies. They look very similar to GC's pics of her silver mille babe, but more gold than blue.

I'll take some pictures this afternoon. I hadn't yet because Ms Fragile really didn't seem like she was going to stick around. But after 48 hours of everyone being passed out in a heap, they are all running around and she's trying to keep up. Even DH is suprised about that. He though 'the midget chick' was not a d'Uccle when he first looked at them. And he was certain she would die. I hope I haven't jinxed her by posting about her...............


I am sorry that so many of you are getting slammed by bad weather. We're not anticipating snow, but are supposed to have some truly wicked storms throughout the night. I am praying that no one with eggs in bators or chicks in brooders loses their power. Including me!

 

[wegotchickens]

Quote:
My understanding is that it is not a DQ. It's a flaw, but minor if the bird is otherwise perfect.

 

[Carolynspeeps]

Lori, I am sorry to hear your hatch did not go well. Will keep my fingers crossed for Miss Fragile and the others. Can't wait to see pics as I have no idea what color chicks produce what. I will need help if/when mine hatch.

GC, unfortunately, I am down to only 6 developing eggs. They go into lockdown on Sat.

Will keep you all posted.

 

[acid_chipmunk]

Oh Misty!!! Six of the eggs are going into lockdown tomorrow with a hatch date of Saturday!

 

[wegotchickens]

Quote:
It's really not that bad. 33% is actually pretty standard for me with d'Uccle eggs that shipped from more than 1 state away. I just had my heart set on getting a lavender baby. Silly me.

BTW, let me point out that 11 of 12 started, 9 made it to 10 days. So fertility on GC's eggs are really good. She packed them well, too. d'Uccle eggs are just fragile when shipped.

Now it's up to you to hatch a lavender rooster for me

I think the first chick is a girl, and one of the 2-tones is a girl. I'm betting Ms Fragile is a boy, since the littlest of any hatch I've ever had was always a boy (but wil call it Missy with the power of positive thinking!). And one of the 2-tones is a screaming ninny, so I'm thinking that's a boy, too. That would be about right, having 50% boys.

So you and AC have the same hatch date. I will send positive vibes for you both!!!!!



Oh! I got a millie egg, a silkie egg, and 2 project eggs today. AWill throw them all in the bator although I don't think fertility is real good yet. The projects birds are too young and the millie girls are bucking off the roosters. Guess they aren't 'in the mood' right now

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

Hey DownSouth, we got bad weather moving in too. Really bad winds. Supposedly it is going to be the worse just before light. Joy! Joy! And I finally got Dh to put up the new pen today, he is just about finished, so we have some chickies in there, well Teenagers mostly. But geez, the winds they are talking about may strip the freakin' fur off them.

Why..did...I ..ever...move...from...Florida.? I could of stayed there for Hurricane Force Winds.

 

[wegotchickens]

JustAChickenLittle&More :

Hey DownSouth, we got bad weather moving in too. Really bad winds. Supposedly it is going to be the worse just before light. Joy! Joy! And I finally got Dh to put up the new pen today, he is just about finished, so we have some chickies in there, well Teenagers mostly. But geez, the winds they are talking about may strip the freakin' fur off them.

Why..did...I ..ever...move...from...Florida.? I could of stayed there for Hurricane Force Winds.

DH thinks the worst of it is gone... And it wasn't that bad. Hope he's right!

Baby pics!!!

GC, I think the 2-tone chicks look a lot like the one you thought might be a silver mille....

Another view:

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
DH thinks the worst of it is gone... And it wasn't that bad. Hope he's right!

Baby pics!!!

GC, I think the 2-tone chicks look a lot like the one you thought might be a silver mille....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/2952_100_8434.jpg

I love the tiny D'uccle chick!