D'uccle Thread

[Doug the Chicken Man]

We got Two more Eggs from Citrons coop yesterday so we through them in the bator as well.
My DD has decided to do a chicken genetics project for thier science fair.
She has chosen to show that in order to get a visual Lavendar D'Uccle you must have two copies of the lavender gene.
She has taken a Lavendar Roo, Lavender hen, a Mille fluer hen and a Blue Mille Fluer Hen as the basis.
Byhatching out the eggs she will show that to get lavender you must have two copies of lavender to visually show lavender.

We will see how she does as she is just learning about Genetics from sites like this.
She is 13 and the teacher was suprised at the subject she selected.

We will see how she does.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

OMG, so they are escape artists?

I will have to be careful to count them when they are older and allowed out and about. I have many open top pens for my bantams that do not fly, like Silkies, Sizzles and Frizzles. I had planned to allow these little d'Uccles to have a pen outside but covered so owls would not get them.
During the day the LGD is ever watchful and we do not have many trees but at night the owls are so silent the dog might not ever know they are out there. I had thought the little birds would like to roost in the Silkie shed up on the rafters. It is clean and comfy. But I have no idea how to keep them in a pen unless it is covered.
I have months to figure this out, I suppose.

The more you all share, the more I get to learn.

 

[wegotchickens]

I let mine out to play, and they are happy to go back home in the evening. I don't worry too much about them as they are usually under foot, but a couple played too far in the woods yesterday. It's the longest they've been out all winter, though, and it was one of the newer d'Uccles that led them on the hike.

I couldn't finish my double cheeseburger for lunch and had a lot of volunteers for making it disappear! The hikers missed out, but the birds in the yard really chowed down. I wasn't breaking bits of fast enough for one girl, so she flew up onto my arm to help herself. She's very spoiled, and won't eat bits off the ground, only out of my hand.

I let the 3 month olds range most of the day, too. They are little sweeties and always make me watch my step.
The more aggressive of the 5-week olds also spent a good bit of the day free from the outdoor 'playpen'. They were all cockerels, so I let the 'survival of the fittest' rule apply. They were all still alive when everyone was getting put away, and were amazingly docile by then as well

Tennessee is a good roo, and made his hawk alarm a couple of times. Everyone listened. One time the hawk had to shift focus and try to get a robin in the neighbor's yard. The hawk went hungry though, and moved on. It was a neat thing to watch, though!! It was the smaller hawk that the red-tails hate, and that would really love to eat some d'Uccle. So far we're thwarted it.

Everyone is locked back up in their runs and brooders now, and won't get any free time until Friday. They hate that!


I have 21 more d'Uccle eggs in the incubator, half project eggs and 1/2 millie eggs. After this I will only hatch milles and not project eggs through the rest of April and into May. I have a dozen lavender chicks now, as well as some isabel (?) and mottled lavenders. I have a LOT of black d'Uccles and a few millies. There is a lot of interest in the chicks that I'm taking to the Cocke County show in May so I'd like to have a some of each color to sell.

 

[tank21107]

just read all 263 pages and loved all the pics just got some millies and a red one im not sure what she is will get pics later

 

[Carolynspeeps]

WGC...I have 8 developing eggs from GC! Whish me luck. Hatch is due Monday!

 

[speckledhen]

Good luck, Caroline! My D'Anvers, along with 52 other eggs, are going into Day 20 tonight at 6 p.m. You think they'll hatch early or make me wait?

 

[wegotchickens]

Quote:
Woo hoo!!!
Next Monday, right? Wishing you the best of luck!!


I'm thinking my 2 boys from GC are silver columbian with a little gold leakage. Very pretty, and AWESOME personalities! They have good chickens and beards, too. Now I have to do some research on who to pair them with. Recessive whites to clear the gold? Or the lavender mottled from my f2 project babies....

 

[wegotchickens]

Quote:
My own d'Uccle eggs hatch consistently on Day 20, but shipped eggs may take the full 21.

 

[GypsyChic]

Quote:
Awesome CP! Wonderful News. Hang in there and dont forget to send BABY PICS! My entire body is

they all make it to D-day!

I've had some VERY interesting surprises with these f2 birds...looking better all the time!

 

[Carolynspeeps]

Thanks! I am very hopeful...those little buggers are moving all around in there. WGC mentioned day 20 hatch, should I be watching for this?

as if I am not staring in there every hour!