D'uccle Thread

[Brie6895]

Right now she is on purina layena like my other girls. What should I add to give her more protein? Right now in the dog crate I have her on pine shavings but my pen is sand and so is my coop. I'm not fimiliar with a cross beak. Last night I tried to file her beak, it was a bit uncomfortable for me and her and I am worried I will hurt her. I got it a little shorter but it is still very long. Any tips on how I should hold Her?

Let me see if she will sit for a picture

 

[Brie6895]

 

[K Epp]

I saw lots of improvement in my girl today when I checked her. Her buddy who is keeping her company is looking good too. He is the one who looked rough after the flood right before Thanksgiving. Both of there combs are getting good color and he started crowing When I was getting everyone's feed gathered up. Hopefully all my birds and animals will make it okay the next few days. We are expecting temps down to -30* with the wind chill. I think that will be some type of record for here in Georgia. I have all the coops wrapped in plastic to keep the wind out and hay on the ground for them to walk on in the coop and barn.

 

[mstricer]

It almost looks like a defect. You can also use cat nail trimmer or nail clippers. I don't think it hurts them, sorta like trimming dog nails, it needs to be done, but they don't like it. Did you get her from a breeder? She is young but big. She's probably too young for layer feed. Her vulture hocks don't look that long, but it may be the way you are holding her.
Here is what my show hen looks like, she is a little over a year old and her spangles are just starting to take shape, she had her first molt end of Oct and was nearly complete at a show in November where she didn't place due to her tail not fully in, she beat the d'uccle that took the whole show that day, I new she was a looker but didn't notice her tail. I now wonder if she would have won that show, it was under the same judge

 

[cheeka]

Quote:
DUccles shouldn't have high protein, it cause them to grow too big. This is the problem with the breed right now. All commercial feed is too high in protein. Hens should only weigh 22 oz and roosters 26 oz. I found out the hard way when getting my birds ready for show. I had a hen that weighed 2 lbs 11 oz and could show her. The breakage of foot feathers are caused from the bedding in coops and what they are walking in outside, whether they are on grass or dirt. All my runs have sand in them and they get hay in the winter to eat and I throw grass in the summer. As for her beak you can use a file to trim it

interesting. protein is so soluble and is used and expelled, surprised to learn that it can make them oversized. good to know.

 

[mstricer]

Quote:

DUccles shouldn't have high protein, it cause them to grow too big. This is the problem with the breed right now. All commercial feed is too high in protein. Hens should only weigh 22 oz and roosters 26 oz. I found out the hard way when getting my birds ready for show. I had a hen that weighed 2 lbs 11 oz and could show her. The breakage of foot feathers are caused from the bedding in coops and what they are walking in outside, whether they are on grass or dirt. All my runs have sand in them and they get hay in the winter to eat and I throw grass in the summer. As for her beak you can use a file to trim it

interesting. protein is so soluble and is used and expelled, surprised to learn that it can make them oversized. good to know.

I had the flock out for some free range... and I lost track of Max for a few minutes... so glad I found him! he's right beside the pen, but he's a camouflage expert, except for his comb...

We were discussing it at our d'Uccle club meeting at the Dixie Classic. Some have been using fine screened corn for the first 6 to 8 weeks to keep a small frame, then switch to hay or grass and scratch grains, and vitamins in the water, I am giving it a go this time around with my newly hatched Mille's to see how it goes.
Like to see them fly up in the trees, mine are in breeding coops most of the year and only get out in the spring due to showing. I do let the younger ones free range though

 

[K Epp]

I decided to let my bantam (d'Uccle and Silkie) free range on the better weather days. It is amazing at how much better they look after getting out and about. After the flood two of the three roos combs didn't look to good kinda saggy and lighter in color. I noticed to day that they all have healthier looking combs. The boys combs are standing back up and they and the hens have good color. Hopefully that means they are going to start laying soon. I haven't been brave and let them out the same time my LF flock is out, but I don't think it hurts them to rotate days. If I rehome all the LF cockerels I don't think My EE roos will bother them. They aren't bad on the cockerels unless they mess with one of their hens.


What size breeding cage do you keep pairs in? Trios? I have 3 roos and 6 hens. I have plans to build new coops as soon as the weather is agreeable on the weekend.

 

[mstricer]

Right now I have my show birds in cages of 2, I have a pair of Mille's, Blue Mottled and Black Mottled.
That is only because I just showed the last month and didn't want to put them back in the breeding coops with the other girls until their 30 days were up, and now we are having a cold snap and they've been in a heated garage so I feel bad throwing them in the cold. My breeding coops consist of a coop 4 X 6, With 4 girls and a boy Mille's, another 4X6 with Mottled depending on what I'm breeding which will be 2 Blue Mottled girls 2 Black Mottled girls and a Blue Mottled Boy, I have another 8 x 2 1/2 split in two smaller coops with all extras all have covered runs and sand in them. You are so right if they get grass they do look better. I'm going to start some fonder for my show kids as I don't want to mess up their foot feathers and they still can get grass

 

[Brie6895]

There is a little black line down the center of her beak is this the quick? I don't want to hurt her. The picture I thought made her look bigger than she was. I know I got her 5 months ago and she was this size.

This was her about 3 months ago

And this is a better angle of her now

 

[K Epp]

Right now I have my show birds in cages of 2, I have a pair of Mille's, Blue Mottled and Black Mottled.
That is only because I just showed the last month and didn't want to put them back in the breeding coops with the other girls until their 30 days were up, and now we are having a cold snap and they've been in a heated garage so I feel bad throwing them in the cold. My breeding coops consist of a coop 4 X 6, With 4 girls and a boy Mille's, another 4X6 with Mottled depending on what I'm breeding which will be 2 Blue Mottled girls 2 Black Mottled girls and a Blue Mottled Boy, I have another 8 x 2 1/2 split in two smaller coops with all extras all have covered runs and sand in them. You are so right if they get grass they do look better. I'm going to start some fonder for my show kids as I don't want to mess up their foot feathers and they still can get grass

Please let me know when you start getting eggs from your Mottled.

Right now I have all my bantam 10 d'Uccle (9 porcelain 1 Milli) , 7 Silkie and 2 LF polish pullets, LF EE pullet, GL Seabright Pullet, and a Sultan in a 6x12 open coop. it is wrapped in plastic for the bad weather. I know that's to many in the coop and have the stuff to build two more so I can separate the Silkie and d'Uccle. I have a Polish roo who is in the barn with the LF flock they will be getting their own coop as well. They are getting along fine. The dominate roo is Napoleon and he keeps the other roos in check.

What will a PorcelainxMillie cross look like?