D'uccle Thread

[dsfrango]

I really like mooshoo and belladonna quality wise. Very nice hens. The black and blue mottleds are uncommon. I wouldn't say rare but not as common as Milles and porcelains. I've never shown my blue mottleds like the hen in my profile pic. They aren't an identified color so I don't believe they could win BB for D'uccles but could get BV or AOV-all other variety.

 

[misfitmorgan]

How rare are the mottled duccles

Are the blue mottled duccles rare

All D'uccles are mottled except the colors self-blue and black(solid black, green sheen).....whites might be mottled but not visable so not sure on them.

Mottled D'Uccles:
Mille Fleur
Mottled/Splash Blue
Mottled/Splash Black
Porcelain
Golden Neck
Mottled/Splash Golden Neck

EDIT:
Other not mottled are Brown Red and Buff Columbian

 

[scflock]

All D'uccles are mottled except the colors self-blue and black(solid black, green sheen).....whites might be mottled but not visable so not sure on them.

Mottled D'Uccles:
Mille Fleur
Mottled/Splash Blue
Mottled/Splash Black
Porcelain
Golden Neck
Mottled/Splash Golden Neck

EDIT:
Other not mottled are Brown Red and Buff Columbian

Thanks for the link. Here's my little family:

 

[scflock]

I got lucky and got my initial pair in trade for silkies. After looking at the other pics in this thread, I want honest opinions. You won't hurt my feelings. I think my hens look great, but the rooster's coloring is possibly off? The main rooster is in the first pick. The one under him is his sire at about 4 months. My lemon hen hatched 2 black and 1 lemon hen. I have a few questions. What color should I breed for? I'm not going for show quality. I love my birds, and have no intention of gettting rid of them, but as they get older I want to improve the flock. Can I breed the rooster to his offspring, or is it better to bring new blood? I have searched this, and found different answers. Yes, no, fertility suffers, production decreases, some inbreed to improve the flock, some say breed to second generation, but not first. Ideas?

 

[dsfrango]

I got lucky and got my initial pair in trade for silkies. After looking at the other pics in this thread, I want honest opinions. You won't hurt my feelings. I think my hens look great, but the rooster's coloring is possibly off? The main rooster is in the first pick. The one under him is his sire at about 4 months. My lemon hen hatched 2 black and 1 lemon hen. I have a few questions. What color should I breed for? I'm not going for show quality. I love my birds, and have no intention of gettting rid of them, but as they get older I want to improve the flock. Can I breed the rooster to his offspring, or is it better to bring new blood? I have searched this, and found different answers. Yes, no, fertility suffers, production decreases, some inbreed to improve the flock, some say breed to second generation, but not first. Ideas?

I'm just a little confused but don't take this the wrong way.... help me understand. You stated they are for pets, not for show. Stating that and then asking about the quality and how to improve contradict each other. What other way is there to improve?

 

[misfitmorgan]

I'm just a little confused but don't take this the wrong way.... help me understand. You stated they are for pets, not for show. Stating that and then asking about the quality and how to improve contradict each other. What other way is there to improve?

Some people like SOP or SQ pets. Or atleast to know what way they should go with their breeding so they dont unknowingly damage the breed.

 

[scflock]

I'm just a little confused but don't take this the wrong way.... help me understand. You stated they are for pets, not for show. Stating that and then asking about the quality and how to improve contradict each other. What other way is there to improve?

No offense taken. The first two are pets, and I will keep the original pair and their offspring. I will also sell extra chickens, and although local people may not be picky about breed conformity, I would like the personal satisfaction of knowing that I am breeding true to type. In the last few years I have started a few flocks of more exotic breeds, and although I do this just for fun, I am a narcissist and want to know that my chickens are good. So to clarify my original question, if my original rooster's coloring is off, should I purchase a more correct rooster and start a separate pen crossing the flocks? And honestly, I don't know what the proper colorings are. I think my rooster is beautiful, but he has much more black than other Mille Fleur roosters I have seen on here. Is that a mix of different colors, or is he a correct color? You won't hurt my feelings, I'm ignorant about this and looking for suggestions. Can I breed him to his offspring, and if so, are any hens more desireable than the others? My first hatch had 3 hens, 2 black mottled and 1 lemon mottled. I know that this means that he or the hen are carrying different genes. I am extremely happy with the look of all of them, but I am asking the people that know if mine are already good or if there are steps I can take to improve them

 

[Metella]

I also do not and do not want to show --- but when I had two roos to choose from - I picked the one closest to SOP just to my millie's millies you know ?

Now - if I had something I wanted that was different than SOP - I would go for it with both feet - but I don't - and therefore when having a choice to make - I make toward the SOP - but do not cull or do anything with an eye to the show ring.

does that make sense ?

 

[mymilliefleur]

I also do not and do not want to show --- but when I had two roos to choose from - I picked the one closest to SOP just to my millie's millies you know ?

Now - if I had something I wanted that was different than SOP - I would go for it with both feet - but I don't - and therefore when having a choice to make - I make toward the SOP - but do not cull or do anything with an eye to the show ring.

does that make sense ?

Yes. I am the exact same way.

 

[dsfrango]

No offense taken. The first two are pets, and I will keep the original pair and their offspring. I will also sell extra chickens, and although local people may not be picky about breed conformity, I would like the personal satisfaction of knowing that I am breeding true to type. In the last few years I have started a few flocks of more exotic breeds, and although I do this just for fun, I am a narcissist and want to know that my chickens are good. So to clarify my original question, if my original rooster's coloring is off, should I purchase a more correct rooster and start a separate pen crossing the flocks? And honestly, I don't know what the proper colorings are. I think my rooster is beautiful, but he has much more black than other Mille Fleur roosters I have seen on here. Is that a mix of different colors, or is he a correct color? You won't hurt my feelings, I'm ignorant about this and looking for suggestions. Can I breed him to his offspring, and if so, are any hens more desireable than the others? My first hatch had 3 hens, 2 black mottled and 1 lemon mottled. I know that this means that he or the hen are carrying different genes. I am extremely happy with the look of all of them, but I am asking the people that know if mine are already good or if there are steps I can take to improve them

Ok, makes a little more sense, so you mainly want proper D'uccle type. When I started with D'uccles they were just pets and I bred them for an assortment of colors which was great. But I got hit with the show bug and don't do that anymore, at least for now due to space. The rooster has good form and awesome even foot feathering but too much wattles. You can breed the father to offspring but usually people only do that if they have a limited few birds or are understandably paranoid about introducing new lines due to possible hidden genes etc.