D'uccle Thread

[acid_chipmunk]

Spook you can get the spiral bands from cutlersupply.com. We got our birds tested for NPIP and they put state issued metal bands on them. They put bigger ones on my feather leggeds so as to not impede the growth of the feathers.

 

[wegotchickens]

At the show the tester put leg bands on my birds, but I don't think he knew much about feather legged birds. They were too tight and crimped feathers. Every bird was favoring the banded leg and it really ticked me off. I had DH help me cut them off when we got home because I hated to see them hurting. It wasn't just being banded, I know how they act when they don't like a band on them. This was full limping and never setting the foot down when they were still!

I hope the NPIP guy gets hold of me before the Newnan show. I have my paper that they were tested but I may've screwed that up by cutting off the bands. Still, I couldn't leave it on them.

I put the spiral bands just below the hock feathers as far up the leg as I can below the 'knee'. I like the spiral ones because you can kind of stretch them out every so often. Last year I had 2 colors, to identify my offspring from that of bought eggs. The hard part was keeping everyone apart until they grew enough feathers to keep the bands on. That's why I'm glad the next hatch is GC's eggs, so that I can put small bands on the 4 in the brooder (who are the quietest chicks I've ever raised BTW). Also, I find the spiral leg bands at almost every show I've ever gone to, as well as a variety of other bands.


spook, I talked to a man about Mareks last summer. He doesn't expose them to turkeys or vaccinate. He just culls if Mareks shows up in a weaker bird. His opinion was that all our birds were exposed by the wild birds and by showing, so to vacinate reduced ultimate immunity. He felt every breeder should just take good care of their birds and cull any that showed signs of illness, but not vacinate. I can see the merit in that. We'll never 'wipe out' Mareks with vacines, since it's in the wild population. So building up the natural immunity does seem like a good idea to me.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
no no no, you're getting porcelains and that's it!!!!

Just kidding, you know I'll hook you up with what ever you want, got 21 colors breeding this year, so picking might just be your biggest problem.
Is there a color goal you have in mind, or just playing with them for enjoyment? Might could narrow it down a bit that way.
If just for fun, I'd go with the millies, they are beautiful to me, the ginger reds, dun quail, mottled, whites, all look really good too. Any you'll never go wrong with these bb red in them, some of the brightest colored bb's in any breed. Plan of getting new up dated pics on my d'anver thread as soon as we get soem decent not wet picture taking days.

Oh and I take personal offense to that south Georgia aint pretty comment!

At least we're close to the ocean....

come on and move this way though, would be nice having you within driving distance..

You're right though, those mountains sure are pretty aint they...

Uh, oh, didn't mean to insult south Georgia!

Just used to hills and/or mountains. I'm not an ocean girl at all, but the area in the triangle made up by Ft. Benning, Warner Robins and Moody AFB's would be good for us if we went south because we're retired Air Force.

Aubrey, if you have all porcelains when you go to fill my order, that's what I want. I've just had it happen that a breeder couldn't fill my order and asked if she could substitute and was thinking ahead. You do have the most awesome collection of colors, I agree!! I love the lavender cuckoos. It's funny-I dont like lav in large fowl usually, but I love it in the little guys. If I had to get a different color, just wanted it to be compatible with the porcelains because they'll be living together in case I decide to hatch from them. No special breeding project in mind at all.

 

[GypsyChic]

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Cynthia, this is JMPO, so please dont take it to heart, it's observation of MY personal program, and no one elses. I no longer breed porc x lav...I've found there is a "TYPE" of lethal gene between the 2, and the chicks always seem to hatch poorly, and those who do survive just dont have the "vigerous" will to live that many of the other varieties have. I'm not saying DONT DO IT, just my personal experience has not been the best outcome when crossing the 2 "Diluted" colors. Not to mention the chiks that have survived, lack in both beard and shoulder feathering. Then again JMO hun.
Funny how you can GROCERY SHOP for your birds and it's always MORE than what you buy for yourself...I'm guilty!

That's good to know. Misty, if Aubrey had to fill in with another color along with my porcelains, what would you choose?

Aubrey's got so many colors of Dan's its DISQUSTING

LOL, no offence intended Aubrey

I would either select millie (as he suggested) or a non dilute color to work with IF your still wanting to use Lavender. Ive just had a bad exp with the lav x porc, so anything else but those 2 would be a great addition I think. I've had Aubreys birds (several breeds of) and they are all very nice, quality and healthy birds. If you use a lav w/millie you will indeed get black chicks and yes, they will be lav splits. You can take them back to parents if you wish (which I have done) then use the Unckle x niece method to really keep your "type", but still be able to linebreed without hurting your program (bottle-necking lines). This way you always have something to take back to your original stock. JMO, but I think most will agree with this, even Aubrey

 

[Carolynspeeps]

GC...I sent you a PM!

 

[GypsyChic]

Quote:
I hate it when the judges put the bands on so tight also, pisses me off and you know the birds are uncomfortable. I like the spiral ones too, but for my program I use colored zips. Easy to put on, easy to replace and easy to get a hold of (any hardware store has them as does walmart).

Mareks, gosh...I had 1 bird I brought in 2 or 3 yrs ago and it turned out to be a merek victom. I am a firm believer in Natures Will, Natures Way. I cull also and have never had the problem show back up. Immunity in birds is really an interesting thing, but the 'strong shall survive' around here

 

[acid_chipmunk]

We must have been lucky with our bands. The private testers did our blood work and put the bands on and they looked at each leg before they decided what size to put on them.

 

[wegotchickens]

GC, what do think of my coop-swapping plans with the roosters? Is it close enough to spiral breeding that I won't bottle neck for a few years? I'd like to have 4 pens of millies but I don't have enough space. I'd have to give up other colors....
But I may have room in a few years, since we are on the lookout for a smallish farm.


Speaking of 'strong shall survive'...

The 4 project boys are living in a lean-to style of coop. They are out of the wind & have a tarp over the run, but that's about it. I told them, "Whoever lives gets to breed." The roost is a 2x4 so they can cover their toes and cuddle up. Every morning those boys are out scratching around and having a big old time out-crowing each other. They are just DANDY in spite of the single digit weather and the snow.

The birds that live in the coop? Every day they stay in there, huddled up, as long as they can stand to before they have to stretch their legs. When they finally go outside they are all ruffled up and look miserable about it. It cracks me up! I think I should throw them all in with the project boys and let them tough it out!!
But I won't do that.

It does prove to me that we can easily spoil and coddle out birds until we take their inherent hardiness away from them. And then when the power goes out we lose them. Mine are 'good' down to single digits, but not as good as the project boys are!

 

[GypsyChic]

Quote:
I PM'd you back hun

 

[acid_chipmunk]

Quote:
Mine are the same way, Lori. Our coops are not insulated and don't have heat and they come out every morning to scratch around. Also, they know if they don't come out, they don't get to eat or drink because their food and water in under the coops in the run.