D'uccle Thread

[WestKnollAmy]

I had thought about ordering a few Porcelains from a hatchery but figured they may not come as true Porcelains. I have heard all types of rumors of people not getting the colors they wanted. I guess it is the luck of the draw but I hate to spend that much on something other than a really pretty color.....to me.

 

[NewHopePoultry]

I'll check out Ideal

 

[happyhensny]

I just ordered Porcelain's from MMM. I'll let you know how they look at the end of the summer. My 8yr old DD liked them and I need to help a friend get some she wanted but she didn't want 25 birds. If the Porcelain's aren't good we'll sell them. (Probably keep them, DD names EVERYTHING!)

 

[teddiliza]

Yeehaw! 22 of 23 of my own flock's d'uccle eggs are fertile for SURE on day #5! Even my 'reject' eggs are growing!

 

[NateinFL]

Quote:
What are you going to do with all those babies lol.

 

[Celtic Hill]

So this sucks, I have decided that im not going to hatch any of my duccle eggs,

My rooster isn't nice enough i don't want any So so chicks. I might do a few tho, idk, im want to build a flock of Porc that are fairly genetically diverse (im using the hound Dog system). So this year is going to be spent aquring stock.

 

[wegotchickens]

I don't think I've ever heard of the hound dog system...

The second set of project eggs are hatching and I FINALLY got a lavender chick!

And enough time has gone by that I can finally set some lav x project eggs and see how they do

My black d'Uccle hen is now laying, so I'll set some of her eggs, too.

I found the blue pq babies a home (I think) and may be rehoming a pair of buff silkies as well. So, a little more space to grow out all these young 'uns. In addition, we built a new double brooder and are buying another one off NellaBean. If that's not enough space to grow out a crop of little d'Uccles then I'm in deep, serious trouble.

 

[Celtic Hill]

I don't think I've ever heard of the hound dog system...

Well basically its where you have a flock of hens and a bunch of males, anywhere from 2-100 and every week or two you change males, it helps create genetic diversity when trying to start up.

BUT

I have decided to not do duccles any more, I just have gotten frustrated with the breed. So im going to sell my two MFs and keep my two Porc hens and search around, high and low for a nice rooster to put with them. But no big plans ne more.​

 

[Carolynspeeps]

Good luck WGC!
I forgot to mention that there were quite a few D's at the show in Monroe, GA last weekend. I was pleasantly surprised. Some very nice birds. Next show is in Dalton, GA double bantam show. Should be fun. My little D babies are very cute. So different...the white one is lean and has a good beard but still lean on the foot feathers. The black one is twice the size of the white, chubby with amazing foot feathers and no beard! Still very cute living with the Serama babies.

 

[NateinFL]

Quote:
Well basically its where you have a flock of hens and a bunch of males, anywhere from 2-100 and every week or two you change males, it helps create genetic diversity when trying to start up.

BUT

I have decided to not do duccles any more, I just have gotten frustrated with the breed. So im going to sell my two MFs and keep my two Porc hens and search around, high and low for a nice rooster to put with them. But no big plans ne more.

Don't give up on them!! I saw you were just selling their eggs recently. They really are a hard breed to perfect, there's so many faults that can pop up, but that's the fun in breeding them, I think. They're challenging. Cull heavily. The more you have, the better your chances of getting better quality stock. Part of the problem is that there just is not much GOOD QUALITY stock out there. Hard to build up a bloodline, would take years and years. But once you get the perfect birds (hopefully I will see that day), it makes it all worthwhile. They are a classy breed, but they're also tough, not dainty like sebrights, for example. I am just totally hooked on mine, from the time they hatch out to when they are grown, they are just great birds.

Lori, glad you got your pet quality birds a new home.