D'uccle Thread

[WestKnollAmy]

Okay, folks, I need some help.

My d'Uccles that I hatched out have feathered up and are quite charming. I try so hard not to pick favorites due to personality but there are a few that are just sweethearts and I am wanting to keep the best of what I have in case I ever to let the hens hatch when they go broody. (Yeah right, like I won't keep my sweeties anyhow!)

So when fully feathered and they do not have the muffs showing these are ones you do not want to breed? Being that all else is equal, of course.

Some are smooth faced while others have the muffs (and probably beards but they stay a mess right now. Fruit season, you know.)

I have a friend wanting the extras because they are so cute and I don't know which to let go. But I can't keep almost 30!

 

[GypsyChic]

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The "whitish" chick with black wings "appears" to be a silver...The others look MF to me, and the blk chicks with wing color could possibly be Berchin OR Lemons. Where did they hatch from? Your birds or eggs you purchased? Just curious, pretty babies

Im sure someone else will comment on their colors as well and give you a better idea what you may have. Good luck...

 

[hd_darcy]

I hatched them from an e-bay seller who said that I would get mille fleur, black mottled, or porcelain.....hmmm....

Thanks for sharing you thoughts!

 

[joanie_maine]

I took my first crop of d'Uccles to a Farm Swap today

The Mille fleur pair was purchased immediately - the man who bought them knew what they were - although he knew them as "Millie" Fleurs.

The whites, porcelains and self blues did not sell, and no one knew what they were

Anyone else have this experience?

And how are we going to get the less common varieties recognized????

 

[NateinFL]

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Just curious, how much did the d'uccles go for up there?

 

[teddiliza]

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I too am having ahardtime, just when I think I've got it figured out, my 'star player' went nippy on me so is now in my 'likely to cull' cage. Then some little guys had really scanty muffs as chicks have blossomed over the last 2 weeks and are making it hard to sell. I did manage to sell a pair this weekend, the male only had 4 points to his comb but looked good in all other aspects, and the female had too much lavender color on her rump. That was super hard because they were such sweethearts! They were going to a family with a 5 year old, so I gave up my sweetest natured ones. As far as swaps, it is harder to sell the porcelains, but most everyone knows 'mille fleur'

 

[emptynester]

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You will want to keep and breed the ones with muffs

Here is a link to the standard http://www.belgianduccle.org/page8.html I have started breeding these guys myself and love, love, love them! Can't wait to put some in the shows this fall!

 

[spook]

Greetings my fellow D'uccle lovers, summer has proven to be an adventure with all the little projects I've had going with multiple birds, but I must say, I have allowed my D's to run with my adult standard breed and I must say these little firecrackers hold their own and then some.
I saw my millie duke it out with a standard Cochin. Now if someone said that to me...I'd have to believe it to see it, holy cow, the Std Chochin backed down. Feisty bunch of gals.

The "M" word has reared its ugly head and I have decided that with continued breeding, I want to make this line I have healthier. Reading up on Mareks its interesting to find its in our wild bird population and if you don't allow your birds to hit the ground, they will no have issues with it (I enjoy the breed enough so I want them healthy, not closed in). Coccidiosis has been tough on my D'uccles, how has everyone else been doing with it? I'm welcome to suggestions besides Sulmet & Corid, I've exhausted their usage.

I guess I don't have the breeding stock stamina yet, no other birds here have any health issues. Although I found a promising herb on BYC that has shown some improvement of the Mareks in our Millies, the cockerel that was brought back to me has made nice strides in his health.

Either way, I do love my millies and even though I may lose some of them and my heart breaks a little bit, I have chosen not to get the inoculations where it may bring something different to my flock.

So happy clucking summer and your birds all look beautiful...I'm drooling over these colors!!! Be well and take care!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Hi Spook!
Fascinating to find that Mareks is in the wild bird population. I preach wild bird disease transfer all the time but not many seem to be listening.
Not that I keep mine from wild birds because with about 700 birds here that is near to impossible. With the chain link fencing on some pens and other dog kennel fencing on other pens the wild birds go in and steal grain from the hoppers. Covered pens are still pooped in or sat on and sneezed or coughed or spit into. And I have a lot of egg layers that free range along with a lot of extra roos that will eventually go in the freezer. It happens.

My d'Uccles are still in cages inside other pens but one pen has a birds nest that has been used for years and years, home to the European House Sparrows. I love them, too and never discourage them from nesting there.

I haven't experienced Mareks yet and hope I never do. However, can you share the herb you are using for it and the dosage? Or tell me where to find the info here on BYC. I have tried many herbs that I use for mammals on the poultry without much success. Maybe my dosages are off.

So far all my little d'Uccle kids are doing well except for a few runty girls. Figures no boys have problems growing. There are about 4 girls that are way smaller and less active than the others. I am not sure how well they will thrive but they will stay here until they improve with vigor or pass away.
I haven't had trouble with coccidiosis in them as I use Sulmet when I see bloody stools. But the d'Uccles have not ever experienced that. They haven't even had many mites on them when the others that are in other brooders around them have been getting them bad this spring.
Also I dig up grass and dirt clods and give them that from about a week old and up. I think it is good for the digestive system and eventually they will be out in pens on the ground so they better get tough from the start.

I do not vaccinate and never plan to but use measures to try and keep my birds happy and healthy.

Good luck with your d'Uccles!

 

[fish n cheeps]

Hi everyone, I just rescued a little mille fleur roo yesterday. Horrible lice, nasty scaly leg mites, and half his poor feathers ripped out by something. First course of action is to get him healthy, then I will find him some little friends. Is my best bet to get hatching eggs, day old chicks, or adults? I like the idea of getting a couple of adult hens. These are very rare in my area. I'll keep checking on CL and local classifieds, but if anyone can suggest someone who might ship me a couple of adults I think he (and I) will be really happy. Thanks for any suggestions.