D'uccle Thread

[NateinFL]

Who is Ugly Duckly?

I just took a pair of milles up to the animal auction, waiting to see what they fetch. LOTS of chickens but no d'uccles, no surprise there.

Here's my all time FAVORITE hen, I call her Princess. Foot feathers are tattered as I free range her but I wish badly I would have taken her to the fair for sho last year as she was so much prettier than the ones they had. She is still laying every day and I have line bred her, the F2 generation is almost ready to mate with her. That would give me 7/8 offspring. Hope she lives long enough to make it to F4. But everywhere I've read if its done correctly, "winners will breed winners."

 

[jeremy]

She's beautiful.

 

[lilcrow]

Quote:
Oh Nate, she's gorgeous!!!!

Anymore like her at home?

 

[GypsyChic]

Quote:
That's just wonderful, Lori! BIG congrats

 

[I-Have-Happy-Hens]

Who is Ugly Duckly?

 

[NateinFL]

Quote:
Oh Nate, she's gorgeous!!!!

Anymore like her at home?

Thank You Nancy, I wish all my hens were as nice as her. Her daughters aren't quite as good but if what I've been told is true, eventually I can get a strain that resembles her pretty well. Within another year or two I hope.

I took a pair to the livestock auction today, there were lots and LOTS of chickens there mostly large fowl...got $18 for my pair, was hoping for $20. Auctioneer knows his breeds...."look here ya'll we got some mille fleurs". I dropped them off late (8 a.m.) so they sold towards the end...it was HOT and most poeople had started leaving by the time they were put on the table. ALMOST bought some call ducks but I don't have the setup for them right now so I was good and held off on them. They were so cool, that will be my next project, call duck habitat

 

[mstricer]

Quote:
Oh Nate, she's gorgeous!!!!

Anymore like her at home?

Thank You Nancy, I wish all my hens were as nice as her. Her daughters aren't quite as good but if what I've been told is true, eventually I can get a strain that resembles her pretty well. Within another year or two I hope.

I took a pair to the livestock auction today, there were lots and LOTS of chickens there mostly large fowl...got $18 for my pair, was hoping for $20. Auctioneer knows his breeds...."look here ya'll we got some mille fleurs". I dropped them off late (8 a.m.) so they sold towards the end...it was HOT and most poeople had started leaving by the time they were put on the table. ALMOST bought some call ducks but I don't have the setup for them right now so I was good and held off on them. They were so cool, that will be my next project, call duck habitat

We so think alike nate, I was trying to get some call ducks last year almost got ripped off, the ducklings never came, but I was persistent and after 9 months or so the guy finally sent me my money back. But I so want some call ducks. I think your little girl is gorgeous. How long have you been raising Duccles?

 

[NateinFL]

Quote:
I have had d'uccles for 2 years now, almost 3, with no new birds introduced. I started off with a mixed breed flock then decided I wanted to focus on one breed, and mille fleur d'uccle it was. Have not shown them yet but maybe this year I will at the Florida State Fair.

 

[Zonoma]

Quote:
Congratulations!

I wish I lived closer, too.

I'd love to give a good home to some of your birds. Although.... My parents live down that way. Maybe a trip home and a detour on the way back.

 

[mstricer]

Quote:
I know teddy got her stock from a hatchery. I have some of her chicks that are about 6 months old now. I'm new to this breed and am trying to figure out the traits that are desirable, I have one rooster from Garbard Farms. And one chick from him and pullet before she got ate by a coon. My others are from teddi.

In comparing my breeder stock, my stock from Ugly Duckly had very crisp markings in terms of the white tipped Mille fleur porcelain pattern, whereas the hatchery stock I kept had skinnier necks, and not as crisp or even color patterning. The hatchery stock did have good foot feathering, or at least I kept the ones with better feathering. The hatchery hens had fair beards in the porcelain but excellent beards in the Mille fleur pattern ( comparing Ugly Duckly stock to Ideal). The roosters I kept from Ugly Duckly had much better combs , with the right number of points, and nice tiny wattles. One did have a wattle that was bigger on one side than the other. I am really downsizing my number of porcelains now that I have quantity and are trying to focus on quality in a smaller group. I just sold two hens and gave some cockerels to a gentleman who is really enjoying how friendly they are.

Here are what your babies look like now. I only have 4 out of the seven that hatch. Dang COONS. They are alittle over 14 weeks now. 3 boys, 1 Mille. 1 girl.

its not the greatest of pics, but only two are photogenic, can you guess? I have more pics of them.
Michele