D'uccle Thread

[joanie_maine]

Yesterday I found my first d'Uccle pullet egg in the pen where my oldest pullets and a cockerel reside!

I'm so thrilled that they are beginning to produce

Today I will move them into a pen with nesting boxes in the hope that they will continue to lay!

I can hear the incubators calling my name!

And.....I agree with Teddi.....folks at the swaps will buy silkies but have no knowledge of Booted Bantans or d'Uccles. A few folks will buy my cochins, but they don't want to spend much for each bird

 

[wegotchickens]

It is definitely hard to sell them and make any money. Its why DH wants me to let them go and breed silkies & showgirls instead. But I just love d'Uccle personalities and am hopeful they will have a big comeback soon. I don't take them to swaps any more, and only sell them at shows. I have sold out on d'Uccles at shows when a friend selling standard laying hens hardly sold any at all! I usually sell enough birds at a good enough price to cover entry fees and hotel rates for each show.

Teddi, I know what you mean about holding onto pullets. I have about twice what I want to keep and am scared to sell them. Pullets can be so fragile, especially at POL.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

I have a pen with all the 'bachelors' in it (young cockerals that can get along) that I let out in the morning and lock up late afternoon. Yesterday I was cooking dinner and looked ou the window. The outside cat, who 'helps' me when I do evening chicken chores, decided to walk down to the coop. The boys saw her walking across the yard and must've thought she was following me. They came from all 4 corners of the yard to fall in line behind the cat! She noticed she was leading a parade and got a little freaked out, so she started running faster towards the coop. The boys thought this meant there was something good ahead, so they ran faster after the cat, flapping their wings in excitement. The wing flapping scared the cat, who raced to the coop at a dead run, chickens flying through the air in an effort to keep up.

I wasn't there, of course, and the whole parade came to a standstill. The cat cleaned her whiskers while the boys all looked bummed out and began to wander off. After washing her face, the cat decided to walk back to the house, and the parade dutifully lined up behind her again. When I walked out to do chores there were 10 cockerals and a cat waiting for me at the back door. So I led the next parade....

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:

~ Aspen

 

[elieugene6]

I just want to chime in here on the people not wanting to buy D'uccle's. I was one of them. I would have never bought one and I love my cochins and have a couple silkies. I was at TSC this spring trying to pick out cochins out of the bantam bin. I bought everything they had that day that had feathered feet. I didn't get one cochin but I did get 2 pairs of D'uccles. One of the boys ended up getting splayed leg but had the biggest will to live. I built him his own pen with a few small pullets that I have no use for and hes happy. Uses his one good leg and his wings to get around.

So the others are a trio. I thought of selling them but the girls are so super sweet and they are adorable. They are mille fluers and I despite my saying I will not keep another breed, I will be keeping them. I know they are crap quality but they are so beautiful. Besides that a trio of bantam d'uccles doesn't take up to much room. The girls are starting to pink up in the comb so I guess I should finish up my pen soon so that I can seperate them. What would you say is the proper amount of room for the trio. House size and pen size?

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

ELI - for a trio 3X4 - pen 5X6 if your not going to let them free range much

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

My favorite boys - Mille Fleur boy Solo and Mottled/Mille mix Romeo

My cute mottled mutts and my oldest Mille Roo Titan in the background

 

[NateinFL]

Quote:
Ahhh, they weren't worth selling, I guess the average person wouldn't be able to tell they were culls but they shouldn't be bred. One had one eye bigger than the other, another roo came out with this huge floppy comb...inbreeding gone wrong

. The people that took them called next day and were like, "what kind of breed were those again" I knew they wouldn't remember the long name. I didn't realize there was more money in breeding silkies but it doesn't matter I'm sticking with my mille fleur d'uccles. They're so unique and have done too much breeding in the short couple of years to change now. I hope 30 years from now to have the same line going strong

.

 

[lilcrow]

Quote:
X2

Thanks for that visual..........great start to my day..........

 

[wegotchickens]

Quote:

My pleasure! Welcome to my world.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Quote:

My pleasure! Welcome to my world.

your story reminds me of my life...lol. Except I have 4 cats, 3 of which will follow me around outside and hang in the chicken area...1 which the d'uccles and polish love to harass, shes a push over.

I think its entertaining when the cat's out there walking around and shes got 3 d'uccles and 2 polish that usually harass her, following the white tip on her tail, and then someone is brave enough to nab her tail...The cat takes off, the chickens take off, and they go around for about a minute till the cat remembers the chickens can't climb trees, and climbs up the buckeye tree and jumps on the roof of the house. Then I come out the back door and the chickens scatter like they haven't done anything. I'll have 30+ chickens converge on me for treats every time I come out the door as well.