D'Uccles...Tell Me Something...

[ember]

DIVA is the word for my mille fleur hen too!...... but in a gentle .. incredibly sweet kind of way. She just doesn't think she's a chicken particularly.

Hand raised her and a mille fleur rooster (that's a different story) when they came to us as chicks late one fall. Soooo they actually lived in my office in a huge parrot cage.

Used to believe that accounted for her standoffish personality with the other chickens in the coop... but after reading all these wonderful posts.. am starting to doubt that has anything to do with it.

Of ALL the banties... she's simply a darling. NOw for all you experts out there... she's laid - as far as we can tell...exactly TWO eggs.. in FOUR years.,, both which she hatched, one of whom is JUST as much a diva. She laid NONE for the first year of that I am sure. Any idea why???

When they eventually went out and joined the flock...took her years before she would even come OUT in the barnyard. If you went in the coop, she'd reluctantly follow you out for a walk, (which of course we did).. but on her own.. she and the "kid".. never. Neither will have anything to do with the roosters... and I mean that... incredibly cagey about avoiding any suitor.

Her mate, as others have mentioned was a little terror... and I do wear shorts... so the better part of the summers were spent avoiding him. He suddenly disappeared this summer...could have been a hawk... and much as I hate to admit it.. I miss him terribly!

WONDERFUL breed... would love more in the spring.. just never seem to find the time to order them.

As a pet, the females are very very close to the kinship of a parrot.. only nicer!! (my apologies to parrot lovers!)

GREAT to see so many d'uccle lovers here and really appreciated the stories!

 

[speckledhen]

Stopped in to the feedstore to say hi to the owner and she had LOTS of Mille Fleur D'Uccles, both teenagers and chicks about two weeks old-old enough to tell the sexes already. The older ones were $25 each and the chicks were $6 each. Maybe hubby will get to work on the bantam coop soon.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:

Obviously I'm not charging enough for my Millies........

DID YOU GET SOME?!?!

 

[speckledhen]

LOL, nope, I didn't get any. No place to put them yet. My brooder isn't even ready and cleaned out. I may get some in the spring, though. I know they've had Porcelains because my DH and I saved a cockerel from being pecked to death last spring. Poor boy was sticking his bloody head through the bars, asking for help!
She said she took some home to grow them out and that was what the older ones were, so I wouldn't want them. Not sure how healthy her setup is at home. I'd rather have the ones straight from the hatchery, or better yet, some from eggs I've hatched here. They were very friendly, though! I did point out to her a Sebright in with the Milles. That upright tail sure stands out.

 

[speckledhen]

Another question: when do they usually begin laying? I mean, are they a late maturing bird or do they lay 18-22 weeks like most do?

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

All of mine are a little over 22 weeks and not a single pullet has laid a darn thing, including the mille fleur d'uccle. Don't know if mine are just weird, but the Buff orps, welsummers and wyandottes aren't laying either. I'll let you know if the mille fleur decides to pop anything out anytime soon.

My birds hate me... un

 

[speckledhen]

LOL, I'm sure they dont hate you. I have 18 point of lay pullets who are going on 23 weeks old, except one who is older. Only three or four have begun laying. My dang EE pullet is almost 28 weeks old and no eggs from her!

 

[wegotchickens]

I raised my millies from eggs that came from Peeps7. They are fairly tame and sweet. The little roo, TN, is the friendliest. His only enemies are the Welsummer pullets... When he crows, it sounds like child's toy. Very clear and strong but small at the same time. He had a much better crow than the Welsummer cockeral, and it sounded like a training tape when he would go first with his little voice, and then Rusty would go next and screw it up

I am in

with these little bitties! They have such unique voices. They mutter quite a bit when something isn't to their satisfaction. And they are sooo pretty. And to watch them lollop accross the yard with that funny duck walk is SUCH a hoot!! Like a drunken sailor on shore leave! These guys never fail to make me smile.

Mine haven't started laying yet, but Georgie tried to mother her siblings who were born 4 weeks after her. She was very nurturing. I'm hoping that bodes well for future millies!

 

[Mrs MIA]

The light peach colored egg second from the right is a millie egg. The white one next to it is a store-bought large egg.

Mine started laying a little later, kind of like silkies. But I wonder if chicks born later in the season start a little slower because of the weather/temps/light?

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks for the review, Lori. Tori, nice picture! A picture is certainly worth a thousand words. Now, to work on my DH. At least he got to see those sweet birds at the feedstore yesterday.