d'uccles- which rooster to keep for breeding

[lilcrow]

Oops, right it was Meg's post originally

Sorry Nathan again not paying attention. That was my fault. I made a quantum leap from a PM to the post. What can I say I'm 61, early onset Alzheimer's? I shouldn't joke about that, it's not funny, but seriously my memory isn't as good as it once was, so forgive my occasional confusion. They are Meg's birds and my post above has NOTHING to do with Nathan. So everybody completely disregard the post as if I was writing it to him. I'm really sorry Nathan.

 

[NateinFL]

Dont worry, Im 27 and I make mistakes like that, like walking into a room and wondering what I was about to do. That's bad! Have a Merry Christmas LilCrow!

 

[Megs]

Quote:
the one in the background in the first photo is a pullet, the cockeral is the one in the front of that photo.

lilcrow- i would love to see photos of your birds

i had thought about scrapping both my boys for a nicer one but the truth is i cant FIND a nicer one in my area, i bought these birds from a local breeder (who has tons of chickens, shows a lot etc), and there probably arent many different bloodlines in my area (eg i bought eggs from a "different source" who it turned out origionally bought her birds from the same breeder!)

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

the one in the background in the first photo is a pullet, the cockeral is the one in the front of that photo.

OH?? Sure looked like it had long hackle and convert/saddle feathers to me? May have just been the way I was looking at it??


Try eggbid and get some shipped in if you raelly want some nice ones. It's hard to find anything nice locally around here too. I have to get everything from out of state here.

 

[lilcrow]

Hey, I'm not saying your birds are totally without good qualities. I've seen some birds that people brag about and think that they are great and I think they're terrible. I keep looking at them and thinking, "Am I missing something here?" And there are people that think they are gorgeous also! So go figure!

I guess there's no accounting for taste, so I personally don't think your birds are terrible, but I would agree with boggy bottom, if you really want the BEST you may have to have them shipped in. If you don't mind me asking, where are you located? There is a gal on the west coast that has gorgeous birds and there are some in the east. I have to tell you, I'm no expert and it seems to me there are as many different opinions about what a good d’Uccle is supposed to look like as stars in the sky, but I’ve been told if you look at the picture in the Standard of Perfection and breed toward that picture you’re headed in the right direction. That’s why I’m saying your birds have redeeming qualities. I like the coloring of your roo. I’ve seen so many with such sloppy, poorly defined color on their wings, hackles, etc. and unfortunately many of them are minus the tipping on their tails. I don’t know if people don’t care about that or what? I personally think it’s a big deal, but that’s just me.
I got my roo and a hen (then just babies) from Jamie Matts, a judge in New York. I have never seen his name associated with d’Uccles as an exhibitor, but it was clear to me when I saw his birds on his web site that he knew quality. I fell in love with their over all look and when I purchased my birchen and columbian cochins from him I got this pair. I was immediately impressed the second they came out of the shipping box.
I’m not very good at photobucket, but I’ll try to display what is up there and see if I can show some more that I have taken but aren’t up there yet. I almost hate to show them, as much as I’ve been running my mouth, he can never live up to the expectations now.

Plus, my photo skills don’t do him justice. He really is a beautiful little guy and only gets better as he gets older.
When it comes to getting your breeding stock, there is nothing better then spending hours and hours searching the Internet, following countless names and leads and hopeless possibilities. I search and search and search. If I see a bird I like, I find out who bred it and then go searching, and they don't always have to be a name either. I found my bantam Partridge Cochins at the National in Columbus on the bottom row of cages, in the dark. I went and got an exhibitors list, and even though I didn't find him at the show, I looked him up on the Internet (White Pages) and called him. He is delightful! and I'll have my trio in the spring!!!!!Yippee These are Partridge Cochins that are perfect little balls. Very hard to find.
Gads, I'm going to shut up! I've gone on way too much. Sorry

I did manage to figure out the pictures I think/hope. We'll see.
Oh, and he's also molting, so he looks kind of ratty on his back right there at the base of his tail.

I caught him sleeping here. None of these are going to be really great pictures. Sorry

I've also noticed recently that he's got a dead tip on his comb. I don't know if there is anything that can be done to lessen the severity of the look of that or not?

Again, not a really good picture. I don't think you can see his tail tips very well, or for that matter his wing color.

And this one would have been the best if I could have held still. Dang it!

He's about 7 or 8 mo old in these pictures.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Nice color and posture, beard/muff still looks a little light, but could be from the molt too.

If anyone wants some truley nice ones go to the d'uccle and booted bantam club
http://www.belgianduccle.org/

Go to the members list or officers listing and contact Brian Massingale or Ron Tallent.
They pretty much run the club and put on the show here in Newnan GA. I know Brian personally, have several of his birds, and have talked to Ron (the d'uccle god of the US)
Several times, Ron has more of the d'uccle than probley anyone in the states, Brian have several as well but his focus is more on booted bantams (non bearded d'uccles basically)

If you want to get to show quality or just have a perfect bird, I highly recommend contacting them, you'll be glad you did. They both are in GA.

Good luck
Aubrey

 

[Megs]

im in canada so i cant get eggs or birds from the states, i have not found anyone close enough in canada to buy really nice live birds from (eggs possibly), which is why for the time being i want to hatch some out of one of these guys, see how the chicks turn out (hopefully i can get some hatching eggs from a nice line in the spring to have a nicer rooster for 2011 breeding season)

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Oh yep, I see your delima now! No biggie there, just pick your best roo of the two, go to that website I gave and you can see all the trait for the standard, pick the closest one there to it, and do a few generations of selected breeding and they will get better. Main issue I saw with them really was just weak beard/muffs, the rest wasnt too bad..
Good luck
Aubrey

 

[lilcrow]

Aubrey, I'm having a heck of a time finding any of the good pictures that you were telling me about. Am I looking in the wrong place? I'm also not finding any breeders on the breeders page. Well there was one, but the web site is not very good, I'm sorry to say. You just can't see anything in the way of Mille Fleurs. Could you maybe give me some actual links. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but I'm just not finding what you're talking about. Sorry.

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Just wanted to give my simple two cents. I say keep the male that compliments your hens. If your hens have good type but bad color, use the male with good color and poor type. Just remember, type first and color later. I have seen way too many d'uccles that look like they have japanese in them-huge combs and squirrel tail.