For a hot climate (Texas) which is better?

[BoerneChickens]

I am quickly falling in love with Mille Fleur Cochins (standard or bantam) and Mille Fleur D'Uccles - I am not going to breed them or eat them - I enjoy the eggs and just having a mixed beutiful flock. I live in the San Antonio area - it gets quite hot in the summer and humid.

Are either of these two breeds more or less heat resistant?

For those of you that have them - what do you consider the pros and cons of each breed?

Are there specific sites you can recommend to lern more about these breeds?

Does anyone know of a breeder in south Texas area for these breeds?

I have to thank SpeckledPullet for my new obsession - the picture of Popcorn on the BYC homepage just captured my heart

 

[Tigerjane]

I live just north of Austin in Pflugerville (borders Austin on it's northern edge) and I've got 2, 3 week-old male Mille Fleur D'Uccles if you'd like to have them

 

[BoerneChickens]

Quote:
I would love to take them if they were hens - I am in town and not able to keep roosters

I saw your post on the Texas page and was wishing like crazy they were hens

 

[blackred]

As far as where to find The Millie Fluer D'uccles. There is a breeder in Rosanky that has Millie Fluer and Porcelain D'uccle, but they are exhibition stock, if that is what you maybe interested in. They may sell some of their culls for pet quality I don't know. They should be at the poultry show in La Grange on Labor day weekend at the Fayette county fair ( along with about 300 other birds)

You maybe able to contact them there. Mike and Gretchen Hughes.

Bob

PS- I kn.ow of no one that has Millie Fluer Cochins, that doesn't mean that there aren't any. Plus I am more in the show circuit and don't pay much attention to the hatchery stuff.

 

[Tigerjane]

By the way, love your blog! How is it going with your younger chickens in a dog kennel? I'm going to have to do integrating in September, and haven't quite been sure where to keep the younger ones once they get too big for the brooder. We have a large dog kennel that looks exactly like yours (designed for dogs up to 75lbs), but I was concerned the larger chickens would reach through the bars and peck - have you noticed any of that behavior? We also have a small pen with the sides made out of plastic poultry netting, but I was worried about the same thing. I'd like to be able to put one of those in the run rather than have chickens in my house for months

 

[BoerneChickens]

Quote:
Thanks! The big girls in my coop are all standard sized girls - they can get their beaks through the spaces and do minimal pecking, but the lile girls can just step back and then they are safe. I have them in the kennel this week because I had to be away from home quite a bit and was worried to leave them any other way. I am thinking I will need to build a wood and hardware cloth divider where I tried to put the temp fence - the hard part is making the divider so that I can open it and clean and all that. My other thought right now is to actually build a separate little coop but I'm not sure I've got time or space to do that. I need to think about it more. A seprate tractor sized coop might come in handy later if I end up getting more birds - it could function as a half-way house and quarantine area I guess so it might be the best way to go. It is just so hot and humid right now that I am making excuses to do it some other way

 

[StormyMoon]

I am in Texas, and I have some D'Uccle crosses they are in a pen and do really well with the heat I think they do better than my big standards do as long as you give them plenty of cool water and loads of shade. I have 4 roos and a pullet in my bunch and they all get along really well they have been together since birth. I don't know of a breeder but I got my crosses from Elmo on here. I am in love with them they are the sweetest chicks I have ever had and they will jump up sit on our shoulders and snuggle with us.