For those interested in Breeding and or Exhibiting ABA/APA birds only

[Pyncheon guy]

I had Belgian d'Uccles for over 30 yrs. Are you wanting to someday show this breed? If you don't want wattles...then breed to one that doesn't have any. Wattles are not the only thing to worry about.... How is the comb, color, tail angle, toe feathering, vulture hocks, body size and weight? If the bird has wattles then his beard/muffs are lacking as well. I personally would not breed one that had wattles to begin with......there are so many good breeding birds out there that don;t have these faults that one could start with.....and for a few dollars more. Where did your original stock come from....a breeder of d'Uccles or a hatchery? It DOES make a difference..... I'd save up and buy some quality stock from a breeder....it will save you years of breeding and saving you money and tons of culls that are only pet quality. I started out with hatchery stock and soon realized that NONE of my birds resembled what was being shown at even the smaller shows. Breeding two birds together is a start......but then what do you do with the offspring.....? You need to start with a couple of quality pairs or trios and go from there and be VERY selective of what you keep from the future generations. It costs just as much to raise a good one as a bad one....

 

[hdowden]

i really dont know were he came from as he was free (my guess is the feed store and they get their chicks from ideal). he's a self blue and i have as of yet been able to find any self blue chicks or eggs for sale. i also have 2 pullets from a breeder they are porcilean and mille fluer. i'm getting more from breeders in the summer when it warms up. hes the one you see in my avatar (my self blue roo w/wattles). as of right now i'm mainly looking on expanding my d'uccle flock but will eventually breed them for showing so i am looking for the best stock i can find. my kids will be using in the
4-h shows in a few years to.

edit: if you look on my byc page you can see that his comb also needs work he has nice leg feathering and middle toe feathering to

 

[Pyncheon guy]

He has nice color....but his type isn't very good. If you want to breed for better Self Blues and need to use this guy...I would find the best Self blue females or Black females that I could find..... Don't cross him with the Porcelain or the Mille Fleur...you'll get junk for color....unless you just want a bunch of "Pet" projects.....their chicks would be mostly black or self blue with some red/yellow leakage in the hackles on the males..... they are pretty, but not showable.

 

[hdowden]

i'm trying to find some self blue eggs or chicks just cant find them. he will be with these 2 girls until i get more d'uccles this summer, might hatch a few of his eggs just for pets and eggs

 

[Oregon Blues]

[[[[......the best way to improve and expand my self blue flock? i've been told the best color to use is an all black......]]]]]

The poultry industry does not have standardized names for colors. Generally, "self blue" is used to describe the same color as "splash". If that's what your birds are, you breed self blue to self blue to get self blue.

You can also breed self blue to black, which should give you all blue chicks. Or you can breed self blue to blue and get half blue and half self blue.

Self blue does not mean solid blue, as it would mean in dogs. There actually should not be any solid blue poultry. Blue generally should have blue laced feathers, so each feather is two different colors of blue.

If you need to bring in better body type, and the best bodies are on blacks, then you can breed black to your self blues and get all blues, then take the best blue chicks and breed those back to your self blues and you will get 1/2 self blues in those hatches. (genetic averages, your actual numbers can vary).

Unless what you are calling self blue is actually lavender. Like I said. Different colors get called the same name and the same color can have different names.

 

[Pyncheon guy]

Self blue is Lavender and Splash is the homozygous laced blue..... self blue to black will produce all blacks unless the black parent carries self blue/lavender. Then you'll get some of both colors.

 

[Coopa Cabana]

Quote:

And Both Self-Blue and Splash are in fact standardized/recognized plumage varieties - not positive about the APA, but they are recognized by the ABA.

Also, if crossing in a Black to improve your Self-Blues, be sure it is a (Self)Black, and not a B/B/S Black.

 

[birdnbeast]

Quote:
I am sorry, I thought you were a kid..... I see here you reference 'my kids' -- me bad.

A couple of things:

If you haven't already done so please consider joining your breed national club http://www.belgianduccle.org/ as they usually have breed specific discussion forums available. Not all clubs do and some breeds do not have a following of dedicated volunteers to actually have an active club =:~(

This time of the year you are unlikely to actually get the birds you should be looking for. The time for most breeding is slowed down and shipping is a nightmare. Plus, if you are looking for breeding/showable potential started birds they are usually not just waiting on a shelf =:~) so making inquiries and 'pleas' now is good!

Find you most local state (or surrounding) Open (not just youth/4-H) Poultry club and JOIN it. If you ask around you will find who has the breed(s) you are interested in and can make some contacts that will be very helpful in the immediate and in the long run. Often some of these breeders have held back a few extra cockerels and maybe a spare pullet or two to help a newbie for a price that is usually surprising fair.

I have yet to meet a "new to purposefully-bred poultry" that understands the actual costs of raising the birds being offered for sale. Ex. I order eggs in for $90, hatch 50% on a good shipment, 60-70% cockerels, best feed I can buy, lots of time and bedding, etc. and them have maybe 6 good chicks. There is a reason good baby chicks may cost you $10-30 each so $30-50 for a quality started bird or a good trio for less than $100 is actually an excellent bargain. DO NOT be short-sighted as every year that you breed up costs you more money than a good start and the years spent can not be replaced. My lecture for the day and comes from my heart with the best of wishes.

k/

 

[hdowden]

Generally, "self blue" is used to describe the same color as "splash".

i have never heard of that self blue is an even all over one solid color blue(i say it looks gray though), blue is a blue color with darker almost black looking lacing on the body and that dark black looking color on the hackles and saddles, splash is completly different from both of these colors. i have seen all 3 colors enough to see and know the difference in the colors. again my avatar is my self blue that i am talking about that is an old pic of him and he has filled out more since that pic (click to see my byc page to see bigger pics).

 

[Narragansett]

Quote:
You could not be more incorrect about your understanding of blue vs self blue. Both the ABA and the APA do, quite literally, have standardized names for colors, including blue and self blue.