hmmm.... really "show quality?"

[speckledhen]

You are absolutely right, they are beautiful. And tempting, soooo tempting! Lucky you!

 

[pips&peeps]

Here is a link to a page I just found on them:

http://belgianduccle.hypermart.net/dUccle1page.html

I would say (from an unexperienced person) that the female looks pretty good, but the male does have tiny little wattles, which he should not have. You could probably find a better male with a fuller beard and muff. I think the feathers are supposed to be tipped in white also. I believe on males, the older they get the better they are for showing in this breed.

 

[americana-chick]

pips&peeps :

Here is a link to a page I just found on them:

http://belgianduccle.hypermart.net/dUccle1page.html

I would say (from an unexperienced person) that the female looks pretty good, but the male does have tiny little wattles, which he should not have. You could probably find a better male with a fuller beard and muff. I think the feathers are supposed to be tipped in white also. I believe on males, the older they get the better they are for showing in this breed.

well they havnt molted yet and they are still growing so who knows the male might get bigger waddles and whight tips.​

 

[americana-chick]

in my fair i have never seen another porcelain duccle. they would just fall under the cattigory: bantams. and we rarely ever have very many bantmas at the fair. so maybe i have a fighting chance.

 

[Frizzledhen]

I am no expert but judging my own birds these are the things that I want in them.
Abundant beard and muffs, forming a V shape made of 3 round puffs.
Small combs and non existant waddles or very small waddles that don't show through the beards and muffs.
Long stiff feathers on foot with feathers comming off the outside of the middle toe.
Long stiff vulture hock feathers growing in a downward direction.
When standing the tail and neck should form a V shape, short back. Stance should be upright.
Chest should be wide and the neck should be short and thick, called a bull neck.

It looks like your cockerel has too much red in his featherig in the first pix, maybe just the lighting.
The foot feathering looks much better in the younger pix. You will need to keep them on shavings and not let them out if the grass is wet or the run is muddy.
Good luck with your birds. I do hope they fullfill your dreams.

 

[okiemommy]

im sorry! XD like i said when i first got these birds i thought they were mixed breeds because i had never seen any other bird like them. but then i found out they were not mixed. and i think they are BEAUTIFUL!!! make sure and tell your DH that if he lets you get some you will let him get a 4 wheeler or something! wink

I thought the same thing when I got my pair. I bought them from the mixed bantams feed store bin also. (along with 5 other bantams) Mine look a lot like yours. Mine have really really rough feathers on the feet, with HUGE quills. My oldest DS named the pullet Hawker. I kept telling him that she's a girl, and he said but mom she looks like a hawk! So I guess her name is Hawker.

Hope you find out if they are show quality. I would be interested to learn the answer also.​

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I think your boy has a really nice shaped comb. I would try them after molt and see what happens. I think they are beautiful

 

[americana-chick]

Quote:
ya i will keep them on shavings when it comes around time for the fair. right now i let them do whatever they want. they free range A LOT so i can see why there feathers on there feet are not the best right now.

 

[mikarod]

The thing with keeping them on shavings is so that their feathers don't get torn up before the shows. As in...it takes approximately 2-3 months to replace a feather completely. With mud and abrasive ground the likelihood of replacing the broken feather becomes less and less. Plus...the ground stains the feathers which could cause a reddish appearance.

I do like the stance of your bird...I just wish I could see more muff and beard on him.

 

[americana-chick]

Quote:
do you mean you cant see the muff or beard becasue the camera or he just doesnt really have a muff? do you think giving them a bath would help bring there feet feathers back to original color?