Houdans

[corn pecker]

Talked to McMurry today they will credit our account for the two chicks.

 

[Mofarmgirl]

I'm glad that your getting credit for them corn pecker. Let us know how their beaks do if you grow them a while. I hatched out more babies...all have perfect beaks, toes ect. Sooo, maybe the gene that causes this isn't overly dominant in this pair? Unless I decide to quit with the breed I will probably keep hatching this summer and see what ratio will have the cross beaks.

 

[corn pecker]

I decided to cull the crossed beak chicks. The other three seem to be doing great. I just hope the 2 chicks that I culled weren't my roosters.

 

[Carolynspeeps]

Just hatched my first Houdan! Here "she" is about 12 hours old.

 

[corn pecker]

update on our last three Houdans, looking good no cross beaks. Growing nicely and holding thier own in a pen full of Cornish and Cochins. Does anyone know when they start getting mottled?

 

[ccshambhala]

I am happy to find this thread! I've been wanting to get Houdans now for several years - finally got some May 28 from Ideal

Cannot wait to watch them grow

SOOO enjoy lookin at everyone's pics

 

[exop]

Quote:
Looking good! Glad to see a Houdan thread. Corn pecker, I'm happy you were able to get a refund. McMurray does have a problem history with crossed beaks in their line of Houdans... I ordered a handful of Houdan chicks from them in 2007 and was disappointed by one terribly crossed beak and several with lumpy, globlike combs. Later on, when I followed various leads and phone trails trying to find a dedicated Houdan breeder, I ran into a lady who had gotten out of Houdans the previous year and she solemnly told me that "the breed" had a problem with crossed beak. When I asked, she said all her birds came from McMurray.

I have new chicks this year from Cackle, one month old today and no problems so far, knock on wood.

The mottled pattern shows up in the second set of adult feathers - they will spend the first year of their lives with rather large patches of white feathering mainly on their underneath parts, and some large areas of solid black feathering on their upper parts. The "blacker" the young bird, the closer its mottling will probably look to the "standard of perfection" ideal of mottling when it's older.

However, the original Mottled Houdan, as first exported from France was more of an equal mixture of black and white feathering - a little like an exchequer leghorn. The "ideal" of a dark mottled pattern, with tiny white tips on black feathers is a product of Victorian England's obsession with fancy poultry feathering. After the breed started to lose popularity (1900 - 1910 onwards), and people became lax about selecting the surviving few birds for darkness, the Houdan has more or less reverted to its original plumage pattern.

Not something to be upset about, I think it's kind of neat.

However if you are looking for birds to show, remember to keep and breed your darkest specimens. Don't worry if it looks like there's not enough white on there - that won't last very long. The older the bird, the whiter its mottling will become.

You should also consciously try to keep and breed your largest, heaviest and fastest growing specimens of each sex. It's a good idea to weigh them all a few times as they are growing, maybe once a month, so you can track it! The Mottled Houdan breed used to reach huge proportions, but nowadays they're almost as small as Polish. With a little work and persistence, we may be able to bring them back up to size.

Best - exop

 

[flower]

I would just like to report that I am expecting to receive some Mottled Houdan hatching eggs soon and will post when I have pictures.

 

[exop]

Wanted to report that I could hardly be more pleased with my Houdans from Cackle; they've far exceeded my expectations. Will post some pictures when I can. Very low to almost no incidence of crossed beak (1 in 12 birds); fantastic full, deep chests on at least half the birds; combs mostly a very orthodox, attractive V shape with only a few minor deviations (one rudimentary comb, 2 cockerels with some extra prongs on their V); fast growing; fast feathering; very healthy. Majority of cockerels easygoing and not quarrelsome at all. Excellent type, well within the historic range for the breed. 10 out of 12 with nicely shaped, round, brushed back crests; only 2 of those with some crest feathers fanning a little forwards, and not badly; only 2 with dubious crests, extra long feathers in a mohawk shape. Almost all birds seem to be growing the dark plumage type required by the standard. None is way too light, at least at this stage in their development. These are far better birds than I would have ever expected from a hatchery. This from a breed which is teetering on the edge of the ALBC's "Watch" list and is short of breeders. (I think the situation is somewhat worse than "Watch", as several hatcheries carry "Houdans" which really shouldn't be passed off as Houdans to the public).

Kudos to the people at Cackle Hatchery (these are their own Houdans from their own flock). They are doing a stellar job. If anyone reading this thread is thinking of trying Mottled Houdans and wants the classic shape, type and temperament which got so many people excited around 1890 - 1920, you really want to try Cackle.

 

[langshan]

That is interesting that you received your Houdans from Cackle Hatchery. I am pleased to hear that you are satisfied with them. I might have to give them a try. I liked the size, weight and egg laying along with hearing about the good specimens you have.


Thanks.