My Houdan Honks

[2DogsFarm]

like a goose
I can hear her all the way down to the barn - about 250'

Is this what her adult voice is going to sound like?
Forever?

She is the Tallulah Bankhead of Poultry.

Also:
Is it all right for me to trim her crest?
Just around her eyes so she can see where she's going - she has already run into a door...poor little Diva...

 

[LilPeeps]

Is she honking like she's got a cold? She could be sick. If she's healthy, she may just be a bird that honks. I usede to have a LF buff cochin hen that honked. She lives with a friend now and whenever I visit, you can still hear her honking.

You can trim her crest. If needed, you can just hack the whole thing off. She'll be like a completely new bird.

 

[becky3086]

I hadn't noticed my houdan honking(but I will listen again) but my buff laced make a totally different sound than my others. Do you have a picture, houdan don't usually have a crest that is that is as bad as a Polish or hinder their sight that much.

 

[LilPeeps]

Quote:
Houdans can have crests the size of polish crests. Hatchery birds obviously won't be up to par as far as the standard goes, but a SQ bird will have a crest that would certainly hinder vision,

 

[becky3086]

Well, I don't have any hatchery houdan so I guess I wouldn't know. Mine have very nice crests but for some reason they seem to see a lot better than my Polish. I have never had any of them walk into anything anyway, lol.

 

[becky3086]

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGD/Houdan/HoudanCrev.html

The related problem of careless inbreeding is also at fault, as is a craze for a Polish type crest, which has led to far too much crossing with that breed. Ideally these French crested breeds should have large, well-formed crests that do not interfere with the birds vision.

Here is the standard for houdan crests from the Polish breeders club for a male.

CREST: Large, well feathered, rising well in front so as to not obstruct sight, flowing well over sides and back of neck in a compact even mass, feathers similar in shape and texture to those of the hackle.

female
CREST: full, compact, globular, inclining very slightly backwards.

 

[2DogsFarm]

She is fine & healthy, just has this new voice & is very vocal!

If I were not technicologically inept I could attach a pic.
She is a hatchery chick so the crest is probably a breeding flaw, but since these are pet chickens it isn't an issue.
Her crest is pretty compact & globe-shaped, but heavy over her eyes.

Sorry I wasn't clear, but I've already given her a couple trims and just wondered if I could cut away the crest so her eyes would be completely clear of feathers or if I needed to leave some shading the eyes.

She has also gotten calmer and even did a little eggsquat for me the other day - so perhaps I'll have some white eggs soon.
(my others all lay brown eggs)
Until now I was doubting those that called the breed friendly - she was anything but!

 

[becky3086]

I am not sure mine are actually friendly. They pretty much stay away from me when I am in the pen but they aren't flighty and go crazy when I am in there either.
There should be no problem with you cutting her crest.

 

[2DogsFarm]

This girl has actually warmed up to me quite a bit.
When they were younger she was the one who screamed Bloody Murder the loudest & longest if I picked her up.

But now she looks for me & comes over to visit, plus she expects me to carry her down off the roost every morning. I am Houdan Limo, Ltd.
I was thinking she appreciates the ride so she doesn't hop down blinded by her crest and hit something.

She's quite good about being trimmed too - lets me put her on her back in my lap and chop her into a semblance of civility.
OK then, with your blessing I will liberate her eyeballs from the feather curtain

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I had a Light Brahma hen that had gotten hurt. I put her in the pen next to the geese. My male gander decided he wanted in her pen. She went broody a few days later and somehow adopted this "honk" to tell him I was coming. I'd walk up and he'd "protect" her. When the chicks hatched...she did the same thing.

Was crazy!