Show Quality Booted Bantams *Update: Lots of Pics pg. 3*

[Black Feather]

I must say, the mottled d'uccles are quite the lookers. I've never seen any except for the images posted here at BYC. It was an instant drool moment.

Poultry judging is odd. There are certain breeds that I find always place above others and it's hard to crack that 'stereotype'. For instance, solid color birds seems to place above colored birds. Mind you I also understand that color birds are much harder to get high quality show birds from than solid types.

I also find less common breeds do not always place well either. If you had an outstanding d'uccle, or booted bantam would the judge be good enough to recognize it and place it above a more typical breed?

I've been lucky in that once in a while I will have a blue rosecomb place well. I had one go to reserve bantam of show once, and this past year I had one place reserve of breed against some very nice blacks that I was also showing.

Urban Coyote

 

[billygoatgruff]

Mainchick....come on in the water is fine!!!!!!!!

 

[billygoatgruff]

Wow, that is great Urban Coyote...I had someone tell me once that having the judge "judge" your birds you should enter enough that they are made to judge...It is easy to place 3 birds in a breed, but when you have to judge 10 or 15 birds of the same color or variety or breed, the judge cannot simply mark a number and go on...they may be questioned by the breeder or breeders if they have to go through several birds and have to explain why.....Hope I was able to explain that so I come across so you know what I mean......

 

[Msbear]

Another possible explanation is that solid colored birds like black rosecombs, for instance, are much more common and have more breeders working diligently on them. Also, other varieties not only need their color perfected...but sometimes lose valued type in this process. The combination of the two produces better type in blacks. We all know judges prefer type over color.

 

[verycherry]

I have some d'Uccles and had a question about them. I started with hatchery stock, although they are pretty good looking birds. I wanted to improve them though, so this summer I bought 4 chicks from a breeder that were "out of show quality". They're almost grown now, and the other day I was looking them over and noticed that all but one have a shorter toe without a nail/claw. I know this is a fault in other feather legged breeds, but hadn't seen it much and was surprised to find this on these d'Uccles. Should I breed them? The ones I have out of hatchery stock don't have it, so would outcrossing to them help? I hate to cull them all after months of raising them. I really don't know what to do, I wasn't expecting to find this problem.

 

[henry19952]

I had 4 mille fleur booted bantams (3 hens, 1 rooster). Unfortunatly, the rooster and the best hen were killed by dogs (just my luck). What should I do with the other two hens? (They JUST started laying this week.)

 

[ChickenFamilyof5]

Give them to me.........

 

[henry19952]

Well, how much would two of these hens go for?

 

[Pidgey104]

Quote:
You have pictures of them? I'm not to far from you.

 

[ChickenFamilyof5]

I think I will always have these little guys as long as I have birds. They are so cute and gentel.

Here a couple Mille Fluer Booted Bantams we hatched out 3 weeks ago.

And one from last week. Cute as a button