what is the easier/friendlier/better breed = d'anvers or seramas

[D Bar J Acres]

looking to get started in a little breed - i currently have Speckeled Sussex and Buff Brahma Bantams (both hatchery stock, but nice looking and healthy birds). I've narrowed it down to Belgian D'Anvers and Seramas. Which breed is friendlier, easier to breed and the best natural broody? Also, sale-ability? I will buy either breed from a private breeder. Located in WI if anyone knows of someone relatively close. I've looked around on the forums looking for info but am not finding the exact information I want. Thanks! Jenny [email protected]

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

I've got a sticky thread located in the 'BREEDS" section at the top of this section on d'anvers, about 35-40 pages long.
I have both, 21 colors in d'anver, and A-B class seramas.
To answer some of your questions.
neither are very broody. I have 1 serama hen brooding now, she's the first to do it since I've had them (4 years and 20 hens)

Seramas, are not very productive at all. They tend to lay in spurts for me at least, the smaller size you get, the worse this is on them. B's -pet class lay best, but every one wants A's, and the draw back to that is, they are the least productive.
They are very gentle for the most part, never once had one "try" me, and I keep 4 males to the pen with no problems as well.
One other thing on seramas is they do not breed true to color or size, even breeding 2 like colors together doesnt guarantee they wont be totally opposite colored offspring.

They sell fairly well, though now that they are more common their prices are falling like rocks, back in 2002 when Jerry first imported them, they were $500 a pair, now they are $20- $50 depending on quality. Also, I believe currently, they are not a recognized breed by the APA or ABA, so they cant compete in sanctioned shows. I'm sure they will be recognized soon, but on my last check, they werent.
Also being a single comb bird, you will need to watch for frost bit in the winter on their combs, d'anvers being rose comb have no trouble with this.

As for d'anvers, well I am a little bius on them, but to me they are great, nothing better. Some of the males can be a touch feisty, but at 24-26 ounces, they really cant do much.
About 50% of my males are this way, the other 50% are just as gentle as can be, all the hens are extremely gentle, so it's kinda luck of the draw as to what attitude you get.
I have noticed with the 21 colors, quail, and solid colored birds for me seem to be more aggressive than say mottled, barred, and others.
These will brood, but are not known for it, about 40% of my hens will try if you allow eggs to sit out. I pull them daily though for production and they continue to lay right on threw the year. Most colors are very prolific in my d'anvers. Some of the rarer colors are a little slack in laying, most likely due to all the genetic breeding used to create them.

I do keep multiple males in every d'anver pen as well. Trick is to put them all in at the same time to avoid fights. But during genetic breeding, I do swap males from pen to pen, you'll always get a few hours of ruffled hackles and showing out, but after that they are running buddies again. Their main aggressive behavior is actual just protection of their hens.

As for accepted colors, the APA recognises 9 and the ABA has 14 so showing is no problem with these. And they show extremely well, one due to their rarity outside of quail colored. Judges always like seeing something new. I'm sure If I was one, I'd get sick of seeing cochins and silkies by the hundreds at every single show I went to.

As for selling of the d'anver, the market for them is threw the roof. I have about 400 breeders, had over 8,000 eggs this year, and was sold out pretty much in 2-3 months for the year, still have people on the waiting list from this year, for next spring, so moving good d'anvers is no problem at all.

If you'd like more info on them, check that sticky. It also has most all the colors pictured on it, as does my website

Good luck!