Dominique Thread!

[OldFowlGuy]

I'm not sure where you are located but the Dominique Club of America has a list on it website of affiliated breeders nationwide. Last I checked it was $10 a year to join. You can start your 1st gen breeding program and work some better stock in from your area in your 2nd gen when you know better what your stock is passing on to offspring to correct it. I wish they had the list for free but a lot of the poultry clubs have you pay to get those lists.

Thank you for reminding me. I have their site bookmarked, just been too busy to do my duty.

You have described my startup plans well. I still am lacking in infrastructure, not to mention knowledge, to get too serious. I do hate to be limited to one Dom. cock however.

I am only a couple hours from Columbus Oh, and minutes from Lucasville, so I may find something there.

 

[Sylvester017]

Thanks. I knew 3 was out. 1 I thought cute, but too large. I'm assuming fingers are the protrusions. I have lots of study to do. I will get better pics of #2, and a couple others not here. I think I've seen a keeper somewhere.

I hope to become picky, but my options are limited right now. I am in the market for some good stock, but don't have a source yet.

Mark Fields is well known in the Dominique breeding world and wrote a book on Doms and was consulting Cackle Hatchery on improving their Dom large fowl and bantam breeding stock. I learned there is a feed store in my area that orders from Cackle and when they start carrying Spring chicks again I plan to get a Cackle pullet. As a hatchery the Cackle Dom chicks SHOULD be a good choice so I'll see for myself if/ when I get a Cackle Dom pullet what the quality is. If you plan on using a hatchery to get Doms I would recommend Cackle Hatchery over Sandhill Preservation. I'm not bashing Sandhill as they do a great service in offering/ preserving chicken breeds but for Doms in particular I would source Cackle first. I don't breed so am not so picky about SOP. I just happen to like the looks of Dom U-shape backs and rose combs w/ leaders (spikes) at the back of the rose combs and we once had a Privett Dom chick we absolutely loved before we lost her. Doms are so outgoing and are family-friendly.

If you are planning on breeding it is good to know that just because the parents are quality birds, the offspring they throw may not be. Breeders raise hundreds of chicks before getting that one "perfect" show bird and even then there'll probably be some little SOP flaw. Some breeders breed for show without a primary regard about egg production while others breed for better production birds and some vainly work to attain both. You can choose what you're looking for and breed for that with the general SOP in mind while breeding so you can eliminate the glaring obvious flaws.

I am so glad the Dominques did not go extinct like they almost did in the 1970's. A few old timers loved the breed and worked hard to bring them back as a viable breed. I love the Dom personality - in fact, we think the Breda has the same non-combative friendly outgoing people-friendly temperament as the Doms. They are both lighter-weight large fowl compared to heavier dual purpose birds. The only difference we see between the Breda and the Dom other than body type is that Breda don't go broody so it increases their egg production just a bit in comparison. I love both birds for being good flockmates.

OUR LITTLE DOM FROM PRIVETT HATCHERY MADE HERSELF AT HOME ANYWHERE! She had been dye-marked in blue to distinguish the brooder Dom chicks from Barred Rock chicks



OUR CUCKOO BREDA PULLET



A BLUE BREDA

 

[Sylvester017]

Does anyone have a review of Sand Hills Doms? I've been contemplating an order for Javas, but need 15 of other breeds to fill the min. order.

I read some people are happy w/ Sandhill and others didn't think they had good quality. Sandhill strives to preserve breeds but I don't know how picky they are about SOP. Not only that but even if you have show quality parents it doesn't mean they'll throw quality offspring. Breeding is a perfecting hobby and some customers order from places like Sandhill to eventually in-line breed to improve stock but that is tedious. If you want quality Javas then I would recommend going on the Java thread to find private breeders who are actually breeding for quality birds. Good luck with your breed choices and sources to obtain them. Chickeneering is so addictive

.

 

[OldFowlGuy]

T

I read some people are happy w/ Sandhill and others didn't think they had good quality.  Sandhill strives to preserve breeds but I don't know how picky they are about SOP.  Not only that but even if you have show quality parents it doesn't mean they'll throw quality offspring.  Breeding is a perfecting hobby and some customers order from places like Sandhill to eventually in-line breed to improve stock but that is tedious.  If you want quality Javas then I would recommend going on the Java thread to find private breeders who are actually breeding for quality birds.  Good luck with your breed choices and sources to obtain them.  Chickeneering is so addictive .

Thank you for your time and the tips. I have contacted a couple Java breeders and got no response. It is my understanding that most any breeder with years or decades invested in their flocks are not about to let any ole Joe have them, and I don't blame them one bit. I am content (resigned)to serve my apprenticeship with hatchery stock for now and see what pops out.

 

[Faraday40]

I never knew that Doms went broody. Perhaps its just an individual thing. My Bubbles has never even thought about it. She's in the mid pecking order. Of course I have orps (who are supposed to be decent mamas), but they've never thought about it either. It's my crazy little Sebright that is my most determined broody. I read that Sebrights rarely go broody, but our hen can't read, so she hatched a few clutches last year.

 

[EastNashChick]

I've never had a single Dom go broody either and I've had 6 total, but I know they are supposed to be an average broody breed. My English Orps and Ameraucanas on the other hand are determined broodys. It's a huge pain BC it's never when you need them to be.

 

[centrarchid]

Many of mine do not go broody until late in their second season in lay. Others go broody in the first season although seldom do they go broody in the first six months of heavy lay.

 

[Sylvester017]

T
Thank you for your time and the tips. I have contacted a couple Java breeders and got no response. It is my understanding that most any breeder with years or decades invested in their flocks are not about to let any ole Joe have them, and I don't blame them one bit. I am content (resigned)to serve my apprenticeship with hatchery stock for now and see what pops out.

Yep, I was turned off by some picky private breeders when I was looking for birds but eventually through diligence and talking on these BYC threads I managed to find some really nice breeders and birds. Nothing wrong w/ hatcheries except a lot of customers don't like the hatcheries' practice of having to destroy so many male chicks. I am zoned for only 5 hens/no roos so going the hatchery route doesn't work for me (have to order minimum 15 to 25 chick). The local feed store or contacting a private breeder to order one juvenile at a time is the way I have to do it. Expensive shipping from out of State or having to drive a far distance for pickup -- but then I don't have to deal w/ a big batch of chicks I can't find homes for. My friend had a Mottled Java -- big hen and seemed to have a good flock temperament. Would love to see pics of your chicks, their growth progress, juvenile pics and full-grown.

 

[Sylvester017]

T
Thank you for your time and the tips. I have contacted a couple Java breeders and got no response. It is my understanding that most any breeder with years or decades invested in their flocks are not about to let any ole Joe have them, and I don't blame them one bit. I am content (resigned)to serve my apprenticeship with hatchery stock for now and see what pops out.

I think the Garfield Museum somewhere in the Midwest (?) is raising Java to preserve them. That might be a good contact choice. If I remember right they had both the Black and the Whites. They want these birds preserved and might be a good contact for eggs or chicks.

 

[Faraday40]

Yep, I was turned off by some picky private breeders when I was looking for birds but eventually through diligence and talking on these BYC threads I managed to find some really nice breeders and birds. Nothing wrong w/ hatcheries except a lot of customers don't like the hatcheries' practice of having to destroy so many male chicks. I am zoned for only 5 hens/no roos so going the hatchery route doesn't work for me (have to order minimum 15 to 25 chick). The local feed store or contacting a private breeder to order one juvenile at a time is the way I have to do it. Expensive shipping from out of State or having to drive a far distance for pickup -- but then I don't have to deal w/ a big batch of chicks I can't find homes for. My friend had a Mottled Java -- big hen and seemed to have a good flock temperament. Would love to see pics of your chicks, their growth progress, juvenile pics and full-grown.

I discovered a little loophole. Cackle's min order is 15-25 depending on breed & time of year, then hefty shipping charges or small order fees are applied. However, we have a farm store chain called "Farm & Fleet" that orders bulk from Cackle Hatchery. Customer special orders are just added to the individual store's order, and the min number of chicks is only 5. This year Dom pullets are listed for $3.49 ea, (or $3.19 straight run) if pre-ordered & picked up at the store. Ordering the same 5 dominique pullets from Cackle would cost $53.60. (not including sales taxes). Huge savings and so much easier than getting a group of people together to share an order.

You may find a similar store loophole in your area. Our local store does not carry Javas, but I met a few breeders at our county fair. We also live near Garfield Farm, so Javas are not rare in this area.