Investing More In American Dominiques

[centrarchid]

This should be a big year. Three old quality hens will be bred to the best cock I have ever had. Ideally, we will have at least 50 young birds upon which to start the selection process. By fall, the group should be whittled down to about a dozen pullets and half as many cockerels. Hens are of the age where they start dropping out because of age related infirmities.

First step is to isolate hens from general hen population and begin conditioning for production of hatching eggs. There will be some fermentation of feeds and application of sprouted grains. Base diet will be 2/3's layer pellets and 1/3 game bird starter laced with powdered paprika. Hens will get very little free-range time unless under direct supervision. Two of these gals are going to need babying to give eggs and survive production season.

 

[aart]

Paprika?

What's the target protein level?

 

[centrarchid]

Paprika to color up yolks like you see with free-range birds on quality forage. Yolks take on a bright orange to reddish look. I think it may improve hatch rate and chick vigor.

Protein level will be up around 18%, possibly a little higher. Once egg production slows I will back it down to 14-16% until onset of molt when it gets bumped up again without the calcium. Older birds get two periods of high protein, during egg production and during molt. The old gals will be lucky to give my 80 eggs each this year and will be done by time it gets hot in July.

 

[aart]

Paprika to color up yolks like you see with free-range birds on quality forage. Yolks take on a bright orange to reddish look. I think it may improve hatch rate and chick vigor.

How much paprika per X amount of feed?

 

[centrarchid]

By volume less 0.5%. Still enough to impart color on feed. They can go a lot higher like 5% without trouble but no real benefit for the additional cost. They can even handle cayenne and chili pepper powders without trouble but I have trouble when mixing it in. It does burn.

 

[song of joy]

Three old quality hens will be bred to the best cock I have ever had.

How old are they, and do you see a decline in the fertility rate or hatch rate?

 

[centrarchid]

Oldest hen will be 6, next 5, and youngest is 3. Declines in both egg production and hatch rate are evident. Eggs also larger than when same birds where younger. The 3 year old could easily produce more chicks than the other two combined.

 

[Mrs. K]

What about genetic defects from the older birds eggs, do you see any more of those than expected?

 

[centrarchid]

What about genetic defects from the older birds eggs, do you see any more of those than expected?

I do not keep enough dominiques to get a real handle on what causes the hatch failures. It would take many hens over years where each loss would be assessed and recorded. Most die before piping stage where I can not determine if there are any physical deformities. Once they hatch they seem pretty tough. The process of hatching is a selective force in its own right weeding out a lot of the infirm. I have not seen any evidence for older birds harboring mutations like known for older humans producing kids. I am on the older end of age range for producing kids where first produced at 46 years so very much concerned about such issues.

 

[centrarchid]

This a very poor picture of the cock side of this. He was to excited by boy to left playing with remote controlled toy. The guy when showing type has it down with a really nice tail. He is holding tail down a bit and pinched. He is very well muscled now and put on weight very well during his first 16 weeks. Color is a little on light side but consistent with his line. Not as light as appears in picture. He was darker in his youth.

Will try to make better pictures in coming days.