70b226a4_munin713.jpeg

Dominique

Dominique Chickens have endured a long and rich history. First developed by the Colonists, they...

General Information

Breed Purpose
Dual Purpose
Comb
Rose
Broodiness
Average
Climate Tolerance
All Climates
Egg Productivity
Medium
Egg Size
Medium
Egg Color
Brown
Breed Temperament
Friendly, Easily handled, Calm, Bears confinement well, Quiet, Docile
Breed Colors/Varieties
Correct Dominique barring is not quite black on not quite white, and the bars are staggered, rather than the parallel and sharply contrasting black and white barring of the Barred Rock.
Breed Size
Large Fowl
70b226a4_munin713.jpeg

The Dominique also known as Dominicker or Pilgrim Fowl, originated in the USA during the colonial period. It is considered America's oldest breed of chicken, likely descending from chickens brought to New England from southern England during colonial times. By the 19th century, they were very popular and were raised in many parts of the country. Dominiques are a dual purpose breed, being valued for their table bird qualities as well as for their brown eggs. In earlier times, their feathers were much sought after as stuffing for pillows and mattresses.

After the Plymouth Rock breed was developed from the Dominiques in the 1870s, the Dominiques' popularity declined, and by the 1950 they were so rare, they were considered nearly extinct. During the 1970s, Dominiques were listed in "Critical" status with fewer than 500 breeding birds in North America. However, due to a revival of interest in them and other rare breeds, the Dominiques have made a comeback and are now listed on the "Watch" list, indicating lesser danger of extinction.

1d8cf12e_dominique-341-193017.jpeg
Dominique eggs

08aef72b_100_2491.jpeg
Dominique chics

6eab8fdb_6067745758_9a0f9113f4_z.jpeg
Dominique juvenile

37ad3398_IMG_0998.jpeg
Dominique hen

70b226a4_munin713.jpeg
Dominique rooster

To learn more about this breed and their owners' and breeders' experiences with them, see our breed discussion here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-breed-focus-dominique.1103078/

Latest reviews

Long lasting layers
Pros: Calm, good egg production
Cons: Medium eggs
I really don't have a bad thing to say about this breed because 1) they exceeded expectation as backyard layers (2) I don't have much experience with chickens.

My spouse and I got 6 chicks which all survived and thrived in the heat of Birmingham, AL. The chickens did well in a SMALL backyard with the exception of a few escapes before having their wings clipped. We enjoyed watching the chickens scratch in the yard. On days when we were home, we'd let them into the unfenced front yard and they always stayed close. They always produced plenty of eggs for us, and we frequently gave eggs away by the dozen. The girls lived and produced eggs well into their fifth year before we had to give them away.

I'd happily take them again.

Attachments

  • Chickens.png
    Chickens.png
    448.8 KB · Views: 104
  • Like
Reactions: ChickenGirl300
Pros: Calm, friendly, will roost on your arm, smaller comb than barred rock
Cons: Slightly smaller than barred rock
Pros: Tame, loving, kind, sweet, and pretty feather patterns
Cons: None that I can think of off the top of my head
Dominiques. They're gorgeous. Their feather pattern is white and black, making a beautiful chicken. Don't forget the chicks, though! They have little white caps on their heads until they grow in their adult feathers, and it is adorable! Everyone should get a Dominique, for eggs and beauty.
McChooky
McChooky
Theres not a better breed of chickens to have around if you raise chickens for meat and eggs. Their feed to egg ratio is excellent and they adore children- even the roosters!

Comments

Here's a picture of the Dominique chicks I got Easter week from Purely Poultry . They're running around the brooder playing with each other and acting like they are much older!Little energy balls!
 

Item information

Category
Chicken Breeds
Added by
Super Admin
Views
85,822
Watchers
15
Comments
82
Reviews
64
Last update
Rating
4.39 star(s) 66 ratings

More in Chicken Breeds

  • Showgirl Silkies
    A showgirl silkie is a silkie with no feathers on their neck.
  • Olandsk Dwarf
    Bright, social birds. Beautiful Plumage with speckles covering the body. Roosters rarely fight...
  • Wyandottes
    These birds are usually overall friendly, are good layers, and are very pretty.
  • Australorp
    The Australorp is a docile, friendly, and easy going chicken. Several people find them great for...
  • Dong-Tao
    This review is about the dong tao chicken.

More from Super Admin

Share this item

Back
Top Bottom