barred rocks vs. Dominiques?

[amazondoc]

Isn't there anyone out there that's kept both?

 

[Eggseronious]

I haven't had Dominiques in a few years. The good ones are hard to find. The Dominique was one tough chicken breed that came across America with the settlers, free ranged on its own and feed its people. The egg size is a bit under the Rock. They lay great and produce with a small amount of feed. The Dominique head is more refined and has a rose comb while all of the Plymouth Rocks have single combs.
The tail of the Barred Plymouth Rock is considerably shorter than that of the Dominique. The Dominique's tail is long and flowing, similar to that of a Hamburg or Leghorn. The Dominique sickle feathers are wider as well as being longer.

Barred Plymouth Rock is a heavier bird than the Dominique. It also has a deeper body and lower tail carriage. The Dominique is “more upright” than the Plymouth Rock. This upright carriage combined with the body shape gives a stately appearance to the Dominique.

The barring on the feathers themselves should also be considered. This matter is muddled by the commercial hatcheries as their Dominiques and Barred Plymouth Rocks both have a dark cuckoo pattern on the feathers that is virtually indistinguishable. For this discussion we need to review good quality exhibition stock.

In Barred Plymouth Rocks the barring on the feathers is to be sharply contrasting black and white bars. The dark and light bars are the same width and are to be laid down on the feather in parallel rows. These straight uniform bars are the same in both males and females.

However the barring on Dominique feathers is very different. The light bars are a silvery white and the dark bars are not quite black, thus preferring a dove gray. The light bars are to be almost twice as wide as the dark bars; this combined with bar shape gives the Dominique its mottled appearance. The bars come in a number of shapes with the most common appearing in the accompanying graphic. The feather tips should end in a bar, with a small rim of a bar at the very tip giving the feather an “eye” at the end. This trait is rarely seen in today’s flocks though it was widespread in the good flocks of the early 1900s.

Finally, the light barring on the Dominique male should be twice as wide as that of the female. This results in a male that is much lighter than the female. The reason for this is simple; the Dominique male carries two chromosomes for the barring while the female only carries one. An interesting bit of trivia – the Dominique is actually a dark bird with light bars though it is often described in just the opposite manner.
There is ''so much pollution in the gene pool''

that a true Dominique is hard to find. The nice yellow beaks and legs are another trait that is being polluted also, with the stained beaks and legs. Personality? I think they are the best! Hope this helps! Im looking also for Dominiques and if you find some that are true, let me know.

 

[amazondoc]

Thanks for the info! I am more interested in the laying and personality than in the physical characteristics, so I appreciate your input.

I don't know how "true" the flock is that I was looking at, but you can find them here:

http://www.nantahala-farm.com/chicken-dominique-s.shtml

 

[speckledhen]

I have heard that Doms tend to broodiness more than Barred Rocks, that Barred Rocks lay better, in general. Not having owned Doms, though, hard for me to verify that for you.

 

[Eggseronious]

Quote:
First of all, I see that the pic is of Meyer Hatchery. Not of their own flock! I've seen it too many times. LOL I have talked to Meyer Hatchery about Dominiques, and one thing they did say that their Pics were of their own flock, but did say that they breed for production.