Does anyone own/ed dominique hens and/or roos?

[lazy gardener]

Thanks! So is it better to raise a roo from a chick than get a mature one and add to the flock? Just Getting my flock started over here and was thinking about giving one of those poor free roosters on Craigslist (or in the rehome section here) a home.

It all depends on how soon you want fertile eggs. I keep a closed flock, so getting a mature roo from CL is not an option for me, no matter how nice a roo it might be. But, if you're not keeping a closed flock, and are willing to take the risk bringing an adult bird into your flock, you could certainly go that route. In that case, I'd go to see the bird, check out the care the flock is receiving. Do they ALL look healthy? How does this roo interact with his flock mates? Then, and only then, I'd make the decision to bring him home. I'd be sure to give him a good dusting with a miticide before adding him to my flock. It's recommended to do a 4 week quarantine, but... Unless you're serious about that, you're wasting your time with it. Serious = keeping the new bird separated x 50 - 100' at all times, in an area that your other birds can't get near, changing clothes and shoes when moving between your flock and new bird(s), sterilizing all equipment including waterers, feeders and tools and not moving that equipment back and forth between flocks. In a multi age flock, the older hens and/or roo school the youngsters in proper manners. So, often a cockrel who has been raised in a flock will have the older hens beating the snot out of him, so he's not as likely to be aggressive when he does start breeding.

 

[Poop Cleaner]

Could you defibe closed flock? How do I keep a clised flick without a rooster? I imagibe with eggs? Chicks probably do not count either?

 

[aart]

Could you defibe closed flock? How do I keep a clised flick without a rooster? I imagibe with eggs? Chicks probably do not count either?

Getting some hatching eggs is about the safest you're going to find.

 

[Poop Cleaner]

Do chicks count for a closed flock? I do have an incubator but eggs sound like something I am not ready to do right now.

 

[lazy gardener]

I will bring in day old chicks to my flock. But, even then, they are kept separated at least for a few days before integrating into the coop with the big birds.

 

[QueenMisha]

Could you defibe closed flock? How do I keep a clised flick without a rooster? I imagibe with eggs? Chicks probably do not count either?

Closed flock means you do not ever bring in any birds of any kind. Maintaining a closed flock is a sure way to avoid disease, but with proper quarantine procedure I wouldn't say it's necessary, unless you are a well established or NPIP verified breeder. Proper quarantine procedure means the birds are in a completely separate area for 2-4 weeks after purchase and a "canary" from your own flock is housed with them to detect disease. They should be wormed and treated for external parasites.

 

[Poop Cleaner]

Would I need to see a vet to treat for external parasites and to worm or are there over the counter methods?

 

[lazy gardener]

There are over the counter meds for external parasites. Some folks worm their chickens on a schedule. IMO, I'm raising chickens so that my eggs are free of any chemicals that don't need to be there, and if I don't see any signs of worms, I'm not going to medicate.

 

[Poop Cleaner]

There are over the counter meds for external parasites.  Some folks worm their chickens on a schedule.  IMO, I'm raising chickens so that my eggs are free of any chemicals that don't need to be there, and if I don't see any signs of worms, I'm not going to medicate.  

That is a good point too. I can see why you do closed flock.

As for worming, I always thought you cannot treat worms unkess you know what worms are affecting them? How woukd you go about it on a schedule?

 

[lazy gardener]

I NEVER WOULD. I'm just telling you what you may hear as advice from other readers. IMO, it's not uncommon for a low parasite load. Our society is germophobic, and that same fear also applies to parasites in animals. I see to it that my birds have access to free range. There are many anti-helminthic plants out there that they will self medicate with as needed. Some include garlic, oregano, pumpkin seeds, wormwood, stiff grass blades. If your flock is regularly culled to remove the less thrifty birds, you may never see signs of worms. If I DID have a problem that was not solved by culling, I might use garlic, pumpkin seeds and Basic H soap. Soap has been used by farmers for hundreds of years. But it wasn't the garbage we use today when we wash dishes (all the antibacterial chemicals in it). As a matter of fact, the farmer's wife would always dump her dish pan outside after washing dishes. That soap nourished the plants it landed on, and the little bits of soapy food at the bottom of the pan was eagerly eaten by the chickens.