Dominique Thread!

[centrarchid]

Your first concerns are proper husbandry while they are in brooder. The more specific concerns to dominiques when they reach adulthood.

 

[genesis1verse1]

We just ordered 25 from TSC! This is our first venturing into chickens. If anybody has any advice or pointers I am open to suggestions. Thanks

Did you get all pullets or straight run? If straight run you will want to quickly identify cockerels so you can evaluate which are the best and cull the rest. I got a straight run of 15 last year and most of mine were stunted growth or bow legged, I am glad I got straight run now because it gave me options to select the best. Good luck on your chick raising.

 

[DraigAthar]

Thank You for your post and information, Centrarchid!

Anybody else want to chime in on: Anybody know how to get incubated, Dominique chicks, that are now laying hens 19-months old; to get broody?

A hen decides when she wants to go broody. Aside from providing her a decent place to do so, there's not much you can do to force her into it. Some breeds (and strains within a breed) are more broody than others. There's not much you can do about it aside from acquiring stock with some mothering instinct still intact and then selecting for it in your own breeding program.

 

[centrarchid]

With respect to culling, I would delay first round until they are at broiler stage unless you have infirm individuals. Also cull pullets that are slow or otherwise do not look proper. The next culling time for cockerels I reserve for when they come into adult feathers and start showing type. I am unable to assess type until birds have all feathers in and are past blood feather stage.

Look into methods for assessing carcass quality by handling live birds.


Watch pullets for egg production. Pullets coming into lay late relative to others can be culled. Egg size after a couple weeks of lay should be medium and color should be light brown. I have ability to assess how regular a given pullet lays so those that do not lay close to every day are also culled.

I mark all of my birds. Once culled, mark is removed even when bird not immediately removed from flock. This prevents them from being overwintered when feed most expensive and from getting into breeding pens.

During growout phase, getting juveniles (about 5 weeks post-hatch) into full adult feather I keep them free-range providing a restricted ration so they have to get out and forage for eats to grow fast. Some will fail to thrive owing to not handling a diet dominated by forages I have or have trouble with parasite burden. Both infirmity types can be penned, wormed and fed heavily with a flock grower prior to being dressed. Those requiring the early penning are thus culled.

 

[humboldtgrrl]

Our sweet and chatty Penguin, she has survived a dog attack and continues to be happy and healthy!

 

[Cowpoke]

Hello DraigAthar,

Thank You for your suggestions!

If Anybody else wants to chime in on: Anybody know how to get incubated, Dominique chicks, that are now laying hens 19-months old; to get broody, Please feel free to do so.

 

[Cooptopia]

For anyone and everyone interested, if you are not yet a member of the Dominique Club of America (DCA) there are lots of good reasons to do so. Check out all the benefits at the DCA website http://www.dominiqueclub.org/

One more incentive, if you join the club by 4/20 (paid membership) you will be automatically entered to with a brand new incubator from our friends at Farm Innovators (model 4200 Pro Series). So many other benefits as well, be sure to check it out!!!

 

[Cooptopia]

Here's the actual Incubator I have in hand.

 

[VictorB]

My Dom Cockerel.

 

[centrarchid]

My Dom Cockerel.

Tail held too high, likely because nervous. Calm him down prior to picture taking. I really like his comb, good and tight.