Dominique Thread!

[Sylvester017]

My 3 Dom pullets are all becoming the most likely to come and mill around my feet when i visit them. Interesting, as I never put any effort into socializing these chicks, like i did last year's girls. I find that all chicks become much more friendly as they approach POL.

From chickhood these gals are outgoing, curious, friendly, talkative, and actually seem to CRAVE human interaction. I've had other breed chicks but none so adorably sociable as a Dom. Until you have a Dom it's hard to get people to understand what we're talking about. My Ameraucana (my avatar) comes close to personableness and easy to handle but the Dom is the winner for being the most outgoing. Sometimes BRs who have their founding history from Doms can be friendly but with so much game bird bred into BRs to make them larger you don't always get a consistent personality from BRs. But the Dom pullets are consistently the best personalities.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

I went to the California State Fair Fur and Feathers show today and was surprised at how few chickens and other poultry had been entered. There were three Dominique bantams, to cocks and one hen or pullet, all in superb condition.
.
I was amazed at the poor condition of some of the other entries - birds who had been severely pecked above the tail, birds with broken and missing feathers, etc.

 

[lazy gardener]

I haven't found that with my 2 years of Dom experience. I've found them to be a bit aloof, but am not the least put off by that. It may keep them alive an other day to fill my egg basket, where the most friendly hens may end up being lunch. My most friendly hen is, (insert gasp here) my production RIR. I really don't like RIR! And, i do believe that a lot of her friendliness is based on food drive. She's also the alpha b!*(h. Rules the rest of the flock with an iron wing, and only plays nice with her minion. (a home hatched BSL) They're always together, sharing tidbits.

 

[Delight in Dominiques]

I went to the California State Fair Fur and Feathers show today and was surprised at how few chickens and other poultry had been entered. There were three Dominique bantams, to cocks and one hen or pullet, all in superb condition.
.
I was amazed at the poor condition of some of the other entries - birds who had been severely pecked above the tail, birds with broken and missing feathers, etc.

. Fairs are usually the starting point for a lot of 4-H and FFA kids. They have limited knowledge, stock and or space to condition birds. Some get serious and go on to become competitive in open show. I seen some just enjoy a layer project to others raise and breed their own exhibition birds.

 

[Sylvester017]

I went to the California State Fair Fur and Feathers show today and was surprised at how few chickens and other poultry had been entered. There were three Dominique bantams, to cocks and one hen or pullet, all in superb condition.
.
I was amazed at the poor condition of some of the other entries - birds who had been severely pecked above the tail, birds with broken and missing feathers, etc.

Ordinary folks that don't know a whole lot about chickens enter in these fairs. That condition alone keeps me from attending because if the chickens are in that poor condition who knows what other precautions the owners didn't take in the health of their poultry. I don't want to pick up and bring home some unknown condition to my own flock.

 

[Sylvester017]

I haven't found that with my 2 years of Dom experience. I've found them to be a bit aloof, but am not the least put off by that. It may keep them alive an other day to fill my egg basket, where the most friendly hens may end up being lunch. My most friendly hen is, (insert gasp here) my production RIR. I really don't like RIR! And, i do believe that a lot of her friendliness is based on food drive. She's also the alpha b!*(h. Rules the rest of the flock with an iron wing, and only plays nice with her minion. (a home hatched BSL) They're always together, sharing tidbits.

RIRs, BRs, Wyans, BOs, Lorps are notoriously dominant just from their sheer size. Not necessarily mean although that can happen too but they are dominant personalities. Although friendly to humans these larger hens can be bullies to smaller gentler flockmates.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

. Fairs are usually the starting point for a lot of 4-H and FFA kids. They have limited knowledge, stock and or space to condition birds. Some get serious and go on to become competitive in open show. I seen some just enjoy a layer project to others raise and breed their own exhibition birds.

No, this was the open show. The 4-H kids and FFA kids at the county shows - Alameda and San Mateo - had much better and better conditioned entries than the State Fair Open. There were some well conditioned birds - a White Rock, some Australorps and Game Fowl among others - in addition to the Dominiques; but the number with missing and broken feathers was really surprising.

My husband commented that if they had a "Utility" class, our three year old Black Star would have won hands down given her vitality.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

RIRs, BRs, Wyans, BOs, Lorps are notoriously dominant just from their sheer size. Not necessarily mean although that can happen too but they are dominant personalities. Although friendly to humans these larger hens can be bullies to smaller gentler flockmates.

Leghorns are the worst, in my experience, and they aren't that large. They are the most aggressive, cannibalistic birds I have ever kept. Ten to twenty birds in around 2,000 square feet and more and they still hunted down the lower ranking members of the flock and tried to eat their toes off. I had to beak trim them over and over just to stop the bloodshed (the method I use permits the beak to grow back - it involves only the removal of the sharp tip area.) II told my husband if he wants me to get rid of the flock after one year of lay, all he has to do is bring me commercial white Leghorn chicks. My attitude towards them as they head for the stew pot is "Hallelujah! Once less of them."

 

[87jmchugh]

Here are a few pictures of our 25+ first flock! Its amazing much they have grown in just 5 months!!!

Sage and Marcy

Sage, Marcy, and Yolanda

Nezbit our Roo!

Nezbit *5 months old*

The flock the first week home!



Nez the cockerel was marked with red on his head when he first arrived! *hes next the the #8*

As first time chicken owners we have experienced a heavy feed volume but otherwise *fingers crossed* no known problems have arose. And everyone is doing very well! We let them out in their covered run every morning, and lock them in every night! Healthy and safe and all is well thus far. Am getting a bit impatient for egg laying season to begin!! I just cant wait to see whats in store. I may just have to let them hatch a couple just for the sake of it. DH would have to go without knowing until it just happened that we had a few extra mouths to feed. hehehe! Thats all for now. Im done ranting and gloating! Thanks all!

 

[PheasantsFirst]

Webby outside this evening and noticed a few dominiques having out ON my pheasant pens.

it's hard to see but they are there, the of them.