Dominique Thread!

[Lois from KY]

Very good looking boy......poor Roscoe doesn't have any tail feathers because the other roosters kept them pulled out. Hopefully with there not being any roosters with the hens now except Roscoe they'll grow back in soon

 

[Sylvester017]

Hi everyone--

I just bought 9 dom chicks a month ago and I have 6 pullets and three cockerels. I am going to get rid of two males and keep one but my question is: are dominique roosters calm and nice just like the hens? I let mine free range and spend a lot of time with them and pet them. I also received these guys from a breeder and even saw their parents. What do you think?

Our cockerels were always pets as juveniles before putting outdoors. I've not had a Dom roo but have had a Breda roo and a Silkie roo and my boys have always been nicer than the hens - UNLESS it is mating season or the roos are in protective mode of their harem then they might get a bit defensive. I've talked with other owners of roos who acknowledge the same. Of course, there's always an exception from individual to individual where a roo is just born with a mean streak or one that has fighting cock genes. In our case our boys were always nice with their girls and with us. Our cockerels were clumsy with mating until they matured when they got proficient and quick with less damage to the hen and we were able to handle the girls without the roos getting upset.

 

[BusyBearMama]

Anyone know where to get some good pullet chicks that ships? They wouldn't need to be perfect just for my egg pen and as pets

 

[Sylvester017]

Anyone know where to get some good pullet chicks that ships? They wouldn't need to be perfect just for my egg pen and as pets

Cackle Hatchery has their City/Town Specials of 3 pullets, 5 pullets, or 10 pullets - the price of the Specials includes shipping cost and show that Doms are not yet sold out. The prices are $50, 55. 66 respectively I believe. Mark Fields consulted Cackle on the improvement of their Dom LF and bantams so should be decent birds.

Getting a private breeder to ship Dom birds was next to impossible for me and some were downright snooty about shipping even a pet quality. I only could get Doms from Cackle or my feed store (gets his chicks from Privett in NM) because my experience has been private breeders have been reluctant to ship. Hope this helps - GL! Check your State Agrig office if there are any AI restrictions in effect for interstate poultry shipments.

 

[FarmerMac]

I need some advice from all of you that have Dominique chickens.
I have some roosters and I am trying to decide which one I should keep to breed with the hens. All of them are from the same batch. One of them has larger waddles and comb. He was the one to develop the fastest, had a bright red comb and waddles before the other ones. The others have a smaller comb and waddle. One of them has a straight comb. All of them have the same feather pattern except the one with the larger comb, his looks darker than the other ones.
Here are the pictures
This is the one with the biggest comb and waddles

This one has the straight comb

 

[Alaskan]

I need some advice from all of you that have Dominique chickens.
I have some roosters and I am trying to decide which one I should keep to breed with the hens. All of them are from the same batch. One of them has larger waddles and comb. He was the one to develop the fastest, had a bright red comb and waddles before the other ones. The others have a smaller comb and waddle. One of them has a straight comb. All of them have the same feather pattern except the one with the larger comb, his looks darker than the other ones.
For some reason I don't see the icons to add my pictures.

Well, keep trying to fiddle with the computer so we can see photos!

So many factors go into which rooster you should keep, tthe body shape is very important (many people say the body shape is most important).

You also want nice legs, the correct color, but also nice and squarely placed under the body, not too close together or knock kneed.

Also the tail angle....

Anyway, lots of things.

If you can post a nice side shot of each male, that would be great. A front shot so that you can see the leg set it helpful, as is a close up of the face/comb/ and wattles.

 

[FarmerMac]

Well, keep trying to fiddle with the computer so we can see photos!

So many factors go into which rooster you should keep, tthe body shape is very important (many people say the body shape is most important).

You also want nice legs, the correct color, but also nice and squarely placed under the body, not too close together or knock kneed.

Also the tail angle....

Anyway, lots of things.

If you can post a nice side shot of each male, that would be great. A front shot so that you can see the leg set it helpful, as is a close up of the face/comb/ and wattles.

I will take more pictures as you mentioned and post them

 

[JulesChicks]

Cackle Hatchery has their City/Town Specials of 3 pullets, 5 pullets, or 10 pullets - the price of the Specials includes shipping cost and show that Doms are not yet sold out. The prices are $50, 55. 66 respectively I believe. Mark Fields consulted Cackle on the improvement of their Dom LF and bantams so should be decent birds.

Getting a private breeder to ship Dom birds was next to impossible for me and some were downright snooty about shipping even a pet quality. I only could get Doms from Cackle or my feed store (gets his chicks from Privett in NM) because my experience has been private breeders have been reluctant to ship. Hope this helps - GL! Check your State Agrig office if there are any AI restrictions in effect for interstate poultry shipments.

Thanks for posting the question @BusyBearMama and for the answer Sylvester, as I've been meaning to ask this myself. I've been looking into Doms to add to my flock next Spring and considering hatching eggs and chicks. I had read here that Mark Fields has started consulting with Cackle Hatchery on their Dominique program - my question is, if he started consulting this year, how long before Cackle's stock is decent - well at least not the usual hatchery stock? Does anyone have any feedback on Nantahala Farms Doms - she sells hatching eggs only and is in NC. Or Gardienne Wings? They both have been on BYC in the past but I don't think they are regulars. I haven't found anything else with a google search. The next step is to become a member of the Dominique Club of America in order to get their breeder list- I'm just want to be 100% on Doms before I make that step. I don't mind starting with good quality hatchery stock as long as temperament is representative of the breed. Then if I know they work for my family I can take the time to find quality stock if I decide to breed them.

 

[Lois from KY]

Our rooster is a Dominique (here in Ky most folks call any chicken that has the black and white barring "Domineckers". Got to love southen folks
We also have 4 Dominique hens. One of my Black Jersey Giant hens hatched out 3 eggs a few weeks back at that time we had a big Buff Orpington rooster. So 2 of the chicks that were hatched out were half Dominique and half Buff orpington. I think they're going to make nice looking birds once they're mature. The 3rd one is full Dominique. At this point we think they're all going to be pullets. Or at least we hoping

Here is a pic of them....the 2 that have Buff Orpington and Dominique. My 7 year old niece named them for us. Moe, Curly and Harry(not Larry but Harry

And it doesn't matter what sex they are. We're still going to call them Moe, Curly and Harry.


These 2 are Moe and Curly

 

[JulesChicks]

Those are nice looking birds whatever they are