Dominique Thread!

[MeeMa Brown]

Thanks for input !

 

[THeelChickinKY]

@Faraday40
Those pictures make my heart sing, really. If people had any idea how smart a chicken can be, how they can have true friendships like the one those pictures clearly show, they would be very surprised - and probably unable to support the commercial egg laying industry.

 

[Faraday40]

@Faraday40
Those pictures make my heart sing, really. If people had any idea how smart a chicken can be, how they can have true friendships like the one those pictures clearly show, they would be very surprised - and probably unable to support the commercial egg laying industry.

Thanks. I feel most people simply don't know. Growing up in the suburbs, I never thought much about my food. When I decided to leave my teaching job & start a new career as "full-time" mom, I started a mini garden. Over the years it grew, some herb, berries, a few fruit trees, etc. Then when I taught a sci camp, we hatched some eggs. The barnyard mix chicks were so unlike the fluffy, skittish, dust generators that I had always hatched at school. (aka Leghorns) We decided to build a coop & have loved chickens ever since. I find myself always inventing/building/recycling new feeders, waterers, doors, ramps, brooders, toys (boredom buster activities), fences, etc. It takes a lot of time & creativity. I can't imagine all the effort those with larger animals like goats, sheep, horses, & cows must give. It's given me a whole new perspective. Someone living on a small farm & providing most of their own family's food must be not only dedicated but creative, disciplined, intelligent, & very resourceful. As for me, we live in the suburbs. Having other livestock is out of the question, but we love our flock.

 

[THeelChickinKY]

It is a wonderful life on the farm, isn't it, and so good for the kids. I agree - I was never around farming growing up and now as an adult, I hope to make sure my son sees those connections. We, too, started with a garden, which led into chickens, and this past summer we started out with four sheep. The whole thing is just so rewarding - and addictive!

 

[Poop Cleaner]

When do Dominique chicks lose the spot on their heads to help you sex them? Is this method of sexing reliable? Does anyone know at what age it isn't anymore? The local feed store has some Dominique chicks that are supposed to be 96% hen but I see some large yellow spots in there that look like they might be cockerels. I don't really want to end up with a male. Thanks!

 

[Sylvester017]

When do Dominique chicks lose the spot on their heads to help you sex them? Is this method of sexing reliable? Does anyone know at what age it isn't anymore? The local feed store has some Dominique chicks that are supposed to be 96% hen but I see some large yellow spots in there that look like they might be cockerels. I don't really want to end up with a male. Thanks!

Pullet chicks will have a tighter white dot on top of their head where the cockerel chicks have more spread out splashes of white on their head/neck. The pullets will also have darker leg and toe splotches where the cockerels will have little or no dark splotches.
Pullet - tight white dot top of head with dark shanks/toes.
Cockerel - more splashy white spread on the head/neck and less to no dark shanks/toes.

This is a fairly reliable way to sex the Dom chicks but usually best done when the chicks are less than 2 weeks old.

 

[Poop Cleaner]

Thank you! I read in the barred rock thread that you can look at wing barring as well. Does this apply to Dominiques too?

 

[Sylvester017]

Thank you! I read in the barred rock thread that you can look at wing barring as well. Does this apply to Dominiques too?

Have not heard that one about wing barring on small chicks as it sounds like something to use as ID on older juveniles. As Dom chicks get older the females stay darker feathering while the males feather out lighter. Since BRs were created out of the original Dominiques I imagine the same sexing rule applies to most barred breeds of chickens.

 

[Poop Cleaner]

Thank you. Do dominiques feather out more quickly than the other heritage breeds? I am wondering how long i have to keep these guys inside.

 

[Sylvester017]

Thank you. Do dominiques feather out more quickly than the other heritage breeds? I am wondering how long i have to keep these guys inside.

Usually by 8 weeks they have all hard feathers. In warmer weather some people put their chicks out in their own coop outside at 5 to 6 weeks. It all depends on how well secured the outside housing is, how protected from drafts, that they aren't integrated with older birds until 5 or 6 months old. It's just my rule of thumb but do what you think is safe and secure for your region. Your gut tells you what you think is right or not.

I go nuts with just one or two birds indoors before integrating outdoors. How many chicks do you have or plan to have?