Dominique Thread!

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Perfect rooster

My rooster, from Cackle stock

Good looking roo. How old?

 

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What breed would be a good flockmate for doms? I'm thinking of adding australorps since I hear they're docile (great egg layers too). But I feel like Wellies would be a good fit if I wanted to go down a different route. Thoughts?

 

[JacobandMeagan]

Here is a better picture

 

[abbevilleoz]

What breed would be a good flockmate for doms? I'm thinking of adding australorps since I hear they're docile (great egg layers too). But I feel like Wellies would be a good fit if I wanted to go down a different route. Thoughts?

I'm looking to raise/hatch my first Doms but I have raised all of the following hens together with no problems: EE, BO, RIR, BSL, WPR, and SLW.
That's as for hens. The calmest rooster I've raised was a BO as for LF.

 

[Poop Cleaner]

I'm looking to raise/hatch my first Doms but I have raised all of the following hens together with no problems: EE, BO, RIR, BSL, WPR, and SLW.
That's as for hens. The calmest rooster I've raised was a BO as for LF.

This is my first flock and they are all doing fine. My Dominique is the head hen. Very firm but fair. The Barred Rock is number three and more mean to the ones below. That seems to be how it goes though in flocks/herds.

Dominique, RIR, BR, BO, 2 EE's, 2 Ameraucanas, Andalusian, BSL.

I personally do not care for the EE's or Ameraucanas. Too dramatic and fussy. I like the rest though.

 

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This is my first flock and they are all doing fine. My Dominique is the head hen. Very firm but fair. The Barred Rock is number three and more mean to the ones below. That seems to be how it goes though in flocks/herds.

Dominique, RIR, BR, BO, 2 EE's, 2 Ameraucanas, Andalusian, BSL.

I personally do not care for the EE's or Ameraucanas. Too dramatic and fussy. I like the rest though.[/quote]

I'm impressed that a Dom is at the top of the pecking order next to the likes of a RIR and BR. I would've never thought that it would be that way. But then again acouple of my doms are pretty bossy to my other doms.

 

[Faraday40]

My Dom is the youngest in the flock & just started laying. I see that she no longer hangs back when treats are coming. Perhaps she'll be moving up from the bottom of the pecking order. (I have mostly orps, 2 EEs, a legbar, & 2 bantams.)

 

[JediJinx]

Have no fear about your young dom eggs. As pullets their eggs will be small, but after about a few months of laying, they do get larger. All of my dom eggs are in the large range (I have an eggs scale) but usually I hear medium is the norm. They are laying every day the first year, nearly every day the 2nd year and then less as they grow older. Color ranges, white or purple speckles are common, some have sheen some are matte, some are brown some tan some crème.

 

[MeeMa Brown]

My Dominique hen gets along with my Speckled Sussex, Buff Orpington, Golden Compine and Rhode island reds. She is not on bottom of their order and i do wish for more Dominiques!

 

[JediJinx]

Also, I wanted to share my experience with doms vs their flock mates. Doms are definitely the leaders no matter what else I have in there with them, except my American games which I keep away from everyone else. The doms will chest butt anyone doesn't matter if its young pullet against a full grown rooster of larger breed. However they are not mean or pecky, very fair. The older hens are much more reasonable than the pullets.

With this said, it is important to choose flock mates that are not overly shy - Ameraucana and olive egger was a poor choice and we got rid of them, they just couldn't hold their own with the doms. I would NOT put silkies in with them, or probably even orpingtons unless you have lots of space or free range them. Australorps prob ok, also Marans which were a good match. I keep mine with Buckeyes now and it is a very good match.

My doms are not overly tame (except those I got from another breeder), they do allow me to pet them when they're on their roost at bedtime, but if I have to pick one up, the males are no problem but the girls say "talk to the wing!" and dash away. I raised them all and handled as chicks daily but they grew out of their tameness at puberty. I guess they are used to getting away from the boys!!

ETA - about boys, I just trimmed my flock down to only 3 roosters, all doms now and I have to say I cant be more pleased with the dom roosters, they do not fight, the orig cock is so even tempered he is happy to share his favorite wives with his sons and if he does have a problem with anything, he just walks up and the son runs off, no fighting. They are level headed around the kids too.