Dominique Thread!

[Faraday40]

Are those from dom eggs? If so, how did you get those nice dark orange yolks? I've heard people say to use purina layena feed, however I'm on my second bag of it and my eggs are still pale yellow. Thanks.

Nutrena Nature Wise Layer Feed gives nice, dark, golden yolks & strong shells, but letting them eat grass, bugs, etc makes them even better. I sometimes switch to a cheaper brand in spring, but I notice my hens don't eat enough oyster shell on their own. I prefer strong shells. Although Country Feeds is also made by Nutrena, I have found that my birds just do better on the NatureWise. I've never been able to find Layena, so I can't comment on that brand.

 

[Sylvester017]

I did not know that. Although I would say that my rooster falls into that minority (he doesn't have the spike at the top of his comb, and his wattles are just slightly asymmetrical). However, I do not know about my hens. It may be that some of them have a nice back but maybe I can post pics sometime for you guys to see since I know nothing about that. I know that 4/6 of the hens have the spike at the top of their comb, one has an underbite and is smaller than the rest, and they all seem to be pretty dark in coloring. Probably not the greatest gene pool but they are very docile, friendly, and adventerous.

If you're not planning to breed for show or sales it's not a problem. But if you plan on breeding for show, 4H, or selling hatching eggs/chicks, then flaws would be a problem. From what I understand on this thread is that Doms sometimes don't have the leader (spike) whether it never grew, got chewed off, or frostbite, whatever, and for SOP it seems to be a requirement. It's mind-boggling how many 100's of birds breeders must cull to get just a few good stock to perpetuate. And as customers we have to realize not every bird we buy from a show breeder, backyard breeder, or hatchery is going to be perfect breeder stock. Two beautiful show birds might produce as many dud chicks as good chicks. Thus, you see the term "cull heavily" when breeding for SOP. Because I don't show or breed I don't mind a "cull" as long as its breed is recognizable and has no gross malformations. My priority after an obviously healthy bird is that it has the temperament and qualities I need in my backyard flock. There are several SOP qualities I love about Doms but in the end for me I want the sweet temperament, lightweight bird, that doesn't exhaust herself laying her pretty brown medium eggs

I'm a sucker for making a pet out of any animal we add to the yard and Dom has been a most fun bird for us.

 

[blueclip]

Here is one with not quite a U-shaped back. Comb looks like something you might make into a sandwich. Tail coming in OK as feathers being replaced. Color light which a good 1/3 of mine to much so. He grew fast and has good weight.

Show us your best rooster. The one that is closest to the SOP.

 

[centrarchid]

First cock of my breeding that got into breeding pen.

Son of cock above produced by inbreeding to full sister.

Male offspring of both coming into full feather now with one of first and two of second in line of breeding pens in 2016.


EDIT: Delight in Dominiques noted she suspects Barred Plymouth Rock in the background of her birds. Supposedly mine have game in their background that causes the occasional production of white sports. I may have weeded out the white sport gene. In my opinion, my birds with respect to type on hen side look more like they have Barred Plymouth Rock in their background although my birds are not coarse when it comes to bone structure. Also some of mine look as if countershaded where the ventral half of males appears darker than the dorsal half. Birds I am choosing for breeding pen are on average more uniform in that regard.

 

[Alaskan]

Very nice birds. Does the son always carry his wing that low? Or just in that photo? Or maybe I am seeing it wrong.

His dad's wing is up higher.

I actually like a sharp color contrast... Males light, females dark,

 

[centrarchid]

Very nice birds. Does the son always carry his wing that low? Or just in that photo? Or maybe I am seeing it wrong.

His dad's wing is up higher.

I actually like a sharp color contrast... Males light, females dark,

The first cock is in heightened alert status where tail held up more than typical and he was getting ready to crow. He is also facing a little away from camera making U-shape on back look V-shaped.


Second I think was half-way cutting a wing for bird you cannot see on other side of him. Nprmally wing angle on my birds is pretty good.


Contrast too great with some of mine. As chicks the males have a very silvery down. I am trying to select for overall darker color in males which also related to stronger contrast between light and dark bars on a given feather.

 

[Sylvester017]

First cock of my breeding that got into breeding pen.

I always enjoy your posts, pix, and info about Doms.

Son of cock above produced by inbreeding to full sister.

You mentioned that you would like to lessen the white in the males. In your show males was the "white" ever something the judges critiqued or is that your personal SOP goal?


EDIT: Delight in Dominiques noted she suspects Barred Plymouth Rock in the background of her birds. Supposedly mine have game in their background that causes the occasional production of white sports. If info I researched on the background of BRs is factual it was suggested that Malay and possibly Indian Game (Cornish) were crossbred to make the BRs useful as a heavier more dual purpose breed to eliminate broodiness and improve the lighterweight structure of their Dom history/ancestry. I may have weeded out the white sport gene. A while back on the old American Dominique site a mention was made about white sports but it was a color that wasn't purposely bred. On feathersite.com there are photos of White Doms but their type in the photos sure doesn't look Dom at all. In my opinion, my birds with respect to type on hen side look more like they have Barred Plymouth Rock in their background although my birds are not coarse when it comes to bone structure. Also some of mine look as if countershaded where the ventral half of males appears darker than the dorsal half. Birds I am choosing for breeding pen are on average more uniform in that regard. TY! for breeding to keep the Doms in their most original ancestral form.

 

[hellbender]

Cornish would do nothing to dampen the broodiness in any breed they might be crossed into. Would almost certainly augment the broodiness.

 

[Sylvester017]

Cornish would do nothing to dampen the broodiness in any breed they might be crossed into. Would almost certainly augment the broodiness.

I believe the Cornish would be used to add meatiness while the Malay would be used for a bigger skeletal structure and eliminate broodiness. Different crossbreedings produce different results until the breeder is satisfied with the final outcome.

 

[hellbender]

I believe the Cornish would be used to add meatiness while the Malay would be used for a bigger skeletal structure and eliminate broodiness. Different crossbreedings produce different results until the breeder is satisfied with the final outcome.

OKAY!!