Dominique Thread!

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Thank you.  I've been continuing to handle him and he's not changing towards me at all.  The day after he kept insisting on getting onto my lap, he tried again when I sat outside and I let him.  He just nestled down to stay for a while without me holding him there and I sat there petting him until he hopped down.  He really does just seem to like the attention.  A few days ago I saw him charge at a piece of firewood with his hackles raised, trying to spar with it but it was obviously non-responsive so he gave up and picked around for bugs.  He hasn't gone for any of the girls like that and if he's going to challenge anything, I'm glad he's choosing inanimate objects hahaha.  This morning I heard a noise like something between a fog horn and a cow mooing and I'm pretty sure that was an attempt at crowing because we don't have any cows in the neighborhood and it was clear skies so no fog horns were sounding.  I also saw him trying to get close to a few of the girls on and off throughout the day but when they resisted, he let them go and would try getting close to someone else.  This is the first I'm seeing this behavior but I think he's making wise choices, especially considering all of my hens are between 1.5 and 7 years old and are unlikely to tolerate anything less than gentlemanly behavior from him and are great about looking out for each other.  I have no doubt that if and when he gets too fresh, he's bound to have one or two hens chasing him off.  He also doesn't seem to like the honking noise they make when he does get near one when they don't want him to and it stops him from pursuing her further. I didn't realize that they have a reputation for being aggressive.  This guy seems anything but.  Hopefully we can make it through what I think is the worst part of keeping a rooster without overly drastic changes in his demeanor as I really would hate to see him go.     

Interesting note on challenging inanimate objects. When they're experiencing their "puberty" they have different ways of expressing themselves. I told you that mine kept pecking all the hens away from food and during dust-bathing. Your guy likes to charge, but probably won't translate to aggression toward humans. Some people believe that handling a rooster may make him worse, I personally don't accept that claim. I've had my guy since he was a chick and Imve demonstrated to him that I am to be trusted (e.g. I feed him, don't touch his ladies, haven't put anyone in harm or danger). Chickens sense this, especially since they're social animals, they know that they don't have to worry if you've proven time and time again that you are their to help, and not a threat. You can pet and hold him all day long or never touch a feather, it's how you behave toward your rooster and his personal genetics that will ultimately decide who he is when he's grown up.

 

[jbraswell]

Anyone in NC? I am ISO dominique chicks. Or can anyone tell me where to buy them.

 

[islandgirl82]

Quote:
I haven't noticed my boy charging at anything/one since the one time with the piece of firewood. He did come flying out of the run towards me once but I was rushing towards the coop taking the head count when I heard the distinctive warning call of one of my hens. As soon as we saw each other, we both stopped, he started to drop a wing and took a side-step towards me but I just stood there looking at him and talking to him and he turned and walked off. It occurred to me that he must have been protecting someone on the nest and sure enough, when I opened the coop door, a hen was in there. He did drop a wing at me a couple of mornings in a row but I'd walk straight towards him (unarmed) and herd him where I wanted him and he hasn't done it since. He also spent his first few days once he started mating not having any interest in attention from me and I let him keep his distance but after a few days he was back to getting on my lap and getting close for neck and chest rubs and even to be picked up. We have a mutual respect and he's great with the hens - he's so subtle and gentle with mating, one might think he'd been at it for years instead of the being the typical clumsy adolescent. Handling the girls is a big part of our flock - keeping and I make sure to do so daily and in front of him so he can see that we aren't going to hurt them. He pays us no attention when we do. To top it off, he's fantastic with my kids and will let them pick him up and pet him as well. He finally started crowing and he's very soft-spoken when he does. He also only crows a few times in the morning and that's it - very quiet which makes hearing him seem more like a novelty.

 

[Sylvester017]

Anyone in NC? I am ISO dominique chicks. Or can anyone tell me where to buy them.

I hope you can find some. I was at my local feed store (SoCalif) that had Dominiques listed for sale. I went to their barn where they keep the birds from juveniles to adults and not one Dom was left -- plenty of EEs, RIRs, White Rocks, Delawares, BRs, and Sexlinks, but not a single Dom left!!! New birds won't start coming in until Spring now.

 

[Alaskan]

Anyone in NC? I am ISO dominique chicks. Or can anyone tell me where to buy them.

On the Dominique club website you can join the club for I think just $10, and then you can look through their list of breeders, see if anyone is close.

 

[jbraswell]

Thank you

 

[Chaos18]

What do you guys look for in Dom pullets as far as breed SOP?

 

[jbraswell]

I havent been able to find any in my area without having to order from a hatchery. And the two i have now both look like roos.

 

[Chaos18]

Anyone in NC? I am ISO dominique chicks. Or can anyone tell me where to buy them.

She's in NC.

http://www.nantahala-farm.com/

 

[Alaskan]

What do you guys look for in Dom pullets as far as breed SOP?

I try to find ones that match this picture:

It is pretty difficult to match that photo. Most Doms are too fluffy by far, and are too white and black verses a very light gray and charcoal.

I haven't had too much trouble with a good body shape. However a nice comb and SMALL wattles on the male are also difficult to get.

To be honest I haven't cared yet about leg color and beak color.... I think the other points are more important.