The one pullet with the dimpled comb and the darkest pullets are all from the same breeder, also the breeder of cockerel #57, a bird that I think is too dark but he has other good qualities, so we're still on the fence about him.
Dominique Thread!
- Thread starter Dixiedoodle
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The lightness or darkness for me not a problem so long as it breeds true and does not compromise utility of flock. Some of my flock of show origin seems too light in coloration. Same birds also have feathers that are more narrow, long and loose fitting giving the fluffy butt look. Do not know if color and feather shape function of same cause.
The lightness or darkness for me not a problem so long as it breeds true and does not compromise utility of flock. Some of my flock of show origin seems too light in coloration. Same birds also have feathers that are more narrow, long and loose fitting giving the fluffy butt look. Do not know if color and feather shape function of same cause.
We aren't too concerned with the darkness right now, the main thing we want to avoid is getting too much of it in the flock - so we don't have birds with black. Several of the pullets from that order of chicks had true black on their legs, and a few even had black on the combs, and black/very dark wing feathers (some with no barring on the wings at all). So now we're playing it a bit more careful with those pullets that remain from that line, to make sure they're bred to better colored birds whenever the choice is available and the offspring are as well, to clean up the barring. The Washington pullets are dark as well, but the cockerels from that line have much better coloring, so those pullets don't worry us as much.
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At least one of the commercial hatchery lines has something bred into them to enable feather sexing at hatch. Whatever that was I think had lots of black in it which pops up now and again.
At least one of the commercial hatchery lines has something bred into them to enable feather sexing at hatch. Whatever that was I think had lots of black in it which pops up now and again.
- Jan 14, 2008
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I find it difficult to look at these pictures & then assemble the bird in my mind. Single photos of each bird, taken closer so the bird is larger in the frame would work better for me.
I did not attempt to look at all the pictures but I did see some birds with type I liked. They had proper top line unlike so many that have been pictured here with long flat backs.
You obviously have some comb issuea to resolve.
I find it difficult to look at these pictures & then assemble the bird in my mind. Single photos of each bird, taken closer so the bird is larger in the frame would work better for me.
I did not attempt to look at all the pictures but I did see some birds with type I liked. They had proper top line unlike so many that have been pictured here with long flat backs.
You obviously have some comb issuea to resolve.
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Thanks for the tip about the photos. We will try on our next photo shoot to get more up-close photos and just one from the side. These birds have never been inside the greenhouse before, and they were all a bit on edge, though a few of the hens were totally unphased and went straight to scratching in all that yummy compost.
There are a few pullets in here with too long/flat of back, but these also happen to be some of the best layers or have other traits we want to use later, so we haven't culled them just yet, but they will be in the main hen house for eating eggs only. I'll post what we observed later on this morning to see if anyone agrees with our observations
Thanks for the tip about the photos. We will try on our next photo shoot to get more up-close photos and just one from the side. These birds have never been inside the greenhouse before, and they were all a bit on edge, though a few of the hens were totally unphased and went straight to scratching in all that yummy compost.
There are a few pullets in here with too long/flat of back, but these also happen to be some of the best layers or have other traits we want to use later, so we haven't culled them just yet, but they will be in the main hen house for eating eggs only. I'll post what we observed later on this morning to see if anyone agrees with our observations
- Jul 14, 2009
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Walltenters thanks for posting those pics. Enjoyed them.
- Jul 14, 2009
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I was wondering, does anyone have any idea as to dimensions on an SOP Dominique? If you were going to sculpt, or build, a Dominique per the standard, what measurements would you use?
I would find these values most helpful.
I would find these values most helpful.
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I've also listed the pubic bone spread of these pullets, as well as their approx. weight. (we didn't plan on taking weights until the last minute, so the scale we used is a bit large for a chicken and only accurate to 1/4lb). We noticed a few of the pullets were in slightly poor condition - this is probably from the stress of their recent move, so we've added some more goodies to their food and will be watching them closely and checking condition and weight next month.
Pullets (If only they were all as nice as Bill's! Drool!)
Right #01
We like this pullet best of the bunch pictured here. She has decent type, comb and color, and has a nice well spread tail. 2 solid fingers, 5lbs, hatched late February.
Right #02
A little long in the back? Nervous temperament. Downward slope to back but tail held too high. Tighter 2 fingers, 5lbs, hatched late February.
Right #03
Tail held much too high, pinched tail, terrible comb, narrow. In poor condition - may be from stress from the move (monitor). 1.5 fingers, 4.5lbs, hatched early July.
Right #04
Slightly narrow, dark legs, too barred-rock-ish in type, but has slightly downward sloping back. Wings too high? Could use better condition. 2 fingers, 4lbs, hatched early July.
Right #05
Small breast? Nice capacity, good width but longer and flatter in the back. Excellent comb, but smooth. 2 solid fingers, 5lbs, hatched late February.
Right #06
Longer in the back, tail held too high, nice comb but smooth. Not as good of capacity, smaller hen. 1.5 fingers, 4.5lbs, hatched late February.
Right #07
Overall body shape is good. Bad comb, masculine head. Dark. 2.5 fingers, 4.5lbs, hatched early July.
Right #08
Very dark, narrow tail, body shape from the side okay. 2 fingers, 4lbs, hatched early July.
Left #08
Single comb, dark, good body shape (better in person). 2.5 fingers, 4.5lbs, hatched late July/early August.
Right #09
Tail too high, smaller hen, nervous, bad comb - hollow + spike off to one side. 2 fingers, 3.5lbs, hatched early July.
Right #10
Very bad comb, but body type is good and color is better than other pullets of her hatching. Wings a little too high? Good capacity. Almost 3 fingers, 4lbs, hatched early July.
^^ We will be keeping and breeding this female to better combed males. If her poor comb passes through, we will have to cull, but she is an outstanding egg layer and in person is a very nice hen, other than her comb.
Right #11
Poor coloring, less capacity, comb spike goes to the side. 1.5 fingers, 4lbs, hatched early July.
Left #80
Tail not carried high enough. Comb otherwise good but spike does not go up. Dark. 2 fingers, 4lbs, hatched late July/early August.
Left #81
Dark, good capacity but narrow. Comb spike does not go up but is otherwise okay. Check again in 2mo. 2.5 fingers, 5lbs, hatched late July/early August.
Cockerels
#57
Coarser comb, great width and capacity, a little long in the back but he's young so we'll watch him. Nice tail width, hatched early July.
#58
Comb follows head, dark tail feather, not as wide as #57 but is a smaller bird. Hatched late February.
>> we do have a few chicks from this cockerel, none of them have (so far, knock on wood) a spike that follows their head. We will be crossing one of his cockerels over one of his pullets to see if the trait shows up in the next generation. This cockerel is also probably too light weight for the standard. He spends all of his time feeding the hens and doesn't eat nearly as much as the others.
We did these two cockerels first and didn't get weights on them.
Let us know if you see that any of these comments are totally off-wall or have questions about why we wrote what we did!
Also GallusFarms- what an excellent idea! I've seen this for RIRs, but never for Dominiques.
I've also listed the pubic bone spread of these pullets, as well as their approx. weight. (we didn't plan on taking weights until the last minute, so the scale we used is a bit large for a chicken and only accurate to 1/4lb). We noticed a few of the pullets were in slightly poor condition - this is probably from the stress of their recent move, so we've added some more goodies to their food and will be watching them closely and checking condition and weight next month.
Pullets (If only they were all as nice as Bill's! Drool!)
Right #01
We like this pullet best of the bunch pictured here. She has decent type, comb and color, and has a nice well spread tail. 2 solid fingers, 5lbs, hatched late February.
Right #02
A little long in the back? Nervous temperament. Downward slope to back but tail held too high. Tighter 2 fingers, 5lbs, hatched late February.
Right #03
Tail held much too high, pinched tail, terrible comb, narrow. In poor condition - may be from stress from the move (monitor). 1.5 fingers, 4.5lbs, hatched early July.
Right #04
Slightly narrow, dark legs, too barred-rock-ish in type, but has slightly downward sloping back. Wings too high? Could use better condition. 2 fingers, 4lbs, hatched early July.
Right #05
Small breast? Nice capacity, good width but longer and flatter in the back. Excellent comb, but smooth. 2 solid fingers, 5lbs, hatched late February.
Right #06
Longer in the back, tail held too high, nice comb but smooth. Not as good of capacity, smaller hen. 1.5 fingers, 4.5lbs, hatched late February.
Right #07
Overall body shape is good. Bad comb, masculine head. Dark. 2.5 fingers, 4.5lbs, hatched early July.
Right #08
Very dark, narrow tail, body shape from the side okay. 2 fingers, 4lbs, hatched early July.
Left #08
Single comb, dark, good body shape (better in person). 2.5 fingers, 4.5lbs, hatched late July/early August.
Right #09
Tail too high, smaller hen, nervous, bad comb - hollow + spike off to one side. 2 fingers, 3.5lbs, hatched early July.
Right #10
Very bad comb, but body type is good and color is better than other pullets of her hatching. Wings a little too high? Good capacity. Almost 3 fingers, 4lbs, hatched early July.
^^ We will be keeping and breeding this female to better combed males. If her poor comb passes through, we will have to cull, but she is an outstanding egg layer and in person is a very nice hen, other than her comb.
Right #11
Poor coloring, less capacity, comb spike goes to the side. 1.5 fingers, 4lbs, hatched early July.
Left #80
Tail not carried high enough. Comb otherwise good but spike does not go up. Dark. 2 fingers, 4lbs, hatched late July/early August.
Left #81
Dark, good capacity but narrow. Comb spike does not go up but is otherwise okay. Check again in 2mo. 2.5 fingers, 5lbs, hatched late July/early August.
Cockerels
#57
Coarser comb, great width and capacity, a little long in the back but he's young so we'll watch him. Nice tail width, hatched early July.
#58
Comb follows head, dark tail feather, not as wide as #57 but is a smaller bird. Hatched late February.
>> we do have a few chicks from this cockerel, none of them have (so far, knock on wood) a spike that follows their head. We will be crossing one of his cockerels over one of his pullets to see if the trait shows up in the next generation. This cockerel is also probably too light weight for the standard. He spends all of his time feeding the hens and doesn't eat nearly as much as the others.
We did these two cockerels first and didn't get weights on them.
Let us know if you see that any of these comments are totally off-wall or have questions about why we wrote what we did!
Also GallusFarms- what an excellent idea! I've seen this for RIRs, but never for Dominiques.
I am partial to one shown as right 08. My preference based long flight feathers and tight contour / body feathers. Weight a tad low.
http://www.greyclick.com/dominiques/flock_020411/008_020410_H04.jpg
How reliable of an indicator is the pelvis width (fingers) for egg production?
http://www.greyclick.com/dominiques/flock_020411/008_020410_H04.jpg
How reliable of an indicator is the pelvis width (fingers) for egg production?
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