Dominique Thread!

[JDN]

Just wanted to say, that the Dominique pullet I have is far and away the friendliest, the favorite.

 

[Sylvester017]

Yes, to some might retain the shading. The SOP requires yellow shanks and toes.

The color of my chicks are hard for me to tell apart, it is very faint difference at hatch, but within a week it is very noticeable, I have to sex by the spot.

Also ( I read daily here but do not post a lot on this thread anymore) I recall someone saying the barring is more cuckoo on the DOm's than barred rocks. I do not find that to be the case with mine. The barring is pretty consistent and constant over the body of both sexes. I got my DOM's from Duane Urch a few years ago. They have served me well at the shows. (I wanted to list the place I got them because people ask what line they are and I have no idea)

Once upon a time I read that hatcheries crossed BRs w/Doms to make Doms better layers but I haven't a clue where that information originated or even if it's true. Doesn't seem like one would have to crossbreed BRs w/Doms since BRs originated from the original Doms.

Cuckoo seems to be different in various breeds. I had a Cuckoo Marans and she looked a lot more black than speckled. I have a Cuckoo Breda with the prettiest lightest coloring on her and the tips of all her feathers are laced too. I wish her coloring and pattern was on my Doms. You're probably aware that the one thing that makes Dominique patterns different from BRs is that if one looks closely at the feather of a Dom, it will have slate and silver in a "V" line where BRs have a straight black and white line on their feather which is why the lines should look more even on a BR. The slight "V" pattern on a Dom feather causes a slightly more scattered pattern on them. But coloring and feather pattern is difficult to get perfect.

I love my 3 Doms so much because of their pesty, people-friendly, flock-friendly temperament and they're all show winners to me -- and boy can these pullets lay up a storm of eggs. Not the largest eggs we've ever had but certainly nice consistent layers. And what conversationalists they are -- I work daily in my yard and they vocalize around me moreso than my other breeds. Petting and hands usually make a chicken shy away but these girls come to me for handling. Isn't that what one wants in a pet -- the bird comes TO you for petting rather than running FROM you! If I'm not aware I'll suddenly find two jumping into my lap with the 3rd pulling on my pant leg for attention. Lovely, lovely breed!

 

[Sylvester017]

@Faraday40 Gosh, I hope it's not true that hatchery birds only live to 3 years old. Black Hen Farm says a natural lifespan is 25 years for a chicken. I think that's a bit of a stretch though. The oldest Silkie on record lived to 17 years. My remaining Silkie is over 7 yrs now and seems to be in good health which I never expected after pulling her through a bout of Dry Pox last summer. We lost the other Silkie at 6 yrs to a bleeding ovarian tumor -- she was always a productive Silkie still laying at 6 yrs and it's said there are reproductive health issues with laying dynamos. I lost my Blue Breda who started laying as a pullet and never stopped for 10+ consecutive months and we lost her at a year-&-a-half old so maybe there's something to it -- losing prolific layers early because of reproductive issues.

Re: Bubbles -- I had a White Leghorn who would sneeze off-and-on for about an hour after taking her dust baths and then she'd be fine. But then, she didn't gobble food or have weight issues. Wish you were in my area to see my vet -- the first time visit is free which is how it got me to start going to him with all my chickens' health issues, especially after I found he had worked in the poultry industry. He mostly sees cats and dogs but also sees birds and exotics. The mountain rangers bring wild injured animals like deer, fox, owl, etc, to him. I've seen rabbits, lizards, guinea pigs, and turtles in his waiting room. I even recommended a BYCer to take their chicken to him and they loved him. He's about half the price of an avian vet specialist -- avian vets run a bunch of expensive tests. My vet checks my bird completely, weighs her, asks some questions, and then gives me his wise diagnosis. He doesn't recommend tests to stress the bird unless the customer asks or he thinks it's absolutely necessary but I've never had any tests other than fecal on any of my birds. He doesn't even like to euthanize for Marek's since he's seen early symptoms reversed and he uses a wait-&-see approach. Other than my DH I've never seen a man who loves all animals so much! Prayers for Bubbles -- did the BYC Emergencies section offer any advice? Casportpony is one of my favorite readings -- she really knows chicken health issues well. There are others too but I think she has posted the most on health issues.

Your little chick is growing so fast! I remember how fast our 3 Doms grew. In a month they were already acting like little miniature adults:

These are my silly sisters at 5 weeks - I was surprised how fast the tails grew!

 

[Faraday40]

@Sylvester017
Your vet sounds great. Ours only does dogs & cats. He's good about working with us to come up with more affordable options for our dogs like using manufacturer's coupons & such. He sends his tests out, so a simple chicken fecal float to test for worms would cost $65. I also called a local & a not so local avian vet & both are more for macaws & other exotics. Walking through the door & getting a pet examined is typically 100-150. Medications & testing could easily bring it up to $200-300. (Our neighbor spent $325 on their guinea pig!) Chickens are not common here.

 

[duluthralphie]

Once upon a time I read that hatcheries crossed BRs w/Doms to make Doms better layers but I haven't a clue where that information originated or even if it's true. Doesn't seem like one would have to crossbreed BRs w/Doms since BRs originated from the original Doms.

Cuckoo seems to be different in various breeds. I had a Cuckoo Marans and she looked a lot more black than speckled. I have a Cuckoo Breda with the prettiest lightest coloring on her and the tips of all her feathers are laced too. I wish her coloring and pattern was on my Doms. You're probably aware that the one thing that makes Dominique patterns different from BRs is that if one looks closely at the feather of a Dom, it will have slate and silver in a "V" line where BRs have a straight black and white line on their feather which is why the lines should look more even on a BR. The slight "V" pattern on a Dom feather causes a slightly more scattered pattern on them. But coloring and feather pattern is difficult to get perfect.

I love my 3 Doms so much because of their pesty, people-friendly, flock-friendly temperament and they're all show winners to me -- and boy can these pullets lay up a storm of eggs. Not the largest eggs we've ever had but certainly nice consistent layers. And what conversationalists they are -- I work daily in my yard and they vocalize around me moreso than my other breeds. Petting and hands usually make a chicken shy away but these girls come to me for handling. Isn't that what one wants in a pet -- the bird comes TO you for petting rather than running FROM you! If I'm not aware I'll suddenly find two jumping into my lap with the 3rd pulling on my pant leg for attention. Lovely, lovely breed!

It would have had to been 80 years ago the Doms were crossed with Barred Rocks to have affected mine. The guy I got mine from had been raising show birds for over 70 years when I got mine.

I will look closer I do not think I have a V on my birds barring.
I will have to look at my only barred rock (hatchery quality) and compare her to my Doms.

Mine are not friendly like a pet, mine are strictly show birds. Those that I cull become dinner or they go to someone who might want layers. A lot end up as pets, when they go to a place with 4-6 chickens. I have 100's and my DOMS are not naturally friendly. I cage train them for shows so they can be handled, but they prefer to not be.

Only a half a dozen make it to the cage training, the rest have faults I cannot have at the shows. BTW DOM's taste like chicken when fried.

 

[Sylvester017]

@Sylvester017
Your vet sounds great. Ours only does dogs & cats. He's good about working with us to come up with more affordable options for our dogs like using manufacturer's coupons & such. He sends his tests out, so a simple chicken fecal float to test for worms would cost $65. I also called a local & a not so local avian vet & both are more for macaws & other exotics. Walking through the door & getting a pet examined is typically 100-150. Medications & testing could easily bring it up to $200-300. (Our neighbor spent $325 on their guinea pig!) Chickens are not common here.

Oh, I want to cry about your vet availability -- I thought the Midwest would have many vets to see poultry since there are so many poultry breeders in the Midwest. Maybe there's a BYC thread on vet recommendations in your state? The Avian vets here charge $65/per visit and upwards depending on the community they're located in and $75 just because they're in Pasadena. However, my dog/cat/bird/exotics vet offers first visits free and $45/per visit afterwards with follow-up checkups free. Medications are what cost so much, darn the pharmaceutical industry! I spent $75 for my Silkie's ophthalmic anti-bacterial medicine when she had the Dry Pox on her face but none of my follow-up visits were charged. I have a backup dog/cat vet who will see birds sometimes (more importantly my chickkens) when my vet is on vacation and once I had to use the backup vet. He wanted to charge upwards of $1500 in office visit and tests which my vet never suggests tests on poultry (my vet is that confident and experienced diagnosing just by checking over my chicken in his office and asking me some questions). He hasn't been wrong in the 7 yrs we've been with him. He won't waste a customer's $$$ suggesting necropsy either unless the customer insists. My vet does his own fecal tests at $35 per animal and performs his own surgeries rather than referring to other expensive specialists. Example -- He's done kidney stone surgery on a dog's penis and had to amputate the wing of an injured White Leghorn -- things that make me queasy just thinking about his veterinary talent and makes me really grateful to have found him and be able to recommend other chicken owners to him in my area. One BYCer I recommended travelled about 80 miles round trip just see him for her chicken and she was thrilled w/ him. I had to do a lot of searching and telephone calls to find a vet who sees poultry but the advance research was worth it when an emergency happened with our wheezing Silkie years ago. I wish so much to help Bubbles because it sounds like a somewhat easy fix if diagnosed correctly. GL with your sweet girl!

It would have had to been 80 years ago the Doms were crossed with Barred Rocks to have affected mine. The guy I got mine from had been raising show birds for over 70 years when I got mine.

I will look closer I do not think I have a V on my birds barring.
I will have to look at my only barred rock (hatchery quality) and compare her to my Doms.

Mine are not friendly like a pet, mine are strictly show birds. Those that I cull become dinner or they go to someone who might want layers. A lot end up as pets, when they go to a place with 4-6 chickens. I have 100's and my DOMS are not naturally friendly. I cage train them for shows so they can be handled, but they prefer to not be.

Only a half a dozen make it to the cage training, the rest have faults I cannot have at the shows. BTW DOM's taste like chicken when fried.

I can't verify that BRs were crossed with Doms in the 20th century since it was hearsay reading but it doesn't surprise me what hatcheries/breeders can do to infuse some trait/quality to "improve" a breed of chicken. My understanding from history research on Doms is that the owners wanted desperately to keep the breed from being crossed and strive for the SOP. Also, the "V" feather barring on Dominiques with the softer slate and silver contrast made them decidedly different from the stark black/white barring on BRs.

http://dominiquechicken.com/home/ge...-dominique-feather/dominique-feather-pattern/
http://dominiquechicken.com/home/ge...-dominique-feather/dominique-feather-pattern/
Do you find your show birds have any more or less egg productivity or egg size from non-show Doms? So many times I read that productivity gets sacrificed in show birds because type is more sought than productivity. But what do I know? that's why I ask.

Either way, I love Doms for their temperament. I've had BRs and Doms and find the Doms incredibly consistent in temperament where I've had BRs that sometimes didn't inherit that trait from the Doms that the BR's originated from.

I agree, Doms probably don't like being cage birds -- but then even my gentle Silkies prefer the great outdoors rather than being "cooped up" LOL! It's a chicken thing.

I'm so glad to see breeders like you keeping our lovely Dominiques on the show circuit! GL in Ohio!

 

[duluthralphie]

Oh, I want to cry about your vet availability -- I thought the Midwest would have many vets to see poultry since there are so many poultry breeders in the Midwest. Maybe there's a BYC thread on vet recommendations in your state? The Avian vets here charge $65/per visit and upwards depending on the community they're located in and $75 just because they're in Pasadena. However, my dog/cat/bird/exotics vet offers first visits free and $45/per visit afterwards with follow-up checkups free. Medications are what cost so much, darn the pharmaceutical industry! I spent $75 for my Silkie's ophthalmic anti-bacterial medicine when she had the Dry Pox on her face but none of my follow-up visits were charged. I have a backup dog/cat vet who will see birds sometimes (more importantly my chickkens) when my vet is on vacation and once I had to use the backup vet. He wanted to charge upwards of $1500 in office visit and tests which my vet never suggests tests on poultry (my vet is that confident and experienced diagnosing just by checking over my chicken in his office and asking me some questions). He hasn't been wrong in the 7 yrs we've been with him. He won't waste a customer's $$$ suggesting necropsy either unless the customer insists. My vet does his own fecal tests at $35 per animal and performs his own surgeries rather than referring to other expensive specialists. Example -- He's done kidney stone surgery on a dog's penis and had to amputate the wing of an injured White Leghorn -- things that make me queasy just thinking about his veterinary talent and makes me really grateful to have found him and be able to recommend other chicken owners to him in my area. One BYCer I recommended travelled about 80 miles round trip just see him for her chicken and she was thrilled w/ him. I had to do a lot of searching and telephone calls to find a vet who sees poultry but the advance research was worth it when an emergency happened with our wheezing Silkie years ago. I wish so much to help Bubbles because it sounds like a somewhat easy fix if diagnosed correctly. GL with your sweet girl!



I can't verify that BRs were crossed with Doms in the 20th century since it was hearsay reading but it doesn't surprise me what hatcheries/breeders can do to infuse some trait/quality to "improve" a breed of chicken. My understanding from history research on Doms is that the owners wanted desperately to keep the breed from being crossed and strive for the SOP. Also, the "V" feather barring on Dominiques with the softer slate and silver contrast made them decidedly different from the stark black/white barring on BRs.

http://dominiquechicken.com/home/ge...-dominique-feather/dominique-feather-pattern/
Do you find your show birds have any more or less egg productivity or egg size from non-show Doms? So many times I read that productivity gets sacrificed in show birds because type is more sought than productivity. But what do I know? that's why I ask.

Either way, I love Doms for their temperament. I've had BRs and Doms and find the Doms incredibly consistent in temperament where I've had BRs that sometimes didn't inherit that trait from the Doms that the BR's originated from.

I agree, Doms probably don't like being cage birds -- but then even my gentle Silkies prefer the great outdoors rather than being "cooped up" LOL! It's a chicken thing.

I'm so glad to see breeders like you keeping our lovely Dominiques on the show circuit! GL in Ohio!

Sorry, not buying it. I just read the SOP for both they are nearly identical.

Also if you read the SOP it will tell you the story of the Barred Rock, it was a cross of a DOM and black Java or Black Cochin. It also says the Dom of that period was a single comb and not the rose comb we have today. That would account for slight difference. But as I said I do not see it in my birds. Mine have won the Mn State show for the last three years, before that Duane Urch won them.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@Faraday40
How far are you from South Bend (Indiana)? There is a vet that sees livestock - including chickens - on the west side of SB.

 

[Sylvester017]

@duluthralphie

I have read so much about what crosses created the BRs -- Javas, Cochins, Cornish Game, Malay, etc etc, that one can only guess today. The consistent research does indicate that the BR fanciers broke away from the Dominique group and chose to keep the straight comb while the Dominique fanciers were left with keeping the rosecomb. Apparently both comb types were found in the old Dominique breed. Even today a Dominique offspring can surprisingly sport a straight comb.

Keep up the good work! I'm sure there have been a lot of changes over the years as to what show judges want to see in difficult-to-breed birds like Dominiques. Sometimes I think this very difficulty (in what does the SOP appearance really entail as "perfection") that will keep the debate going on for years to come. That's why I've narrowed my preference for an ideal Dom as having the leader/spike at the back of the rosecomb, a fairly nice U-shape back, and an excellent temperament. Size of the bird, color of legs, lighter feather coloring, ridged or unridged rosecomb, etc etc I think are the subjectivity of each judge. In the end -- what sells the Dom to me is its fabulous temperament, decent egg production, and backyard/people-friendly adaptability since 99% of us own this lovely breed for pleasure rather than show. But I add -- bless the show breeders like yourself that keep this lovely breed to the forefront of public attention where others of us are unable to do so!

 

[Sylvester017]

@Faraday40
How far are you from South Bend (Indiana)? There is a vet that sees livestock - including chickens - on the west side of SB.

PM Faraday40 with the detailed info if you have it! TY for posting!