Dominique Thread!

[Chickassan]

I only have two, one is my lead hen and she acts like she is.
Towards people though she's a love.
The other one is very meek and very non confrontational, wouldn't start a fight if you paid her.
The little boy is obviously too young to see his entire personality yet, and he's half Faverolles to boot so we will just have to wait and see on him.

Apologies if this is the wrong place to ask, but I've truly enjoyed looking at all the pictures in this thread. I was wondering what the temperament of your Dominiques are overall? Obviously individuals are individuals, so I'm just trying to get a feel for the overall temperament of the breed. Thank you!

 

[Sylvester017]

Apologies if this is the wrong place to ask, but I've truly enjoyed looking at all the pictures in this thread. I was wondering what the temperament of your Dominiques are overall? Obviously individuals are individuals, so I'm just trying to get a feel for the overall temperament of the breed. Thank you!

I've had 4 Dom chicks overall with 2 hens left in the backyard flock now, LOVE them - from chicks all the way to adults! Pesty, human-friendly, talkative conversationalists, will vie for pecking order status but not combative like some chicken breeds. Silly, funny and outgoing as chicks -- ours were running up to us the first day we brought them home. We've had other breeds of chicks that run up to check us out and as soon as there's no treats they run off again -- but not our Dom babies! If there were no treats they'd still hang around us to peck at our shoes or let us hold them while they inspected our eyeglasses or hair and don't smile big or they'd peck at our teeth too! Very outgoing unafraid friendly chicks and as 2-year adults will still come up to us talking and pecking and scratching at our feet, jumping into our lap, and letting us pet them or pick them up in the judge's hold (we don't pick up laying hens from their reproductive sides). It's nice to have eggs from hens but after they pass their egg-laying prime I wanted to be sure I had friendly old biddies to keep in a forever home with us.
Some pics:

 

[Alaskan]

Apologies if this is the wrong place to ask, but I've truly enjoyed looking at all the pictures in this thread. I was wondering what the temperament of your Dominiques are overall? Obviously individuals are individuals, so I'm just trying to get a feel for the overall temperament of the breed. Thank you!

My kids and I really like their personalities.

The roosters have been a mixed bag. A few bad, some great.

 

[Faraday40]

Apologies if this is the wrong place to ask, but I've truly enjoyed looking at all the pictures in this thread. I was wondering what the temperament of your Dominiques are overall? Obviously individuals are individuals, so I'm just trying to get a feel for the overall temperament of the breed. Thank you!

This is a great place to ask, and overall they're a great breed. The temperament of Doms is one of their best features. They are friendly, curious, & intelligent. Their feather are softer & have a better smell than other chicken breeds. They can free range well and are not as heavy on the feed bill. The egg production is OK and reliable. The personalities is what makes them fun & interesting, though. We happened to have one of the best Doms in the world, so I know I'm a bit biased. I hope to get another someday.

Our DD's Dom thrived when given mental stimulation. She was an attentive problem solver, enjoyed training sessions, and went on to do some amazing tricks. I sort of wish our dogs would pick up on things as quickly. ("Bubbles" was pretty much a local celebrity and had no problems performing in front of an audience. She even got "fan mail" from some of the classrooms she visited.) Here's a sample of an early training session with Bubbles & DD. Bubbles starts about 1/2 way (min 2:40).

 

[JanetMarie]

Here are a few pics of my Dominiques. I have 4 hens now, and plan to have a breeding flock in the future.

 

[duluthralphie]

Here are a few pics of my Dominiques. I have 4 hens now, and plan to have a breeding flock in the future.
View attachment 1840650 View attachment 1840651 View attachment 1840652

Are you planning to breed to the SOP or for your own backyard flock

 

[Faraday40]

I think this one is very pretty.

 

[duluthralphie]

I think this one is very pretty.

I have a few like that I would love to get rid of.

I need to find a good rooster. I am not getting as much U shape to the back as I want, some of this years hatch are dished a little in the comb.

I am at that awkward point, I had liked mine for several years and won the best of breed at most shows. Now I have too many inbred birds and the birds fall apart some..

But bringing in new birds means a couple years breeding to get winners again... the vicious circle!!

 

[JanetMarie]

Are you planning to breed to the SOP or for your own backyard flock

I plan to breed to the SOP.

 

[duluthralphie]

I plan to breed to the SOP.

You may want to take a very critical look at the birds you plan to breed.

Many SOP breeders find one bird out of 20 or birds. The chances of having a SOP bird in 4 is almost nil.

That said I keep many non-Showbirds also. They become friends and pets...and give us eggs. Some of my favorite birds are hatchery birds with no chance of ever having an offspring close to the SOP.... which is why we eat their eggs