Dominique Thread!

[Cooptopia]

Lo

Her first time outside. 4 weeks old. Still spending nights in box with eco glo brooder in mud room until it's warmer out.

Looks like she's feathering out. Won't be long until she can keep warm day and night.

 

[Cooptopia]

This little roo "Doodle" is very calm and easy to handle, as are the rest of our bunch. He was sitting in my husband's hand for a long while. This exercise was really to socialize my husband with the little chickens. Ours are 3 1/2 weeks old. 4 weeks on Tuesday.

That is what I really like about them. Very independent and curious, but seem to enjoy being held.

 

[KelleyJo]

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Enjoying the view. 4.5 weeks old.

 

[tgooberbutt]

Soooooo cute!

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Enjoying the view. 4.5 weeks old.

 

[Cooptopia]

Yogurt is not at all difficult to make.  All you do is add a tablespoon of cultured yogurt to milk, keep it warm for 24 hours.  It's been quite a while since I've made it, so I don't know the specifics, you can google if you want more info re: temps etc.

Just make sure it says "active live cultures" on it. Some companies actually pasturize post fermentation. I recommend Dannon plain. Not just because I worked there for years, but because they have put more research and development into the variety of cultures than all other companies combimed. I started adding it in the morning after reading some posts and doing some research. There are several well documented studies that these cultures do work in chickens similar to humans and provide a definite probiotic benefit. My chicks love it and now get excited to see the yogurt bowl in the morning. A little goes a long way, remember the goal is to introduce good bacteria, not fill them up on yogurt. I make my own out of a few spoonfuls of the active culture. Very simple to do.

 

[LilBeaverDoms]

So I go look at some dominiques a guy was selling on craigslist last night. $15 apiece for 1 year old laying hens (8). I thought, I'll go look anyway! Well we go out to the pen, and there is not a rose comb among them. I said as much, that they were all single comb. He said, and I quote, "Yeah those rose comb dominiques are the high dollar birds. If you order from any hatchery but Murray's you get the single comb dominiques."
It just so happened that mine came from Murray's, (a bit of info this gentleman was privvy to) and I wanted to know if anyone else's doms came from another hatchery with single combs. It seems that all I've read, a single comb Dom will pop up once in a while, but there shouldn't be 8 of them in one group should there?
Their legs were also white, with little or no shadowing on the front. Some were U shaped, but others not so much. I didn't take pictures, I just told him I would have to pass and went back home. What would those birds have been? They were laying a medium sized light brown egg.
ETA: Their barring wasn't crisp like a BR either.

 

[lazy gardener]

So I go look at some dominiques a guy was selling on craigslist last night. $15 apiece for 1 year old laying hens (8). I thought, I'll go look anyway! Well we go out to the pen, and there is not a rose comb among them. I said as much, that they were all single comb. He said, and I quote, "Yeah those rose comb dominiques are the high dollar birds. If you order from any hatchery but Murray's you get the single comb dominiques."
It just so happened that mine came from Murray's, (a bit of info this gentleman was privvy to) and I wanted to know if anyone else's doms came from another hatchery with single combs. It seems that all I've read, a single comb Dom will pop up once in a while, but there shouldn't be 8 of them in one group should there?
Their legs were also white, with little or no shadowing on the front. Some were U shaped, but others not so much. I didn't take pictures, I just told him I would have to pass and went back home. What would those birds have been? They were laying a medium sized light brown egg.
ETA: Their barring wasn't crisp like a BR either.

I think that guy was selling you mutts. You made a good decision.

 

[centrarchid]

I am just know getting first hen-hatched doms of season. Will soon be tasking incubator with dom eggs in mass.

 

[Cooptopia]

I am just know getting first hen-hatched doms of season.  Will soon be tasking incubator with dom eggs in mass.

How far are you into your project to keep the traditional aspects of the breed? Went back and re-read some of your posts, sounds fascinating and somewhat of a daunting undertaking.

 

[Cooptopia]

Quick pic tonight of one of my Doms (Virginia) 5 weeks old yesterday.

Resting on my arm checking out everyone else below.