Dominique Thread!

[buffalogal]

Quote: I posted two pictures taken well over a decade apart. There is no barring on a silver white bird. Since producing white Dominique was not my goal, I've only bred them a few times out of curiosity and then they were paired, not pen mated. I've used a white pullet with her sire and later her brother and an unrelated cock. If they were related, there were a couple of whites, otherwise, none. My friend is using a white cock over normal barred hens; I'll let you know how that goes.

 

[buffalogal]

It's the bobcat, who can jump up to 10 feet, I'm worried about . about he sleeps In The short trees taller than me,im 5'3, so I can't grab him at night and if he is on the porch he runs before I even get close. But the hens will jump in your lap.

Bobcats are just awful when they discover your poultry; they don't just kill when they're hungry, they'll grocery shop and try to stock their pantry at your expense. A Bobcat will take a bird, drag it off to a nearby wooded area and 'cache' it, covering it with leaves and twigs to hide it and save it for later. The last Bobcat I had to deal with had a larder set up across the field in the edge of the woods within sight of our house that consisted of several chickens, a half dozen rabbits and a few squirrels. If your trapper can locate where it's taking it's prey, he'll be ahead of the game at trapping it. But if he can't catch him, sometimes you can convince a cat to alter it's route without ever laying eyes on it using medium to large dogs to walk out the property line and mark everything. I know you're in school, so the early morning walks are out, but go everyday before sunset, and on the weekends, go twice a day, as early in the morning as you can see. Because you are in Florida where they do have panthers, keep the dogs on leashes; you don't want them trying to run off and chase the cat if they happen across him, but they'll bark and get excited and most cats will quietly leave an area rather than face a couple of dogs. (Mothers with kittens are an exception so be careful; take someone older with you if you can) You can get a cat to leave an area if you are persistent; that's why they call it "hounded."

As for your Cockerel, you can use a broom to bump him from behind; chickens tend to fall forward and down when nudged from the back. They will try to climb or fly up if they're knocked off balance from the front. If he's sleeping in a tree, he'll just flail around until he finds another branch. Wait until it's quite dark, use a flashlight to spotlight him from the ground. Give him a good nudge and when he hits the ground, cut off your flashlight and scoop him up. Because he's a young bird, he might be intimidated by the hens. Once you get him caught, keep him locked in the coop for about a week with them. By that time everyone will have worked out their sleeping arrangements and he'll start to go to bed on his own.

 

[centrarchid]

Pullet I acquired from Fred Farthing about 6 years ago had barring. It was not shades of gray but barring was evident none the less. Then based on your observations you indicate, there two versions of white American Dominique.

I briefly discussed this issue with Fred today, very briefly and he also indicated white morph is rare. He also did not seem interested in continuing conversation and changed it after ending it with stating the white morph is simply a sport. My knowledge of genetics is sound and have seen sports in other species. Most with a little effort can be selected to breed true and have relatively simple mechanisms behind their development..

 

[buffalogal]

I can't speak for Fred, but I'd be willing to guess the reason he isn't interested in working with white Dominiques as a new variety is similar to the same reason I'm not. It would encourage crossbreeding games, leghorns, rocks and whatever else to get a white (or white looking) bird, destroying the elegant breed type for something as trivial and useless as color. Crossbreed Dominiques aren't Dominiques, even if they have a rose comb, and I see enough evidence of crossbreeding as it is. Now, I wouldn't kill a bird for being the wrong color, but I also wouldn't go out of my way to "develop" it as a new variety either.

 

[Sylvester017]

I can't speak for Fred, but I'd be willing to guess the reason he isn't interested in working with white Dominiques as a new variety is similar to the same reason I'm not. It would encourage crossbreeding games, leghorns, rocks and whatever else to get a white (or white looking) bird, destroying the elegant breed type for something as trivial and useless as color. Crossbreed Dominiques aren't Dominiques, even if they have a rose comb, and I see enough evidence of crossbreeding as it is. Now, I wouldn't kill a bird for being the wrong color, but I also wouldn't go out of my way to "develop" it as a new variety either.

I'm glad to hear responsible breeders are not interested in working with the white Dom sports to discourage crossbreeding other white breeds for color! I am perfectly satisfied with the Dominique as she is - curious, outgoing, unafraid, calm, non-combative temperament, a conversationalist that seems to crave human interraction, easy on the feed bill, incredibly soft feathers, camouflage coloring, a good layer, and will brood her own young if you want to breed your own flock. It doesn't get much more perfect than that!

 

[Regin]

 

[centrarchid]

Buffalogal and Sylvester017,

Your positions are unfortunate. Your take on others is inaccurate and you promote ignorance because of a lack an in interest. Responsible breeders want to understand variation the American Dominique contains so they can better preserve. Your positions are blatantly backwards and in its self serves to hinder interest in the breed.

At no point do I suggest developing a new breed based on the white sports , rather I question Buff's assertions about the appearance of the sports and the frequency of their occurrence.

As for appearance of the white morph, for others to see follow link below.

http://www.dominiquechicken.com/White_Dominiques.html


Most people these days likely have American Dominiques impacted by birds discussed in link above. A potentially similar allele operates in some current American Game strains although mode of inheritance differs greatly from current accounts of some parties (Buffalogal) vested in statements of purity of their lines,
https://www.google.com/search?q=whi...read.php%3F38582-White-Hatch%2Fpage4;1024;768
The American Game strain was around at the time and in the same geographic area given in the historical account for he infusion of new blood into the proto-Voter lineage.

I acknowledge the mutt origins of American Dominiques and most poultry breeds. I also have an interest in how reality compares with historical accounts. Buff, your current accounts discredit that of first link above. I am giving you account a fair shake by wanting to look more deeply into the phenotype and its mode of inheritance. Thus far the purists have not after 40+ years been able to eliminate the white morph from American Dominiques. I attribute that to ignorance to its mode of inheritance.


Knowledge is power.

 

[Delight in Dominiques]

Knowledge is power, but you could get your point across being less confrontational. This is just a hobby from those here on BYC that hug their chickens to those that show. We are fortunate to have some experienced breeders that are here to offer advice to those that have questions and continue to move the breed forward. My take on white Dominiques, they do not have a place in my yards and if they popped up they would be culled out of the hatcher. Never seen them, never will raise them.. Simple majority rules. I am more concerned about improving what I have in front of me.

 

[centrarchid]

Knowledge is power, but you could get your point across being less confrontational. This is just a hobby from those here on BYC that hug their chickens to those that show. We are fortunate to have some experienced breeders that are here to offer advice to those that have questions and continue to move the breed forward. My take on white Dominiques, they do not have a place in my yards and if they popped up they would be culled out of the hatcher. Never seen them, never will raise them.. Simple majority rules. I am more concerned about improving what I have in front of me.

I agree on the confrontational aspect but also responding in kind. Will tone down a notch. I am a breeder as well and opinions will differ, sometimes strongly. My take is no single breeder can improve what they have without occasional exchanges with other breeders. No one here, and I mean no one, has enough birds in their flock to prevent inbreeding depression without periodic infusion of outside blood from another breeder. My objective is to better understand the genetics behind the white morph so it can be eliminated on a per bird basis rather than on a per flock basis. Having pure whites will help greatly with that end. I have made that point in years past in this thread yet a pretty sound attack was launched when I broached issue again.

 

[Sylvester017]

Buffalogal and Sylvester017,

Your positions are unfortunate. Your take on others is inaccurate and you promote ignorance because lack an in interest. Responsible breeders want to understand the variation the American Dominique contains so they can better preserve. Your positions are blatantly backwards and in its self serves to hinder interest in the breed.

At no point oo I suggest developing a new breed based on the white sports , rather I question Buff's assertions about the appearance of the sports and the frequency of their occurrence.

As for appearance of hybrids, for others to see follow link below.

http://www.dominiquechicken.com/White_Dominiques.html


Most people these days likely have American Dominiques impacted by birds discussed in link above. A potentially similar allele operates in some current American Game strains although mode of inheritance differs greatly from current accounts of some parties (Buffalogal) vested in statements of purity of their lines,
https://www.google.com/search?q=whi...read.php%3F38582-White-Hatch%2Fpage4;1024;768
The American Game strain was around at the time and in the same geographic area given in the historical account for he infusion of new blood into the proto-Voter lineage.

I acknowledge the mutt origins of American Dominiques and most poultry breeds. I also have an interest in how reality compares with historical accounts. Buff, your current accounts discredit that of first link above. I am giving you account a fair shake by wanting to look more deeply into the phenotype and its mode of inheritance. Thus far the purists have not after 40+ years been able to eliminate the white morph from American Dominiques. I attribute that to ignorance to its mode of inheritance.


Knowledge is power.

If you read my post correctly you'll notice that I said "RESPONSIBLE" breeders are not interested in breeding white Dom sports to "DISCOURAGE" crossbreeding of other breeds for color. Please read carefully. This is one of the reasons I don't purchase from Dom breeders since my encounter with some Dom breeders seems to bring out their hackles - one or two words are latched onto without reading the intent of the post. Chill, sip a wine, and relax. We on this thread love Doms and true sports of any breed are an interesting phenomenon but all on here are entitled to their HO's - even yours. Smile and be well.