Dominique Thread!

[Zone3Dakota]

Will a free range cocks-only flock range farther than when hens are in the flock? Can that be done without caponizing?

 

[centrarchid]

Will  a free range cocks-only flock range farther than when hens are in the flock?  Can that be done without caponizing?

I have never kept a cock only flock free-range as it would find hens. I have kept cockerels and pullets only and they range further, My adult flocks with hens in lay are either anchored to nesting sites or limited in movement by mobility of hens with chicks. Hens with chicks seem to have territories they do not want to leave and associated adult male anchors ranging habits on those hens. Dominique cocks seem more oriented on hens while Game cocks will link up with juvenile offpspring where entire group except broody hens move about over larger areas.


In confinement I can keep all male groups so long as females not close. That is after pecking order is setup. With that, more is better.

 

[C Bar C Ranch]

I would add to the above in saying that a flock of cock birds would be less suited to a mobile coop system as they lack the anchor to the nest site. Instead, they will roost in the fence rows and the brambles at dusk, and you will be tasked with relocating them to the mobile coop every evening. Depending on the size of your flock that may not be too inconvenient a task. However, if you grow out 75-100 cockerels per season, it becomes quite a chore to hunt everyone down!

 

[Alaskan]

These are interesting thoughts and information.

 

[THeelChickinKY]

All rooster flocks do free range well together; we have done this as a byproduct at various points and it works just fine with no caponizing. Now, we stick to gentler breeds such as the Dominique, but a group of boys with no hens around can get along just fine and, yes, seem to forage farther that way. Currently we have 10 Barnevelder boys who grew from our last hatch who live unfenced, free ranging on the other side of the house from our main flock (main flock is in an electric fence). Those cockerels get along great, no picking that we have observed or seen evidence of, and they forage the far field and then cuddle up to relax in the dog kennel we call the "holding cell." We were going to process them, but so far they've been no problem hanging out together there and so we've decided to keep them as long as it stays that way. So, it can be done with docile birds, yes. Our Marans harassed each other and ended up in the freezer.

 

[centrarchid]

I am trying to do something with my first cohort of 2015. Preference is for each cohort to roost up early under some sort of structure I can see into from house. Roosting up helps with feces management and keeps the birds out of reach from most ground predators. The structure provides some protection from Great-horned Owls that can otherwise fly of directly with young birds so my dogs cannot interfere. Problem is birds start of in a brooder thus do not know where to go. I have a system that works quite well although requires to much work and gamehens harass the young birds to dominate feed. Also the birds are too noisy as going to roost. Below is system typically used. Capacity is for only about 18 birds per group but needs to be twice that.


Current and Past Systems: also see threads linked

Roost System in Need of Revision
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/415571/roost-system-in-need-of-revision


Observations of Birds Coming Off Roost
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/437186/observation-of-birds-coming-off-roost

Roost Location Can Be Changed Stress After Dark
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/571637/roost-location-can-be-changed-by-stress-after-dark

Effort to Redesign Roost System (past)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...stem-that-reduces-intrabrood-social-strife/10


This effort being rebooted and American Dominques are the main concern. I had "fun" trying race Great-horned Owls last night and do not want that to be an every evening occurrence.

 

[Sylvester017]

When is comes to the assertion that American Dominiques are good foragers. I do not see it. This especially true of young birds. For comparison I have American Games and what I call fourth generation Missouri Dominiques (~3/4 American Dominique x ~1/4 American Game). The American Games will forage well away from feeders even when kept full at all times. Distance for the games can exceed 200 yards. The American Dominiques have a hard time getting more than 50 yards from feeders even when provided a limited ration. If for some reason I fail to fill feeders, then the games still go to roost with full crops and they also markedly expand how far they range. The American Dominiques will go to roost with an empty crop for a couple of days before starting to expand foraging range. I played with this quite a bit but came to conclusion the American Dominiques have a love affair with the feeders. The result is the American Games can still grow well while American Dominiques slow in growth, at least at first. This breaks down with mixed flocks as the American Dominiques will follow the games out. The Missouri Dominiques are intermediate. There are holes in what I assert.


Foraging well away from feeding stations and roost is not always good, especially if you cannot fly well or you go across property boundaries.

Hi - I must have had the one unusual Dom pullet that was a busy forager. If she wasn't sleeping or following us around, she was busy digging and scratching for any joyful tidbit she found. Probably your observation of seeing a full feeder lowering the foraging habits of your Doms has kept them close to home to their provided feed as well as lessening their need to look beyond their provisions. Your Games having better foraging habits just confirms to me that every breed has inherent characteristics that can't seem to be bred out. To me each breed has inherent characteristics or temperaments that just are what they are. And chickens are smart to catch on to knowing their humans provide them food and will stay close to home. Domestication, fine-tune breeding, and smaller area and pens has conditioned our pioneer birds into lap dogs LOL! But I don't mind - I like knowing the birds I have don't venture out of our little backyard. It amazes me when the morning feed is gone how one of our Silkies goes to fill her crop - she manages to dig up grubs, eats grass/seeds, chases crickets, so by afternoon feed refill she goes easier on the feed - she's a busy girl who must think she was a Dom in her former life LOL!

 

[centrarchid]

Foraging as I measure is actually getting out and getting lots of food. Simply going over the same patch of ground over and over depleting eats is not as good as moving about further a field collecting abundant, higher quality items with reduced effort. The foraging pattern I prefer does not result in some areas being damaged by excessive scratching or grazing. Additionally you must see good crop filling so birds can have some time invested in other activities related to self-maintenance, reproduction and predator monitoring.

 

[C Bar C Ranch]

On a different topic, which of the following most closely illustrates your preferred Dominique type? I myself favor the first over the Schilling.

The first type apeals to me more as a farm fowl. It is more rugged and considerably more meaty. However, these traits could interfere with feed effeciency; the greater muscle mass leading to a requirement for a higher protein diet.
It also bears remembering that the first illustration was for an edition of the standard calling for fowl one pound heavier than it now does. While many large fowl are purposely bred one pound over standard weight, in a breed of moderation the offense seems greater. What are your thoughts? Do you utilize either of these illustrations to guide you in search of your perfect fowl. If not, which do you use, if any?

 

[centrarchid]

I like the latter except stock I have very strongly favors the former. The latter I conceptualize as being closer to what American Dominques looked like when first developed as a breed. Birds at that time where almost certainly reliant upon free-range foraging which required more time out and about and more exposure to predators. They had to be able to fly at least a little to increase odds they survived at least some attempts by predators. Also those that could roost higher up were at an advantage at night in buildings. I started a long-term project to infuse American Games into newly constructed line I refer to as Missouri Dominques. With respect to type they are already very close to Schillings ideal although they run a little light with respect to mature weight. As cockerels and pullets they compare favorably weight-wise to even the best free-range American Dominiques I have.