Dominique Thread!

[C Bar C Ranch]

How does the carcass compare between the two in regards to the size of breast and thighs as broilers? As roasters? From what I have gathered from your previous posts in the thread we raise our fowl similarly. However, the birds I determine as culls are removed from free range and fattened for slaughter to meet the time wondows for broilers/roasters. I can only eat so much soup and chicken and dumplings, but I never tire of fried or roasted chicken!

 

[centrarchid]

How does the carcass compare between the two in regards to the size of breast and thighs as broilers? As roasters? From what I have gathered from your previous posts in the thread we raise our fowl similarly. However, the birds I determine as culls are removed from free range and fattened for slaughter to meet the time wondows for broilers/roasters. I can only eat so much soup and chicken and dumplings, but I never tire of fried or roasted chicken!

The MIssouri Dominques have more meat all around, especially in the breast area. I am taking my American Doms all the way out to 20+ weeks as they are lanky until then. At the very end they do pack on the weight very well. I am used to consuming 12 to 16 week old games that may be smaller than store bought (a lot) but decidedly superior in every other measure, especially with respect to flavor. The Missouri Dominiques do favor the American Game side in having good muscle mass at that younger age.

 

[C Bar C Ranch]

The MIssouri Dominques have more meat all around, especially in the breast area. I am taking my American Doms all the way out to 20+ weeks as they are lanky until then. At the very end they do pack on the weight very well. I am used to consuming 12 to 16 week old games that may be smaller than store bought (a lot) but decidedly superior in every other measure, especially with respect to flavor. The Missouri Dominiques do favor the American Game side in having good muscle mass at that younger age.

This is quite fascinating. Has rate of growth been a point of selection for you with the American Dominique? Or do you find it conflicting with your free range philosophy? With my Dorkings free range is supplemental as their frame size and rate if growth demands a concentrated diet.
A point of note, fowl and swine were the garbage disposals of yesteryear. Forage, scratch, and kitchen refuse were the pillars of poultry diets for centuries. Do you utilized table scraps in the diet of your free range birds?

 

[centrarchid]

This is quite fascinating. Has rate of growth been a point of selection for you with the American Dominique? Or do you find it conflicting with your free range philosophy? With my Dorkings free range is supplemental as their frame size and rate if growth demands a concentrated diet.
A point of note, fowl and swine were the garbage disposals of yesteryear. Forage, scratch, and kitchen refuse were the pillars of poultry diets for centuries. Do you utilized table scraps in the diet of your free range birds?

Use of table scraps is minimal with free-range birds. They seldom eat it unless meat or nutrient dense fruit. The Amercan Doms thus far have not done a good job of compensating for use of a restricted feed ration. That is partly my fault as that might be improved by managing planted forages better and providing more detritus deposits for supporting buried animal forages. The games simply go further into the "virgin" territories for insect eats but often so do to the point my dogs have trouble protecting them.

Growth is a point of selection and it has been conflicting with type. One of the these days the magic allele combination will pop up providing both good growth and type.


It may be possible to get more breast meat by having the birds roost up.

 

[Alaskan]

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?

In my opinion the Dominique should be closer to the Schilling. We want the streamlined more feed efficient bird. The Dom is supposed to be dual purpose, but lean more towards eggs than meat.

 

[centrarchid]

In my opinion the Dominique should be closer to the Schilling. We want the streamlined more feed efficient bird. The Dom is supposed to be dual purpose, but lean more towards eggs than meat.

A challenge is getting the judges to have similar mindset.

 

[C Bar C Ranch]

Both of the above works were based on the flock of Mr. A. Q. Carter, interestingly enough. The first, done by Sewell, was based on birds seen at Carter's farm. However, Schilling's was based on a young cockerel pictured below.

To my mind, the cockerel above has a deeper, fuller breast than the artwork that was based on him. In fact, I imagine that as a two to three year old cock bird, he would have represented the Sewell art quite well. We may not have, as I first supposed, a difference in type so much as a difference in maturity.

 

[centrarchid]

Mine have final type by age 8 months of age which like no younger than bird depicted by Schilling. Key difference associated with cock appearance is that sicles of cock markedly longer.

 

[Alaskan]

My thought, is if you want a larger rounder bird, like in the Sewell print... Then you should be breeding Barred Rocks.

 

[Fowlisfair]

My thought, is if you want a larger rounder bird, like in the Sewell print... Then you should be breeding Barred Rocks.

Perhaps. However, the ideal shape of the breed as per the standard is not ill represented by the Sewell bird. His breast is broad, round, and carried well up. His body is broad, full and compact. He is not a long, stretched out brick like a Rhode Island Red; rather, he is a moderate square with a back of medium length with the proper topline.

He lacks altogether the shape of a Plymouth Rock and is distinctly Dominique. He is but a different interpretation of the standard.