Dominique Thread!

[Alaskan]

How old are they now?

Maybe show us a picture?

 

[Sylvester017]

Recently, i read about a pigeon breeder who was starting to suspect that the 'pebbles' from roof shingles might be poisoning his birds. What was noticed with the pigeons was a purple color on the skin of the breast. Evidently, the birds would probably never be good racers, afterward. We had a house that would shed these pebbles after a rain...looked like birds would love to gobble it as 'grit'.
Just wondering...

Good to share thoughts for the rest of us to consider these possibilities. Thx.

 

[Sylvester017]

Actually, we're hoping for nice quality from the hatchery, especially with the hatchery's 'selection' consultation. We're especially watching the smaller chicks, hoping that the mothers were from more recent selection. It's just easier to find 'complimentary' physical characteristics from "older"(than just hatched) breeding stock from breeders. Not that i know what i'm doing, at all...

Photos -- if you can -- would be sweet!

 

[Zone3Dakota]

Will maybe be moving the chicks out to the coop tomorrow,so then will be a good time to take more recent pics,but here is a pic from last week.they are probably between 2 and 3 weeks in this pic.

I like that this shows the feathering coming in on their backs. Yup, i can more easily tell the cockerels from the pullets, now. the markings are so much prettier in real life than a photo can show, it's a reflection thing, sort of like when you try to get a photo of ice or frost on a tree...

 

[Zone3Dakota]

very difficult to get good pics with my phone,if they are moving...which is always. one of the littles in back...is uphill on the right and is still shorter than the bigger chicks. Some of the pullets have almost no black in the beak. Still pics from last week. Oh, and i wind up editing when doing photos, just cuz it is easier for me to type on my pc.

 

[Alaskan]

Great photos.

I love the clear male/female differance with doms.

 

[Faraday40]

Yes, I wish clear male/female would transfer to other breeds as well. I hate waiting 4-6 before I can even guess! (& at that age, it's only a prediction.)

Right now I have mixes (Bielefelder roo x black sex link) They were "opps" All the mixes have head spots & all are growing in mostly black wing feathers with a bit of barring. I've been looking around for clues, but as far as I can tell, not a single one can be sexed because they are mixes! Since 1/2 my friend's hens are pure Bieles, I had a 50% chance of getting pure Biele eggs. Instead I hatched 1 female Biele & 4 mixes. Guess I better not go to Las Vegas.

 

[Zone3Dakota]

1 month old,taken after a cold night in their final home,i hope. They must think that they are gypsy chicks,by this time. It is fun to watch their tails grow in. Not the best photo, but was busy scavenging freebies for the coop, yesterday. Also putting in the corner posts for the run. Coyotes have been checking out the place. I've seen them twice in the last couple of days...just out of range...with their noses sniffing the wind. Birds of prey have been swooping through the farmyard, within twenty feet or so of the coop. Owl was on roof of our house night before last, hoot-hooting. So, i'm very nervous about security. We are going to put electric fence around the run, but the plan for the top is bird netting, like for covering fruit trees. Hubby thinks that i'm obsessing, but i told him that i know what a German Shepherd Dog can do. When i was little, i watched my mom have to go through three attempts to get chicks raised. (We raised GSD's...and they can climb like cats AND weasel their snouts through overlapping wire at the top)
have lost two of my racing pigeons this past week.

Well, i feel like a thread-hog, so this will probably be the last pic for a while, unless i have some dire questions...

 

[Alaskan]

Sounds good.


And I am with you about panicking over possible predators. I have lots a number of birds to raptors and to dogs. I gad one great horned owl try to pry the coop door ooen one night, he left big claw marks.

Every night before I go to bed I look out over all of my coops and my barn, and I just stare out the window and listen quietly, and try to look into all of the moving shadows..... It keeps me up some nights.

 

[Sylvester017]

1 month old,taken after a cold night in their final home,i hope. They must think that they are gypsy chicks,by this time. It is fun to watch their tails grow in. Not the best photo, but was busy scavenging freebies for the coop, yesterday. Also putting in the corner posts for the run. Coyotes have been checking out the place. I've seen them twice in the last couple of days...just out of range...with their noses sniffing the wind. Birds of prey have been swooping through the farmyard, within twenty feet or so of the coop. Owl was on roof of our house night before last, hoot-hooting. So, i'm very nervous about security. We are going to put electric fence around the run, but the plan for the top is bird netting, like for covering fruit trees. Hubby thinks that i'm obsessing, but i told him that i know what a German Shepherd Dog can do. When i was little, i watched my mom have to go through three attempts to get chicks raised. (We raised GSD's...and they can climb like cats AND weasel their snouts through overlapping wire at the top)
have lost two of my racing pigeons this past week.

Well, i feel like a thread-hog, so this will probably be the last pic for a while, unless i have some dire questions...

Sounds good.


And I am with you about panicking over possible predators. I have lots a number of birds to raptors and to dogs. I gad one great horned owl try to pry the coop door ooen one night, he left big claw marks.

Every night before I go to bed I look out over all of my coops and my barn, and I just stare out the window and listen quietly, and try to look into all of the moving shadows..... It keeps me up some nights.

I'm with you all about security issues. Can't ever be TOO careful so keep up the good work! I thought I was the only one to get a kick out of chicks growing tails - especially the 1st little wisps!