Dominique Thread!

[centrarchid]

Neither parent of chicks above is an American Dominique. Parent is barred with black base coloration which has several possibilities including Barred Plymouth Rock.

 

[gbartha]

Neither parent of chicks above is an American Dominique. Parent is barred with black base coloration which has several possibilities including Barred Plymouth Rock.

Thanks Centachid. I am aware of that. I was just showing Alaskan my other three. I assumed they are Barred Rocks or Cuckoo Marans due to the single comb. My other three (see in previous post) have a rose comb. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Alaskan]

If the rooster is a barred rock and he was over a mixed flock, then all of the chicks are mixes (unless some of the hens that he was over were also barred rocks).

Rose comb chicks means the hen had a rose comb, but there are MANY breeds that have a rose comb.

The barred color is dominant and will mask most other colors out there.

 

[gbartha]

If the rooster is a barred rock and he was over a mixed flock, then all of the chicks are mixes (unless some of the hens that he was over were also barred rocks).

Rose comb chicks means the hen had a rose comb, but there are MANY breeds that have a rose comb.

The barred color is dominant and will mask most other colors out there.

Thanks Alaskan. Yes, mix flock. Some hens were also barred rocks. Here is a pic of the eggs.

Green egg never hatched.

 

[Alaskan]

Some of those eggs could be from Barred Rocks...but there is no way to know, unless the owner of the birds can tell you which eggs were laid by which hens.

Other popular light brown egg layers are Orpingtons, Australorps, and Wyandottes. Wyandottes are a very popular backyard breed and have rose combs, so could be the mothers of the rose comb chicks.

What you have are 6 very sweet backyard chicks of mixed parentage. It will be fun to watch them grow and see what color eggs they produce.

Do realize that since they are mixes it is more difficult to color sex them. Pure Dominiques and pure Barred Rocks are easy to determine sex once they feather in since light =male and dark =female.

In your case, since they are all mixes, the color sexing might work for some, but not for others. Also, because they are mixes I would not be as confidant in sexing them by how fast their combs turn red and their wattles grow, as that is highly variable between breeds.

Looking at the eggs, I would guess you are looking at eggs from hens from at least 3 different breeds, but maybe 6 different breeds.

My white rose comb Leghorn females will develop large bright red combs by 10 weeks, by dark brown rose comb Leghorn females do not develop any red in their comb until right before they lay.

Different breeds (or in my example above, the different varieties within a breed) can have vastly different maturation speeds.

In your case, I would wait for saddle feathers (or other clear male feathers), or an egg, or crowing, before determining sex.

 

[gbartha]

Some of those eggs could be from Barred Rocks...but there is no way to know, unless the owner of the birds can tell you which eggs were laid by which hens.

Other popular light brown egg layers are Orpingtons, Australorps, and Wyandottes. Wyandottes are a very popular backyard breed and have rose combs, so could be the mothers of the rose comb chicks.

What you have are 6 very sweet backyard chicks of mixed parentage. It will be fun to watch them grow and see what color eggs they produce.

Do realize that since they are mixes it is more difficult to color sex them. Pure Dominiques and pure Barred Rocks are easy to determine sex once they feather in since light =male and dark =female.

In your case, since they are all mixes, the color sexing might work for some, but not for others. Also, because they are mixes I would not be as confidant in sexing them by how fast their combs turn red and their wattles grow, as that is highly variable between breeds.

Looking at the eggs, I would guess you are looking at eggs from hens from at least 3 different breeds, but maybe 6 different breeds.

My white rose comb Leghorn females will develop large bright red combs by 10 weeks, by dark brown rose comb Leghorn females do not develop any red in their comb until right before they lay.

Different breeds (or in my example above, the different varieties within a breed) can have vastly different maturation speeds.

In your case, I would wait for saddle feathers (or other clear male feathers), or an egg, or crowing, before determining sex.

Alaskan, thanks so much for that. I am actually emailing the farmer I got the eggs from (coworker of mine) to try to pin down the flock's breeds. I didn't know about Wyandottes so thankyou for that. I was going on color alone. Will keep you updated.

 

[BusyBearMama]

They are a mix breed. I know nothing about the hens. The rooster, I was told, was a barred rock. My next question was if you think they could be anything other than dominiques since they are so dark in color. Here are my other three. I believe two may be cuckoo maran mix (whiter legs): Batman Sparkles Phoebe

I should add I believe the barred rocks are cockerels? This beggs the question are the top 3 1/2 barred rock? Perhaps this is a rock flock with a few dom hens tossed in? The seller might truely not know the difference? I have 2 barred rocks and 9 now Dominique's and people always say they like them what are they and I tell them 2 different breeds and they say well they both have black and white stripes so they're both the same but sure whatever I say. Someone maybe sold them Dominique's and they got barred rocks accidentally when trying to add to that flock? Just a guess... I have 4 barred chicks that are 1/2 dom but the barring throws to the makes in this case but they look like doms just like tiny hens basically - I'm not keeping them here because that's too confusing but I really think someone would be misled by that. They're 1/2 rock 1/2 dom because I have a dom that's obsessed with my rock rooster and they're just friends... I separated them now but I feel a little bad about it... I ended up with 8 chicks so far though so that'll do, the pullets are black so I'm keeping some of them... One of the 8 chicks has a straight comb and the others have rose combs... Just some random if you cross these breeds facts. My rock isn't barred though hence the black pullets but the rest of the info could possibly be mildly helpful I may have a photo...

 

[Turk Raphael]

Simply making my mark.

 

[islandgirl82]

These Dominique girls have completely won me over. I am so glad to have these sweet retirees join my flock.

Java rushing over to join me for my morning coffee - as usual.

 

[Faraday40]

These Dominique girls have completely won me over. I am so glad to have these sweet retirees join my flock.

Java rushing over to join me for my morning coffee - as usual.

Beautiful hen and exceptional background.
I think I'd take up drinking daily coffee for that view!