Dominique Thread!

[Faraday40]

I tried the water test with my Dom eggs today day 22 and it seems they are viable eggs but there was no movement. If they are alive should there definitely be movement? Super attached to these little eggs but losing faith.Also used a flashlight and didn't see any movement. Wishful thinking or could they still be alive?

If none have hatched, day 22 isn't bad. (cooler weather, a broody got mixed up & sat on the wrong nest for a couple hours, power outage in the incubator, slightly cooler incubation temp, etc. can all delay the hatch) It's only time to be concerned when you've had 1/2 hatch out early or on time & then you're on day 23 w/ no pips in the remaining eggs. If nothing has pippeed, then they could just be a late batch.

Using the same incubator & settings, mine usually pip day 19-20, & hatch day 19-22. Been doing it for years. Back in March this year, I had a group where nothing pipped until day 22. Then they popped out all at once on day 23. 10/12 hatched. Not sure why & it was the only time that happened. Perhaps it had to do with the weather when the eggs were collected. I was going crazy thinking that all were bad even though I had candled & saw good development. I rarely see movement past day 17. Things are just too cramped for the chick to move easily. If the egg is mostly black - except the air cell- consider it good & put it back into the incubator. (BTW- When I was worrying about my own late hatch, I had others share stories of day 24-25 hatchings.)

 

[THeelChickinKY]

Hi, all! A while back someone on thus thread said they had some friendly Marans from Ohio. I would live to find those if anybody knows who has them. We love our Doms but we'd like to add a few more Marans to the flock for the egg variety and the 3 we currently have are docile but definitely not cuddly!! Thanks!

 

[JulesChicks]

Hi, all! A while back someone on thus thread said they had some friendly Marans from Ohio. I would live to find those if anybody knows who has them. We love our Doms but we'd like to add a few more Marans to the flock for the egg variety and the 3 we currently have are docile but definitely not cuddly!! Thanks!

Lol, a cuddly Marans? That I would love to see! I've tried BCMarans from 2 sources and mine are anything but. They are beautiful though and I love their eggs. My latest pullet to lay has the darkest I've had yet, she is actually the most tolerant of human interaction.

On the subject of Doms - I've been meaning to update this thread. I had purchased local hatching eggs back in the Spring, a dozen. Of those dozen, only 8 were fertile. I can't remember exactly but I think 2 didn't hatch, and 2 died soon after. Of the 4 remaining, one is mostly blind, but sweet as can be. We kept her as a pet because of it (and because she should at least lay some eggs!) and had to separate her from the flock after she got scalped by a broody hen after getting too close (that was our guess as to what happened). She fully healed after that ordeal though. So, of the three remaining I have a trio - one large male and 2 pullets. None are friendly, despite being hatched by me and handled. The cockerel is showing signs of aggression although he hasn't actually attacked anyone yet. I don't trust him though, so he will probably be culled. If I do try again with this breed, I will order from Nantahala Farms as was my original plan before finding the local breeder. I have a feeling they flock breed but I've heard good things about their temperaments which is very important to me. If I start with them and I like them I could always line breed to weed out faults. I will need to get some pics of the ones I have to see what you all think - for educational purposes at least.

 

[Sylvester017]

Hi, all! A while back someone on thus thread said they had some friendly Marans from Ohio. I would live to find those if anybody knows who has them. We love our Doms but we'd like to add a few more Marans to the flock for the egg variety and the 3 we currently have are docile but definitely not cuddly!! Thanks!

Good luck with finding friendly Marans. My friend and I had Cuckoo Marans and she also had BCMs and a Cuckoo olive egger bred from Marans. The OE was reclusive and not assertive but our pure Cuckoo and BCM Marans were quite aggressive in the flock. My Cuckoo Marans was a heavy 7-lbs and mean to all her flockmates and once she attack-clawed a little 2lb Silkie pullet we instantly re-homed the Marans. My friend re-homed her bully BCMs too. Some people really love their Marans and think they are docile birds. My Marans was quiet but she was a sneaky bully. Marans need to be in a flock of equally assertive breeds so they don't take over bullying other more docile breeds IMO.

BULLY CUCKOO MARANS - the assertive Leghorn was able to put the Marans in her place but the Cuckoo turned to bullying the gentle Silkies next.


MARANS BULLIED THE DOCILE SILKIES -- the Marans would sit next to the Silkies on the roost and would dominantly peck out all their outer feathers/crests/beads. We thought the Silkies were molting until we discovered the Marans culprit.

 

[lazy gardener]

Having opened up a late egg only to find a viable chick inside, I vowed that the only thing I'd ever do from here on out is candle, and tap and listen. Otherwise, leave them under heat until I'm sure that any possible likelihood of viability has passed. Not to mention, late hatchers are often problem chicks.

 

[lazy gardener]

Well...there must be a glut of baby Dominique chicks at Cackle Hatchery. I only wanted 5 but many of you know 15 is the smallest order without having to pay a big 'shortage fee' so, I ordered 15. When I got them back home, Betty (chief cook and bottle washer) had everything all ready for them and she counted them as she 'dipped' heads. 23 live ones with one deceased. I can live with that.

I am planning on leaving in about 30 or so days for my exxxxtended vacation but since I haven't gotten around to making reservations, I may have to stay about another week or ten days in order to caponize at least half (or more) of these because I only really wanted/needed 5 cockerels. At least with these, there won't be any problem of having to poulardising any because they are ALL little cockerels, with their very obvious light spot on their heads.

I'm still fairly young but I've been around chicks/chickens all my life and I still get as excited about baby chicks as I did when I was 5 or 6 years old.

Oh, another good thing about these chicks is they came from stock that was left after Mr. Mark Fields had come into Cackle Hatchery's Dominique breeder pens and 'Cleaned House'. He was also partly responsible for getting some very good stock in to replace the culls. Even though these are all cockerels and will be used in a meat bird cross, I think it's still important to have reasonably good stock for that situation. Plus, when I get back from vacation, I might (almost certainly) decide to locate a few older pullets from a good private breeder and keep a few purebreds around.

Aaron

Aaron: now that you've had your Cackle Doms for a while, I'd love to hear your assessment of them. I'm thinking about ordering from Cackle this spring. How is their coloring in terms of auto-sexing? Did you state that you had some breeder stock as well? If so, how do these birds compare, both in auto sexing and conformation??? Did you order straight run?

 

[BiophiliaDJT]

I have read that crosses between dominique hens and american game cocks are fast, efficient growers and are easily identified as hybrids. Since most of my intended flock will probably be american game and cubalaya, I wondered if anyone on here knew the veracity of this. A couple dominique hens to produce hybrids might be better for my meat and eggs harvests without being a major resource draw like some other breeds.

 

[Rooster Steve]

Will be getting a dozen young hens, Dominiques in a few weeks. I've heard they are great free range chickens. What's your options.

 

[Alaskan]

I have read that crosses between dominique hens and american game cocks are fast, efficient growers and are easily identified as hybrids. Since most of my intended flock will probably be american game and cubalaya, I wondered if anyone on here knew the veracity of this. A couple dominique hens to produce hybrids might be better for my meat and eggs harvests without being a major resource draw like some other breeds.

As to "easily identifiable as hybrids".... depends.....

A Dominique male over most colors....will produce all chicks that look like Dominiques.


Dominique females....under most colors...will produce females that are solid black....and males that look like Dominiques.


Dominique males in general are all pretty meaty....

Will be getting a dozen young hens, Dominiques in a few weeks. I've heard they are great free range chickens. What's your options.

They are a great color and pattern to help hide from predators....however, if you have a bunch of predators, nothing will survive.

So...I live where I simply can NOT free range without high losses. However, the Dominiques have never been grabbed first. I no longer free range.

 

[BiophiliaDJT]

As to "easily identifiable as hybrids".... depends.....

A Dominique male over most colors....will produce all chicks that look like Dominiques.


Dominique females....under most colors...will produce females that are solid black....and males that look like Dominiques.


Dominique males in general are all pretty meaty....

They are a great color and pattern to help hide from predators....however, if you have a bunch of predators, nothing will survive.

So...I live where I simply can NOT free range without high losses. However, the Dominiques have never been grabbed first. I no longer free range.

It will be only dominique hens.