Dominique Thread!

[Faraday40]

Will isolate them from cock and feed back some eggs to get reserves back up. Will also pop them with paprika.

My mom always used the paprika AFTER the hen was done laying - like just before roasting.

Seriously, I thought it was cayenne pepper. I tried giving them a sprinkle a few times in early spring when production was still slow. It may have worked but nothing scientific. It at least stopped the dog from stealing all the chicken feed on those days. Have you found that paprika gives the hens a laying boost?

 

[centrarchid]

Paprika, cayenne and chili pepper all give same results. Colors up egg yolks and I think improves hatch rate and chick quality. Paprika less unpleasant when operating feed mixer that stirs up a lot of dust.

 

[Sylvester017]

Had temps at 112 but forecast said it was more like 122!!! Well, I lost our Dominique Opal to heatstroke. She was determined to lay her egg and wouldn't take feed or drink the whole time, layed her egg, went under the coop and fell asleep for good. It was so heartbreaking taking her little carcass out while the other hens watched. I raised the 3 Doms from chicks last August. I got 3 chicks to allow for chick mortality but all 3 chicks survived and turned into lovely laying pullets! This damnable SoCal weather is just so Satanic and took my best layer!!!

I love these Doms. Oh, I miss our sweet precious Opal -- we'd get 2 to 3 eggs every day from those 3 girls -- they were our only eggs since our Breda "Char" decided to go broody. Now it's like 1 or 2 eggs maybe a day. These Doms are so sweet -- all they want to do is mill around our feet, tap on our shoes, pull on our pant leg, or jump onto our lap or arm -- just to talk. They don't care if we have treats or not, they just want to stare into our face and chatter at us. I love these girls! As chicks the Doms grew up around my quad cane and aren't scared when I have brooms, garden hoses, or things in my hand where the other breeds all run when I walk with my cane! The Doms will peck at my cane too as they follow me in their pesty Dominique way!

Anyone else having record-breaking heatwaves?

 

[Hilly78]

Had temps at 112 but forecast said it was more like 122!!! Well, I lost our Dominique Opal to heatstroke. She was determined to lay her egg and wouldn't take feed or drink the whole time, layed her egg, went under the coop and fell asleep for good. It was so heartbreaking taking her little carcass out while the other hens watched. I raised the 3 Doms from chicks last August. I got 3 chicks to allow for chick mortality but all 3 chicks survived and turned into lovely laying pullets! This damnable SoCal weather is just so Satanic and took my best layer!!!

I love these Doms. Oh, I miss our sweet precious Opal -- we'd get 2 to 3 eggs every day from those 3 girls -- they were our only eggs since our Breda "Char" decided to go broody. Now it's like 1 or 2 eggs maybe a day. These Doms are so sweet -- all they want to do is mill around our feet, tap on our shoes, pull on our pant leg, or jump onto our lap or arm -- just to talk. They don't care if we have treats or not, they just want to stare into our face and chatter at us. I love these girls! As chicks the Doms grew up around my quad cane and aren't scared when I have brooms, garden hoses, or things in my hand where the other breeds all run when I walk with my cane! The Doms will peck at my cane too as they follow me in their pesty Dominique way!

Anyone else having record-breaking heatwaves?

We did here in NY last week. It got up to 95 that's considerably hott for us! So sorry to here about your Dominique.

 

[Sylvester017]

TY for your thoughts! 95 is very hot for NY! Unfortunately, 95 is our summertime normal for months at a time without any break. When it hits the 100's+ we turn on the A/C; otherwise we're used to the 90's. With the temp at 112 to 115 around us here our one hen was just laying her egg at the wrong time of day!

 

[Faraday40]

@Sylvester017
Oh No! Not Opal! So sorry to hear of your loss. I know how much you care for your Doms.

Our Bubbles seems to be better. Not sure what it was or why it went away. She never acted lethargic or anything serious - just off in a few ways. We had several days around with 95-98'F highs..... which of course felt like well over 100. The 2 Doms are doing better than my orps, but none are enjoying it.

 

[Sylvester017]

TY for your kind thoughts! It's always hard losing a hen. I can't choose which other one I would want to see gone in Opal's place -- they're all precious to us. I bought 3 Dom chicks to allow for chick mortality but the little buggers all survived and became beautiful laying pullets! Dana was my little pasty butt Dom chick but she weathered the outlandish heatwave despite having to lay her egg in the hottest part of the afternoon! When they concentrate on laying it's hard to get a hen to eat or drink -- but she did politely take a couple sips of liquid vitamin out of my hand. I keep offering the Poly-Vi-Sol daily to whatever hen finds the need to take it. Of course we take all the other measures to keep the hens as comfortable as we can with ice cube water in their Brite Tap, keep the water mister going all day so they can stand in water puddles (they won't stand in tubs of cool water but they will stand in the muddy water) - hey, whatever keeps them cool. And of course the cool produce like grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, and frozen blueberries are always a welcome treat in our SoCal heatwave summers. I washed down their coop pen today and it brought out all the hiding crickets so the girls had fun chasing them all over the yard LOL! It's just a very light flock now with the one girl missing!

 

[Faraday40]

It sounds like you're doing all you can for your chickens. Your little spoiled flock has a very good life.

Here's Bubbles this morning.

Our new Dom (now 18 weeks) She has a lot more white..... which is why it took me so long to figure out her gender.

 

[Sylvester017]

I've always liked Bubbles -- not only is she one smart hen but she only gets more beautiful with time! Love her U-back photos!

My Dana was a lighter feathered Dom pullet but as she aged she got darker. It's interesting how they keep the dark shading down their legs/toes as pullets but as hens the legs get a nice even yellow tone.

 

[Faraday40]

I've always liked Bubbles -- not only is she one smart hen but she only gets more beautiful with time! Love her U-back photos!

My Dana was a lighter feathered Dom pullet but as she aged she got darker. It's interesting how they keep the dark shading down their legs/toes as pullets but as hens the legs get a nice even yellow tone.

Bubbles has the U'shape when strutting around the yard or investigating something. In other words, when she's feeling good or acting bad.

The new Dom (nick-named "Bubbles Baby") seems to always hold her tail down - like she's guilty of something. She hangs around the big blue orp you see in the photo above. Orps prefer to lay around, eat, and try to stay cool, so the duo rarely get into mischief. They seem very content to sleep in the shade of the big tree most of the day. They were broody-raised, so not as friendly & docile during their "teen" stage. I'm sure she'll mellow out in time, but I haven't put in a lot of cuddle time either.

Orig. Bubbles's BFF was "Trouble" (my Sebright). Together those two taught me how to chicken proof my yard & gardens - or simply give up & pick my battles. Bubbles is always one of the 1st to try a new treat. Her legs/ feet are usually gross. She loves to scratch & dig through whatever she can find.