Dominique Thread!

[centrarchid]

Regardless of material used to cover floor, I recommend floor be elevated well above ground to limit habitat quality for rodents.

 

[Gallusfarm]

I hope you all have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!


Here are our chicks from Bob's Biddies. They are 6 weeks old today. My objective was to get some smooth combs, and I think there's some potential. We ordered 15 pullets and 3 cockerels, ended up with 10:8 . Then we sold off some and now have 3 pullets and 7 cockerels. Go figure...

This one is nice.

A big comb on this boy already:

 

[flower]

The Dominique pullet (chick) has a distinct spot on it's head and a shadow on the front of the feet & legs. The cockerel has a fuzzy head spot and no foot/leg shadow. When I ordered a dozen chicks, it was very easy to determine that I had two males and ten females. In other words as chicks Doms are easy to sex. In fact as they grow, males colors are black and white, females are black and a muted white or grey. The beak on the female continues to have a shadow or darkness on the portion that meets the feather line.

Based on your experience I would not order from Bob's Biddies. Anymore I order and pay for pullets only because the supplier usually adds a few males even if you do not order them. Gallusfarm, in the last picture I see three pretty pullets and I hope they grow up with smaller flatter combs that you are looking to have. I would also be great if one of the males had a smaller comb for breeding.

 

[gootziecat]

Quote:
How fun you got chicks from Bob's Biddies. At the price they charge, you can afford a few mistakes, but hope some of those cockerals turn out to be pullets. It'll be fun to watch them grow. Keep us posted for sure.

I only have one hatchery pullet, and a poor one at that. But she has piqued my interest in Doms. However, I insist on large eggs, so any eggs or chicks, I would be interested in getting them from Mike Stickler. Someone on this thread ordered from him. I'd be interested in prices and an update on their birds.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
How fun you got chicks from Bob's Biddies. At the price they charge, you can afford a few mistakes, but hope some of those cockerals turn out to be pullets. It'll be fun to watch them grow. Keep us posted for sure.

I only have one hatchery pullet, and a poor one at that. But she has piqued my interest in Doms. However, I insist on large eggs, so any eggs or chicks, I would be interested in getting them from Mike Stickler. Someone on this thread ordered from him. I'd be interested in prices and an update on their birds.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

Mike has some nice birds.
I known him for about 2 - 3 years now. I will be talking to talk to him today, he's stopping by the house today to pick up some Rhode Island Red pullets I sold him for his Red breeding program If I remember I will ask him what he is getting out of eggs and chicks.


Chris

 

[centrarchid]

gootziecat,
Another party in your general locale that has dominiques is Gurney Davis of Trinity, North Carolina. His flock has been closed for 20 years or so and is production rather than show oriented. Gurney's birds run smaller than Mike Sticklers but individiduals I got from former have very good conformation in legs and extremely good dispositions. Mikes are big and showey. I would mix and match if breeding to be done. End product would be definitively yours and help preserve breed.

 

[gootziecat]

Thank you both, Chris 09 and Centrarchid. Information is appreciated.
Centrarchid, how are Mr. Stickler's birds for disposition and egg size?

Thanks.

 

[centrarchid]

gootziecat,

Presently I have no Davies hens and number of Stichler hens too low to make accurate judgment on egg size. Mr. Stichler must be consulted about egg size. In respect to disposition, both parties have dominiques that score very well in respect to disposition. Disposition also a function of handling history and again both appear knowledgeable about handling techniques. Very.

Jim

 

[gootziecat]

Thank you for the information.

Happy Thanksgiving, All.

 

[Gallusfarm]

Quote:
Great info!

Our birds are from the Gurney Davis line. Good conformation, like you said, but the combs are on the meatier side.

Here's a photo of Mr. Davis from the Dom. Club website: She's beautiful!