Dominique Thread!

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Anybody have Dominique bantams from Cackle?

 

[BarredBuff]

Quote:
I have the standard ones..........

 

[buffalogal]

The bantam Dominiques that Cackle Hatchery has are based on Mark Field's "Unbeatable Beauty Line".
He didn't turn his nose up at hatcheries like I see so many people foolishly do on these boards. He gave them stock in order to improve the quality of birds offered to the public, correctly reasoning that if people were able to buy "good" birds, more people would be interested in owning the breed.

Wise man, that Mr. Fields.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
I think Mark also had inputs into their large fowl doms as well. They are the best egg producers of my two hatchery strains and both hatchery strains blow the doors off the three show strains I have in respect to eggs. Overall all I like the Cackle strain large fowl as they have proven to be pretty good foragers, especially in respect to most of my other doms that will not leave shadow of feeders. They also put on muscle at same time as bone so look to be good meat producers.

 

[buffalogal]

Quote:
Nope. If you ask, they'll tell you they've had their LF strain for years, long enough that they no longer know where they came from, but the bantams are definaterly Mark's.

Quote:
That's been my experience with them as well; pretty good all around homestead birds.

 

[mulelady]

Hi, Who has Bantam or Standard size DOminiques.? Any for sale, I live in Dahlonega.

 

[WallTenters]

The show is two months away, but I'm already getting sick to my stomach thinking of getting the birds ready? What the heck am I thinking? I've never shown a bird before!!! I know Rhonda will help me learn how to bathe them and everything but oh my God, ahhhh!!!!

Anyone have any suggestions? Any tips/tricks for making Dominiques look their best? Do you using a blueing agent for barred birds? Should I add a little oil to a cloth as I'll have to bathe them on thursday evening because the nights here in Central Oregon are far too cold in April.... any advice!

 

[Gallusfarm]

Quote:
Hey, I had a problem with my Doms being brassy, thanks to the sun. You should be good this time of the year. Bluing does not work, nor does that purple stuff for brassy hair

Here's my story of my 1st show, if you want to read. http://solspoultry.weebly.com/poultry-show-diary.html

Here are two of my favorite sites for showing information:

http://www.fowlvisions.com/ and http://www.pathfindersfarm.com/Articles.html Thanks to to owners of these sites for the stories and info!

My 1st time was at the state fair, but I did the same routine for the APA shows, only difference is you get to take the birds home at the end of the day, the VA state fair was APA sanctioned, so I thought that was a good intro.

I REALLY hope there are more Doms there than what you bring. The big show here in VA, there were 3 others in addition to mine, and at the one I went to in NC, mine were the only ones. It was at that time an old timer told me that unfortunately, with Dominiques, the best you could probably do is reserve or champion American. I hope you prove them wrong!!!

ETA: Also, join the APA and get a subscription to the Poultry Press. Lots of great info with these.

 

[WallTenters]

Thanks for the info and links

I am an APA member, I keep forgetting to send in my PP subscription (they lost my original subscription request) until Rhonda gets hers each month then I think about it again!!!

And I have read your first show diary before - great!

GREAT day today. I was at the feed store and a guy saw I was picking up another feeder (those darn pullets and cockerels are growing and EATING). He said he had 19 hens too, and he was glad they had started laying again. I told him ours have been laying all winter. He said "ahhh, you have a light on them?". I puffed out my chest (well, on the inside!) and said "NOPE, WE HAVE DOMINIQUES"!!! I felt so good saying that!!!

I explained they were the oldest American breed, still doing it right, and they are very cold hardy. He said "were they even laying when it was below freezing?". I said, they laid five eggs the day it was -32 (of 12 hens, but still, I was happy). He asked the feedstore guy if they would get Dominiques in!!!! Unfortunately they wont (and they'd probably not be the greatest ones anyway) so I gave him our number and told him we might be able to send a couple of pullets we hatch his way so he could try them out, or I could get him a few numbers of folks that sell chicks. He seemed very interested!

It always makes my day to tell someone honestly how GREAT they are

 

[centrarchid]

The following image shows egg color for some of my dominique lines plus a couple outgroups. It is more about variation than anything.

Species / Breed / Strain Weight (grams)

A) Dominique Privett 55.0, 56.6

B) Dom Cackle 48.2, 46.8

C) Dom Voter x Cackle (F1) 46.6

D) Dom Voter (age 4+) 44.5

E) Red Jungle Fowl 31.0

F) Sallie (American Game) 40.8, 41.2