Dominique Thread!

[WallTenters]

So, anyone heard of an inverted leader spike "popping out" as a chick ages to 2-3 months? I think it's the biggest load of bologna I've heard in a long time, but apparently I'm the simple little gal that doesn't know what she's talking about, so thought I'd get some other opinions.

 

[buffalogal]

Quote:
I've never seen it happen.

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
I've never seen it happen.

I've never known it to happen but I've only been breeding chickens for 50 years so I have a lot to learn.

 

[jenkassai]

Picked up my 3 Doms today, sooo excited! One is a little loud mouth, although she is running around and seems otherwise fine. One keeps following my week old chicks around and acting like a "big girl". One seems a little more shy than the other two. They are all so adorable! Can't wait to watch them grow up

 

[WallTenters]

Quote:
I've never seen it happen.

I've never known it to happen but I've only been breeding chickens for 50 years so I have a lot to learn.

Yeah, well this was the excuse given to me by a breeder when I told him that we have over half our order of chicks marked with inverted leader spikes. Apparently I'm a fool that asks too many questions and has no business breeding birds because I'm too nitpicky by wanting to cull chicks at this age for having obvious DQs.

 

[flitter]

I have a few 5 week old Doms growing up. One of the more promising (early days, I know) has developed a twisted foot. He did not have this at birth but it developed @ 2-3 weeks. Would this make him a poor candidate for breeding? It doesn't seem to slow him down much... balance isn't as good as the others and probably free ranging would be iffy. But if he's top choice as far as body type, etc?

 

[gootziecat]

I have a Dom hen like this. I read some where recently if this isn't present at hatching, but develops later, it's hereditary. Personally, I wouldn't breed this bird.

 

[flitter]

That's what I wondered. I assumed at first he injured it but couldn't see how. I hatched him from some eBay eggs. I wonder if the rest of the batch would carry this tendancy even if it wasn't displayed?

 

[Gallusfarm]

I had the same thing happen in several of our chicks. I'm sad that it happened to you, but glad because I have never been able to figure out if it was genetic or environmental (lack of perching, cold brooder floor to name a few). But ours developed at the 3 week age as well. I have culled all of those chicks and the father. The females that I gave away are doing well. This one is able to perch OK now.

 

[Gallusfarm]

Oh the other variable with these is that a friend hatched them for me and had hum issues throughout. Wonder if that could be it??? But then again, it wasn't present in every chick... Hummm.