Dominique Thread!

[Gallusfarm]

Quote:
Thanks for the help. My chicks are 6 wks old and they were fine until I put them where they had an outside run. There are 2 chicks involved so far. I know an outside toe is involved with both, but it seems to me one of them had another toe involved as well. I'll have to look today to be certain. I was starting to get discouraged since I only have 4 chicks, and beginning to wonder if it was a problem with the breed.

Just curious but does anyone has a pet Dom roo? And if so, has he gotten at all mean? One of my roo chicks has stolen my heart. He comes running for me as if I'm his mama whenever he sees me. I guess I want to try to prepare myself if it's inevidable he will turn on me.

We also had chicks with bent toes, that develped at about 3-4 weeks - I'm pretty much convinced it's genetic, as they all had the same sire. It's frustrating, because it's easy to get a sense of security that they are fine developmentally once they leave the brooder. Not always the case.

I think that you will have a fine pet there with your rooster. Our fellows are quite agressive toward one another (as they should be) but toward people they have always been respectful.

 

[gootziecat]

Thank you, Suzette. I was unable to see the pullets toes this morning doing chores, only my pet Dom chick. His toe is bent and it is the far inside toe. Both chicks seemed to turn up with this problem almost simutaneous. I suspect genetic as well since this happened to purchased Dom pullet, unrelated, after several weeks.

Am I to understand Dom roos do not live harmously together and need to be separated? Can you elaborate on this?

Thank you.

 

[lorain's fids]

I have 5 Dominiques, they are 2 weeks old today. I will post some pics of them, but it seems that when I take pictures they are always moving and the pics come out bad.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
When not breeding or keeping birds penned for show purposes I allow multiple roosters to free range with hens. High rooster: hen ratio can be hard on hens feathers. Inforcement of pecking order among roosters causes some damage to feathers. Occasionally fights will occur causing even more feather damage and occasionally loss of an eye but generally problems not too bad unless temperatures very high. Very high temperatures i have learned with doms can result in a bird just keeling over dead even though fight is of short duration. Hens laying eggs under such conditions also at increased risk. My doms have proven not the most heat tolerant.

 

[KenK]

Quote:
We had discussed this previously in this thread. My Dominiques are now at least as large as my game chickens and are showing little to no distress with this terrible heat we have been having.

These birds had apparently been bred on a farm in Alabama for many years, maybe they have developed more of a tolerance for heat than yours...

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
We had discussed this previously in this thread. My Dominiques are now at least as large as my game chickens and are showing little to no distress with this terrible heat we have been having.

These birds had apparently been bred on a farm in Alabama for many years, maybe they have developed more of a tolerance for heat than yours...

Juveniles handle heat just fine. Adult doms are challenged by heat, especially older individuals. Juveniles are a completely different ball game. I have 150 running around with age ranging 0 days to 5 years. Last of my 8 year olds dropped out two days ago when temperature reached 102 F.


Our temperatures in Missori get every bit as high as those in Alabama, difference is duration, you get a lot more hot days. That has to be harder. I seriously doubt your Alabama doms are not progressing towards a landrace that is adapted to your area, especially if breeders coming from your area and not babied too much.

 

[Gallusfarm]

Quote:
If they are raised together they should be fine. I've just noticed that our Doms are more high strung when it comes to fighting, compared to other breeds. As with everything, that can vary depending on the strain... In other breeds there is a little sparring and they are done, but the Doms do not give up and have to be separated. Anyone else experience this?

 

[centrarchid]

I am not setup to see strain differences in regards to fighting although they are more agressive and game than California greys and leghorns. Rearing males together is very effective way to minimize fighting in a multiple rooster setting. Providing adequate room for subordinates to retreat does wonders in controlling feather damage. I have not had to separate roosters, they are allowed to work it out. Something to consider as management option; sometimes more roosters is better. More roosters promotes greater dispersion of aggression. I use this with fish all the time and have used it successfully with chickens.

 

[off-grid hen]

Here are 2 of my Doms. One honks like a goose. Nothing wrong with her nose, I think she just has a deep voice. Shoulda named her Barry White, lol! I have hatchery mutts from mcmurray. I know, I know! This is a breeder thread, but I just wanted to give a sample of what's coming from this hatchery lately. I don't have any Dominique cockerels (ordered sexed pullets). So far when it's hot and humid the girls are doing ok. But it hasn't gotten over 92 and muggy here.

Also- I noticed some have longer tails, and some have very short tails. Here are some of the girls, hatched April 23rd.


The Honkster. (Blurry head. Oops)

Shorter tailed girl.

3 Doms. Hard to tell maybe from this pic, but the one in the center has darker coloring/less white. Honkster on the right is looking a bit dishevelled. She is about to lose that feather! Seemingly headless bird on the left is preening her foot.

 

[WallTenters]

We have noticed some difference in the gaminess of the bloodlines. Thankfully the two roosters we have kept have very low fight drive, that's just not something we want to deal with.

Also, we have put roosters together that have never known each other and had no problems, it seems to go better if you leave them apart from any hens for a week or so and then put them in the bachelor pen instead of putting them in right after separating them from their hens.

One of our Dom roosters is pathetically submissive - he almost backed down to a two month old cockerel! He finally decided to stand up for himself in that battle, but we cannot house him with any other roosters because he will not get off the perch to even eat or drink

. He is not in the Dom breeding program, but he hangs around as a babysitter for young birds.