FREE-RANGE KEEPING OF AMERICAN DOMINIQUES

[centrarchid]

Nice thread Centrachid! I just posted about looking into Dominiques on a Goat thread! Your property would be great for goats (I am having fun with mine)-- having a devil of a time keeping them out of the chicken feed, though-- As to my hens, mine moulted too(done mostly cept for 2 birds not eating enough d/t goat issue) - I have been using gamebird starter as well -- but have decided these Jersey Giants alittle too heavy on the feed! Need to look at other breeds.... I dont know if you stated where you got them, are they from breeders (did notice you specified Missouri Vs American Dominiques)--
love my dogs too-- 2nd winter and still not one predator loss (they come in at night on their own).....coop is open though....

I plan on acquiring about a dozen Katahdin Sheep ewes and four Keiko Goat does with one buck of each for pasture management. They will not be given access to entire pasturable area; rather they will be used to groom area into a patchwork of heavily grazed, lightly grazed and areas grazed only every third year or so. That should allow better autochthonous foraging for birds and a method to attract allochthonous insect forages drifting in from neighboring properties. The well manicured pasture for poultry is against my religion. The ruminants will also convert some of the tougher greens into gleanable for chicken eats contained in feces.


Feed I am using varies with season and is usually offered as a restricted ration except with Dominique chicks.

I acquired my American Dominiques from 6 sources but quickly whittled that down to just over one dominated by representatives of the Voter Line acquired through Fred Farthing of Missouri. The Missouri Dominiques are a composite of American Dominique (mostly Voter with a little Cackle Hatchery) and American Game that is being selected for typical American Dominique type but American Game feathering and foraging habits. The Missouri Dominique already compares very favorably with respect to egg production and fertility but has a smoky pattern to flight feathers that might be allowed to persist.

 

[CAjerseychick]

I plan on acquiring about a dozen Katahdin Sheep ewes and four Keiko Goat does with one buck of each for pasture management. They will not be given access to entire pasturable area; rather they will be used to groom area into a patchwork of heavily grazed, lightly grazed and areas grazed only every third year or so. That should allow better autochthonous foraging for birds and a method to attract allochthonous insect forages drifting in from neighboring properties. The well manicured pasture for poultry is against my religion. The ruminants will also convert some of the tougher greens into gleanable for chicken eats contained in feces.


Feed I am using varies with season and is usually offered as a restricted ration except with Dominique chicks.

I acquired my American Dominiques from 6 sources but quickly whittled that down to just over one dominated by representatives of the Voter Line acquired through Fred Farthing of Missouri. The Missouri Dominiques are a composite of American Dominique (mostly Voter with a little Cackle Hatchery) and American Game that is being selected for typical American Dominique type but American Game feathering and foraging habits. The Missouri Dominique already compares very favorably with respect to egg production and fertility but has a smoky pattern to flight feathers that might be allowed to persist.

Here in CA, Dorpers are popular, but wouldnt you know if some guys on Goat Forums has some Gulf Coast sheep for sale and I read up on them.. they sound pretty ideal for the smaller homesteader as an all around meat, milk, wool sheep (daughter wants wool)- alittle similar to the Kikos in that they self selected for hardiness, parasite resistance, easy lambing, and no grain supplementation, forage only....
In short they sound Fabulous, and are from a little closer to You then out here in CA (although it appears that I happen to have a local source).... Your Missouri Dominque-ers sound amazing as well.... I would love a some hens, but will probably have to settle for the Feedstore chicks come spring (or, I hear good things about Sandhill conservation...)....

 

[centrarchid]

My suggestion for you with respect to American Dominiques is to get them from several sources, close flock, then make controlled matings of hens no less than three years old, have hens raise their own chicks and select according to SOP. Also get rid of the fluffy butt breads and the power production birds so you can devote more resources long-term to the doms. Also make certain free-range foraging is employed.

 

[wsmith]

My suggestion for you with respect to American Dominiques is to get them from several sources, close flock, then make controlled matings of hens no less than three years old, have hens raise their own chicks and select according to SOP.  Also get rid of the fluffy butt breads and the power production birds so you can devote more resources long-term to the doms.  Also make certain free-range foraging is employed.

I second that. My flock is from several bloodlines all over the US. One must cull vigorously, either by processing or selling less desirable birds for layers only.
Cull hard, and the flock improves quickly.

 

[CAjerseychick]

My suggestion for you with respect to American Dominiques is to get them from several sources, close flock, then make controlled matings of hens no less than three years old, have hens raise their own chicks and select according to SOP. Also get rid of the fluffy butt breads and the power production birds so you can devote more resources long-term to the doms. Also make certain free-range foraging is employed.

Ok not sure bout my sources to acquire birds (catalogue and Craigslist it is), but free ranging is all we got ... we arent great fencers to begin with.... The one thing I really like about the Jerseys is that they never did fly and we easy to keep on our property.... and produced pretty darn well most of the year 7 or 8 eggs daily outa 10 hens for most of the summer.....
But this no egg thing really sucks (its their first moult and they layed all winter last year I am really perplexed)... but I do like the idea of a heritage breed, endangered as well.....

 

[centrarchid]

Most breeds lay well the first winter with a hiccup the next year associated with molt. The nice thing about the American Dominiques is that they should lay reasonably well as they age. In other words they do not burn out as quickly. Also, if the free-range forage is adequate you should see more edible egg product coming from the American Dominique per unit of feed applied than what a Jersey Giant can muster.

 

[CAjerseychick]

Most breeds lay well the first winter with a hiccup the next year associated with molt. The nice thing about the American Dominiques is that they should lay reasonably well as they age. In other words they do not burn out as quickly. Also, if the free-range forage is adequate you should see more edible egg product coming from the American Dominique per unit of feed applied than what a Jersey Giant can muster.

Thx for that bit of reassurance.. mustering Anything would be good at this point... I will probably just add in new chicks Dominiques and let the Jerseys age out naturally ....

 

[Bullitt]

Most breeds lay well the first winter with a hiccup the next year associated with molt. The nice thing about the American Dominiques is that they should lay reasonably well as they age. In other words they do not burn out as quickly. Also, if the free-range forage is adequate you should see more edible egg product coming from the American Dominique per unit of feed applied than what a Jersey Giant can muster.

I have not read the entire thread, so if you already answered this question, I apologize.

Why do you refer to the breed as American Dominiques? Dominique is considered the first American chicken breed. Why do you have to say American?

This is a good choice for what you want because they are good at foraging, raise their own young, and from what I have read, can fly into trees. Is this correct? This is probably why the Dominique was so popular for many years on farms.

 

[centrarchid]

I have not read the entire thread, so if you already answered this question, I apologize.

Why do you refer to the breed as American Dominiques? Dominique is considered the first American chicken breed. Why do you have to say American?

This is a good choice for what you want because they are good at foraging, raise their own young, and from what I have read, can fly into trees. Is this correct? This is probably why the Dominique was so popular for many years on farms.

Apparently there has been more than one kind of chicken that has been called Dominique so American Dominique is used by the American Poultry Association to distinguish from the other kinds. Additionally, the "American" Dominiques in Europe I would not call American Dominiques, they have changed a great deal. Finally, for me I need to be specific since I am also developing a line with a lot of game in it that is being called Missouri Dominique.

At one time the American Dominique likely did forage in a manner worthy of its current reputation. Relative to my other chickens, the reputation is not justified as they do not get out to forage as well the games unless mixed in a flock of games. They are not self-motivators when it comes to foraging. They fly well enough to get into trees only if lower branches are no more than about 8 feet up. When in in heavy molt the hens have a hard time go up 4 feet. That problem will not be resolved by me but their fast molt pattern is being replaced by the slow molt pattern of games in the Missouri Dominiques. This is making to the Missouri Dominiques can fly a little higher vertically, maybe 12 feet, but also still be able to do it regardless of where they are in the molt cycle.

The popularity I think was very much a function of their color pattern which has been fairly consistent. They do grow pretty good when not pampered by high powered feeds and some lay pretty good giving over 200 eggs per year. They can raise their own but from what I have seen the average brood size is too low to maintain a flock as I keep them. Once in a while I get a brood of twelve chicks to make it but the average, which is more important, is less than four chicks per brood reaching weaning age and that is largely a function of hatch rate. Many eggs are either infertile or fail just prior to hatch. I can get slightly better hatch having game hens brood them. I have several ideas as to while hatch rate is low but it will take years to correct problem. Average surely can be improved upon with a little selective breeding. They also had abundant feathers for domestic use such as stuffing pillows.

 

[Bullitt]

Thank you for the information.

You want more wildness in your Missouri Dominiques, I see. I take it they build their nests in trees? How do you collect eggs or round up the chickens?