Investing More In American Dominiques

[centrarchid]

Now it is time to consider how paddocks will be constructed for free-ranging keeping of adults. Particular challenge is barn has been located in the northeast corner of the property. Multiple residences are on the other side property line. Currently two fences are between barn and neighbors. One of those neighbors confiscated a couple of my gamehens about 3 years ago so not wanting that repeated. Dominques should be easy to coral using electrified poultry netting but location will be particularly problematic for Bobcats and Grey Fox that I know use that area like a highway. Since location at property boundary this is an area where dogs will be weak. First step will be to develop map.

 

[centrarchid]

Current perimeter (yellow) with barn location (blue). Expansion (orange) will increase encompassed area by roughly 50% so just over an acre will be devoted to dominiques during the production season. Each winter the perimeter will be contracted back to the yellow area allowing reinforcement of entire perimeter with poultry netting. I want protection even if dogs come up short. Expansion to north brings in a nice patch of bamboo that broody hens with chicks can use. Area to west has dense stands of silver poplar and Persimmons that provide refuge from sun and prying eye of diurnal raptors. Area to south has the forage that will be able to regenerate easily although it provides very little cover. The south area will be planted with brambles and Osage Orange thickets to compensate for limited cover. Area to east not suitable for expansion since a fen (mink and weasel highway). During production season the area east of barn will be divided into paddock for young-of-year. Somehow I will need to get juveniles off that ground so planted forages can be established each fall.

Area to southsoutheast not shown is for games and is not as tight but will have multiple perimeters of hotwire to entertain predators.

 

[centrarchid]

Multiple warm days with yesterday in the mid 60's F resulting in Honey Bees working feed trying to collect protein. Brood rearing must be gearing up. Real pollen should start flowing in about two weeks if mild winter weather prediction is realized. That means I will get early canopy closure in trees to wet of barn. Today I will cut first trail through that to expand run areas.

 

[centrarchid]

More work done. Breeding pen for breeder hens setup. One incubator loading of eggs will be collected where only sire known before hens will be split out for collection eggs where dam and sire are known. Spare cockerel pen has been setup outside barn with deer netting to keep raptors (GHO's) from coming in top and hotwire around perimeter for mammalian predators. All birds now within three perimeters of protection at least and dogs know them very well. It has been weeks since a predator has gotten the dogs to work even near the chickens so we are likely in one of periods where birds could be roosting low in trees without losses. Those periods are not predictable in their duration.

Egg collection will begin in about 2 weeks. Hatch dates will be staggered by a week and birds ranging in age up to one month will be combined as the first cohort. Doing that is easy with doms.


Next trip will be cutting trees down for mower and ultimately putting out more hotwire.

 

[centrarchid]

Cull cockerel pen. For most the last stop before the pot. Lucky guys got smaller one-bird units.

Cull based on tail and comb. Type so-so. Color good.

Older hen just moved to breeder pen. So heavy she could not fly 4.5 feet to roost.

Missouri Dominique cockerel that may yet get shot at breeder pen. He sports what much of what is needed for a walnut comb. All will have that eventually to make Missouri Dominiques easier to discern from American Dominiques even when immature.

 

[centrarchid]

Two considerations. First older hens (3+ years old) in breeder pen are giving zero eggs despite in excellent weight. Supplemental lighting will be added later in the week. Pullets doing fine. Second acreage for free-ranging adults (~36 hens / pullets) and 100 yoy each production season will not be enough to enable significant nutritional benefits. The adults will have nearly 3/4 acres that will be pressured year round. YOY will have about 1/4 acre that will get pressures from May to November. Adult area will not have time to recover and YOY area will be grazed to death. I am going to have to import some sort of sprouted grains to keeps birds in greens. Setting up place to do the sprouting will be next. Effort needs to be minimized and conditions need to be moderated so sprouting is consistent.

 

[centrarchid]

This hunk of junk needs to be upgraded and made so I can move almost daily with minimal effort. Then I can put a dozen cockerels in it without killing ground is covers. Pannel will door needs to be replaced. A solar powered charger will be hooked up to it to repel bad guys. Unit cost me $25 dollars.

 

[centrarchid]

Finally a Cooper Hawk (adult male) has come into hunt the starlings. He catches at least one a day actually in the barn then takes them into Silver Poplars to west of barn where he eats them. He as been at this for three days. Chickens get riled when he zooms through. Starlings still coming in and are safe when they get into pens. Hawk would not receive warm welcome in any of the pens.

 

[hellbender]

I'm curious. What about this bird makes him a reject for breeding purposes? I'm very seriously considering getting some Doms to augment our flock of non-straight combed birds for breeding into our capon matrix.

Thanks in advance.


RON

 

[centrarchid]

I'm curious. What about this bird makes him a reject for breeding purposes? I'm very seriously considering getting some Doms to augment our flock of non-straight combed birds for breeding into our capon matrix. Thanks in advance. RON

For your stated use above, my criteria have no purpose.