Investing More In American Dominiques

[Zone3Dakota]

Sorry about the wild things getting zapped. It is always something....

Say, i was wondering about your Dom x game crosses when talking about disease resistance. I've read that Doms are not as hardy toward certain disease and that games are generally considered hardy. Any experience that you would like to share would be appreciated. Games probably wouldn't do as well in the cold, here, and i am not really that interested in crossing my Doms with any breed, but i am just curious as to what you have been seeing, especially concerning when you back cross to the Doms.

 

[centrarchid]

Not all doms are like all doms and the same can be said for games. Games very resistant to worms while some doms are culled by heavy infections. Doms I have are not phased by cocci while some of my games do very poorly when so challenged. Games have responded well to selection as it has been the strongest selective pressure before birds reach juvenile stage. Hybrids not of sufficient number to make real call although they are not as tough with respect to worms.

Games I have can handle anything doms can handle with respect to cold and then some when flying required to get resources.

 

[Zone3Dakota]

I was surprised by the lack of flying skills from my Dominiques. I don't know why i was expecting more flight, maybe because they are not so heavy as some of the dual purpose breeds. I do see some amazing bugging action, though, complete with rebounding/bouncing off the run's fence.

thanks

 

[centrarchid]

The limited flying ability has been a concern from the start. American Dominiques are too heavy in the backside. Additionally on females legs and wings appear shorter than needed for their weight. Also feathers are short and tail feathers are too soft.

 

[centrarchid]

We have a predator issue. Fox or raccoon. Came in to barn just before sun up this morning. Flushed a game hen that then flew 150 feet horizontal from nest on ground to roughly 30 feet vertically into a tree. Critter then tried to grab a game stag in pen in the barn. Predator came through gap in fence I walk through and retreated to abandoned trailer court to NW. I have made a high-hide in the barn and have light rifle at the ready. Dogs penned so I can more chance at shot.

I also have internet access from barn for first time. Faster than what I have in house because cell phone is being used a mobile tether. Skeeters are horrendous.

 

[Intheswamp]

Best wishes on the stake out. Hope you get him/her!!!!

Ed

 

[Intheswamp]

Skeeters...some of the best stuff I've found is a lotion called "Skeeter Ban"...citronella mostly. Or, some deet spritzed on your hat, a rag tucked into your belt, and on the cuffs of your pants.

Best wishes with the skeeters, too!
Ed

 

[centrarchid]

I applied sufficient repellent. Slept reasonably well. Predator(s) did not return. My dogs got out but could not figure out where I was located. Maybe spray covered my scent.

Birds made a lot of noise all night long. Two hens with chicks roosted about 6 feet from my head could be heard preening and shaking head all night long. A Missouri Dominique cock roosting within four feet of my head crowed very little until just before dawn. Birds roosting outside in smaller groups were far quiter. Dogs had to repel Coyotes although Coyotes I could hear were pups.

Predator(s) not being successful previous night and possibly worried by dogs may be important for no prompt returns. This does happen periodically where predator comes in, makes a disturbance while getting little or nothing, then does not come back for months on end.

 

[centrarchid]

Birds in barn showing more signs of heat stress than those in pens under trees. I will see about installing a solar powered fan. Most days wetting ground in pens will help with cooling. We have gotten into triple digits yet which is when I am really concerned about heat stress on hens in lay. Games are having little trouble with the heat so far.

 

[centrarchid]

This evening proved very interesting. We were racing home from a couple hours at the city pool as a storm approached. When we got into house I went out to check on the greenish clouds to the south. I could see clear sign of rotation and filmed. Then I asked wife who calls in funnel clouds and she did not know so I did it. Watching funnel that was now due east of house I could a serious of small scrawny cloudlets and some debris coming from woods no more than ½ mile away as I spoke with dispatcher, I do not think she believed me at time but at I headed into town for 4H meeting I saw one police officer doing his best to spot. He could not see more than 100 yards owing to all that rain. The rain was major with at least 2 inches coming down in less than 20 minutes. Rain during same interval at home only 2 miles away was only about ½ inch. Was enough to over fill water trough.


I am going to install a 1,000-gallon tank to north of barn for collecting more rain water.