# Dominiques



## freddao

I will be raising Dominique's. I am new at this. Could anyone tell me at about what age they start laying?

Also I have a coop and run but would like to let them out to free range occasionally in our yard. We have just over an acre.
How do I get them back into the coop and / or keep them from straying too far out of range? I plan to only let them free-range when I am outside with them.


----------



## Apyl

They'll lay around 21 weeks old. As for free ranging, just keep them penned for at least 2 weeks before free ranging and they will go into the coop automatically after free ranging, before the sun goes down.


----------



## BuffaloGal

The Dominique Club of America is taking a census to get an idea how many birds are out there; if you have breeding age birds, please consider printing one off and sending it in. Club membership not required, we want to hear from you. 
(edited) Hmmm, that did not work worth a flip. Let me hunt up a URL...

https://attachment.fbsbx.com/file_d...inline=1&ext=1365137527&hash=ASsmzRjPvtaGj__4


----------



## freddao

BuffaloGal said:


> The Dominique Club of America is taking a census to get an idea how many birds are out there; if you have breeding age birds, please consider printing one off and sending it in. Club membership not required, we want to hear from you.
> (edited) Hmmm, that did not work worth a flip. Let me hunt up a URL...
> 
> https://attachment.fbsbx.com/file_d...inline=1&ext=1365137527&hash=ASsmzRjPvtaGj__4


Well, my girls are only a few weeks old, so not of breeding age yet. I would love to have the link though.


----------



## BuckeyeChickens

freddao said:


> I will be raising Dominique's. I am new at this. Could anyone tell me at about what age they start laying?
> 
> Also I have a coop and run but would like to let them out to free range occasionally in our yard. We have just over an acre.
> How do I get them back into the coop and / or keep them from straying too far out of range? I plan to only let them free-range when I am outside with them.


Dom's are an excellent "old fashioned" American Class fowl....as you may already know they are one of the oldest American breeds (the Java is the other). Depending on where your stock originated they could start laying as early as 20-22 weeks. However, I've seen hatchery stock that did not lay until they were over 48 weeks of age! Since Dom's are not as heavy as some other breeds that can fly over a low fence (under 48" high) unless they have clipped wings. Something to consider if you have 1 acre or less! You can "train" them to return to the coop almost anytime you like if you go out several times a day and feed them treats inside the coop. Just tossing a little scratch or BOSS is all it takes and when you turn them out when you want them back in the coop simply walk in and toss the grain....99% of the time they will come running when they see you carrying the can or cup of grain! Otherwise you will need to wait for sun-down like someone else posted.


----------



## freddao

Thanks Apyl and Buckeye for the info. I am handling the chicks daily, feeding 1 mealworms as a treat, and hoping that they will want to hang around as much as I want them to!  
As always, I am much appreciative of any insight given.


----------



## VIVI

Nice breed to start with. I'll be offering hatching eggs later this year.

VIVI


----------



## freddao

VIVI said:


> Nice breed to start with. I'll be offering hatching eggs later this year.
> 
> VIVI


Oh great VIVI! What fun to hatch babies.


----------



## BuckeyeChickens

VIVI said:


> Nice breed to start with. I'll be offering hatching eggs later this year.
> 
> VIVI


VIVI, your web/blog link doesn't work as it is typed?!?!? can you confirm if there is an error or not??? wanted to check out your "heritage breeds"


----------



## VIVI

Here are pics. I need to update my blog for you. Fixed it.

/IMG]


----------



## BuffaloGal

The link for the Dominique Club of America's census is here: http://dominiqueclub.org/articles/DCA census form.pdf


----------



## BuckeyeChickens

VIVI said:


> All are mine except the 2nd phote. which was sent to me by a freind whom had bought chicks.
> 
> VIVI


Nice pics and BLOG you have VIVI!!!


----------



## VIVI

Thank you Hon. I still need to update it. I have so many babies coming at the bator.

VIVI


----------



## BuckeyeChickens

Here is a pic of a 6 week old Dom....a few Buckeyes, a few games and a few Australorps!










PS - These are MY birds and MY picture, too!!!


----------



## VIVI

Very nice birds you have there.

VIVI


----------



## Apyl

I had a Dom roo last year so thought I would see if I had a pic and I found one  The dom is on the left and Barred Rock on the right. I want to say they were about 3 or so months old in this pic. Both birds later became meat birds.


----------



## BuckeyeChickens

VIVI said:


> Very nice birds you have there.
> 
> VIVI


Thanks VIVI, it's a little different around here this year....normally that brood pen is filled with nothing but RED chicks (Buckeyes) like the picture below! However, this year I have added a few more breeds to the mix and we'll see how they do?!?!?


----------



## VIVI

Very nice birds everyone.

VIVI


----------



## BuffaloGal

I know you're pretty well sold on those red birds Jeff, but you're liable to find that a little color is also a good thing. I recall your writing these chicks came from "down south", did you get the breeding pair you mentioned from Mike?


----------



## BuckeyeChickens

BuffaloGal said:


> I recall your writing these chicks came from "down south", did you get the breeding pair you mentioned from Mike?


I got the young Dom's (hatching eggs) from a gal in South Carolina in February. The breeding pair I picked up recently came from a local man who said they came from a breeder in Indiana. I did contact Mike last year about his Dom's but he didn't seem interested in selling anything so I went a different direction!


----------



## freddao

Here is a pic of my 4 babies!


----------



## BuckeyeChickens

freddao said:


> Here is a pic of my 4 babies!


Nice.....looks like 3 boys and one pullet if they are anything like mine (the males had light spots on their heads, females were solid black! As they got older the males got light colored and the barring pattern was easy to see while the pullets remained very dark.


----------



## freddao

BuckeyeChickens said:


> Nice.....looks like 3 boys and one pullet if they are anything like mine (the males had light spots on their heads, females were solid black! As they got older the males got light colored and the barring pattern was easy to see while the pullets remained very dark.


Well according to http://www.dominiquechicken.com/
They say that:
"Equally reliable is the sexing of chicks based on the shape of the light colored spot on the top of the chick's head. As reported by F.P. Jeffrey, at hatching the male head spot, for the most part, is larger and more scattered than the one on the female which tends to be small (though not always) and more compact -- free of black areas."

I picked these out from a local reliable feed store from the pullet bin. I sure hope they're girls! LOL


----------



## BuckeyeChickens

freddao said:


> Well according to http://www.dominiquechicken.com/
> They say that:
> "Equally reliable is the sexing of chicks based on the shape of the light colored spot on the top of the chick's head. As reported by F.P. Jeffrey, at hatching *the male head spot, for the most part, is larger and more scattered* than the one on the female which tends to be small (though not always) and more compact -- free of black areas."
> 
> I picked these out from a local reliable feed store from the pullet bin. I sure hope they're girls! LOL


Yup, I would agree with Mr. Jeffrey (who ever he is!?!?! LOL) I'm certainly not a Dom expert, the two batches of Dom chicks I raised this year that looked like your pic ended up being males....the head spot on my males was large (like the three in your pic)....my females were nearly ALL black but some had tiny light spots on top of their heads but when I say tiny you really had to look close to see them! Keep us posted on what they end up being....hopefully you are correct and I am wrong!


----------



## BuffaloGal

He's probably got a waiting list -yes, his birds are that good.  If you're serious about the breed, seeing as how he's practically in your backyard, I can't think of a better opportunity for you to obtain quality stock.


----------



## BuckeyeChickens

BuffaloGal said:


> He's probably got a waiting list -yes, his birds are that good.  If you're serious about the breed, seeing as how he's practically in your backyard, I can't think of a better opportunity for you to obtain quality stock.


If the birds I purchased from "down south" pan out I will be a satisfied man....who knows maybe I'll run into Mike at a poultry show one day?!?!?


----------



## Sylvester017

Hello out there -

Is anyone a Dom breeder nearer the West Coast? The closest I got was a bantam breeder in No Calif. but I like the LF. Contacted a few breeders of LF but all are in the Midwest. Maybe I'll go back to the feed store in spring and get another Privett hatchery Dom chick as it is difficult to find Doms otherwise :-(

The feed store Dom chick we got last year suffered an instant mortal seizure at 19 days old. It happens w/ chicks, never know why, maybe because she was an end-of-season hatch? Just before bedtime she picked at her right foot a few times and it was unusual behavior for her - obviously it was a warning signal of the impending seizure. She was an absolute dream and devastated us to lose her as she was very outgoing and curious beyond other pullet breeds we've had. 

I've had several juvenile breeds shipped USPS to me successfully to assemble my backyard flock. I prefer getting a juvie rather than raising a single baby chick w/ her having only a mirror or a human as a companion LOL.

Any suggestions?


----------



## Gd4sumthn

I had a cute little Dom Roo who thought he was a giant. A skunk got into the hen house and he died trying to fight it off  He was a very testy little man, he would run around yelling at the girls all the time. Many times a hen would put him in his place and once my HUGE barred rock Roo tried to kill him but he always stood his ground like the brave little guy he was. 


Sent from my iPhone using Chicken Forum


----------



## Sylvester017

Gd4sumthn said:


> I had a cute little Dom Roo who thought he was a giant. A skunk got into the hen house and he died trying to fight it off  He was a very testy little man, he would run around yelling at the girls all the time. Many times a hen would put him in his place and once my HUGE barred rock Roo tried to kill him but he always stood his ground like the brave little guy he was.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Chicken Forum


I want to cry from you losing your Dom roo. I know they are protective and that's their role in life to fight invaders but it is still sad when you lose a good bird. How the $*#?! did a skunk get into a secured hen house?


----------



## Sylvester017

BuckeyeChickens said:


> Dom's are an excellent "old fashioned" American Class fowl....as you may already know they are one of the oldest American breeds (the Java is the other). Depending on where your stock originated they could start laying as early as 20-22 weeks. However, I've seen hatchery stock that did not lay until they were over 48 weeks of age! Since Dom's are not as heavy as some other breeds that can fly over a low fence (under 48" high) unless they have clipped wings. Something to consider if you have 1 acre or less! You can "train" them to return to the coop almost anytime you like if you go out several times a day and feed them treats inside the coop. Just tossing a little scratch or BOSS is all it takes and when you turn them out when you want them back in the coop simply walk in and toss the grain....99% of the time they will come running when they see you carrying the can or cup of grain! Otherwise you will need to wait for sun-down like someone else posted.


Mr. Buckeye Club - Thank you for saying nice things about the Doms. I considered the Buckeye as well as Doms but BEs are slightly larger than we wanted in our under 5-lb bird flock. However, we did recommend to a family in Colorado Doms and/or BEs for their rural snow area. Told them if they had a roo he would usually be protective of the flock as well. They got a quad of Doms and 2 BE pullets were tossed in with the group. They love both breeds for doing well in their cold climate. I'm glad if I couldn't have a BE that we were able to recommend them to someone who needed somewhat calm temperament and cold-hardy dual-purpose breeds.


----------



## Sylvester017

BuffaloGal said:


> I know you're pretty well sold on those red birds Jeff, but you're liable to find that a little color is also a good thing. I recall your writing these chicks came from "down south", did you get the breeding pair you mentioned from Mike?


BuffaloGal - Are there any LF Dom breeders anywhere in the USA? The one contact on the DCA was very nice and gave me good info about the breed but he doesn't have his birds any more.

I got a Privett Hatchery chick from our feed store in Calif but she died at 19 days from a seizure - dunno why unless it's because she was an end-of-season hatch (Sept)? Maybe they're hardier born in the Spring? Dunno. We absolutely loved her and her breed bonded amazingly quickly with us. This breed is amazingly curious friendly outgoing unafraid and softly talkative. Chicks are fluffy but she was softer than any chick we handled. We were heartbroken to lose her.

Anyway I'm afraid to go with chicks as we are not zoned for roos or more than 5 hens and I have 4 girls now. Is there any breeder that will ship a juvenile Dom PQ pullet? 3 of my other breeds were shipped fine as juvies through USPS. I can't handle the heartache of losing another chick and the juvies seem healthier to ship. I wish I could locate someone in So Calif. Thanks for any input - Smiles


----------

