This truly American breed dates back to the Pioneer days when chickens were brought over from Europe by the first settlers. They were used for eggs, meat, and their attractive black and white barred feathers.

In 1874, the Dominique chickens officially became recognized by The American Poultry Association and were given a Standard of Perfection.

The Dominique is now a heritage breed and has been called by a variety of different names. These names include – Old Grey Hen, Blue Spotted hen, Dominic, Dominicker, pilgrim fowl, and Dominico, but Dominique is the given name today.

A calm, gentle, docile bird, the Dominique is an easy-going, sweet breed of hen. These barred chickens are a pleasure to have in any backyard flock or farm, and are good choice for children.

Due to their hardiness, docility, and ability to either free-range or be kept confined, they also make an excellent choice for a beginner.

The Dominique rooster can sometimes be aggressive, particularly as youngsters towards each other or during mating season. Generally, they are not hostile towards the chicken keeper.

Dominique hens have good egg production and will lay an average of 230 to 275 small to medium-sized eggs per year. The Dominique chicken egg is a light brown egg. Hens will usually start laying around 21 to 24 weeks.