The Evolution of Atlas: A Breeding (and Chat) Thread

[1muttsfan]

So cute!

So is your plan to cross the little girls under Atlas, and the big girls under Hector when they all grow up?

 

[speckledhen]

So cute!

So is your plan to cross the little girls under Atlas, and the big girls under Hector when they all grow up?

Well, I'm not really sure. Fred says it's not a good idea to cross Hector's line since it already has an outcross in recent generations, but I may give Zara to him anyway. Athena is attached to Apollo and she's getting really comfortable around Atlas so as long as Atlas will allow Apollo in there as a 2nd in command(big words for Apollo, who is still very babyish), I may have to leave them both in Atlas's group.

Some of this may depend on if I lose Wynette, Ida or Dru soon. They are all over 5 years old now. If I do, I'm really not sure exactly what to do. I guess I need to grow everyone out and see what it all looks like and decide later. They're a long way from being breeders so there's time.

 

[speckledhen]

Off topic here. About a month ago, my husband and I were talking about replacing our two ancient freezers with one large, more energy efficient upright. One upright was here when we bought the place 14 years ago and it's a Holiday brand, so probably quite old since I don't believe they make that brand now. The other was a chest freezer we bought when my older son was barely older than a toddler. He's 39.

So, we found one on sale at Lowe's and were trying to forge ahead with our 'Clean Sweep' basement/crawlspace/late dad's estate item removal when we found the chest freezer had been off for a few days. Yeah. Everything was defrosted and water all over the floor of the already too humid basement (not enough air flow). The circuit breaker was tripped, no idea why. We got it going again, stuff back into it, everything frozen again. Then, a few days later, we had to move it over to rearrange things. Later that day, I went down to start moving things from the upright into the chest freezer in prep for defrosting that old upright and it was off again. Could not get it started. Okay, everything BACK into the old upright, fast trip next morning to buy the on-sale big 20 cu ft upright frost-free Energy Star freezer. So, this is what we are getting. They were going to have to get it in a week, showed they were out, but found one in the back and called us for delivery today.

So, Lowe's will take the non-functioning chest freezer. When all the stuff is in the new one, we will defrost the old upright and advertise it free to someone since we got it free ourselves and it does still work (though who knows how long?).

This is the new one. It was reduced by about $200 already, then we got DH's 10% military discount on top of that. Good deal. Problem is, it cannot go where the old upright was. Walls and doorways were built to make an in-law type suite, obviously after that old upright freezer was in the basement at that location and there is not a snowball's chance of getting this new freezer through one of the doorways. As it is, we'll have to remove the door from the old upright and turn it on its side to get it through one of the doors (a scant 27")The old one was 15.2 cu ft. This one is 20.2 cu ft. The chest freezer was not the smallest one but the next size up.


About 90% of everything in that basement and the big standup crawlspace will be gone when we're done.



ETA: Today's game cam download caught this little intruder. Why the woman put up an expensive chain link fence, I have no idea. I think her other Golden Comet hen has been killed. I have not seen it, the coop door is open, feeder put away, though there is a waterer with fresh water and some crumbled cornbread on the ground, like they're hoping she'll come home. The woman said she was sooooo much work! One hen? She also said she was laying shell-less eggs so if she was ill, she was moving slower and easier for a fox or coyote to catch.

Meet Lilybelle. Stupid name for that dog, if you ask me. I'm not a huge Boston Terrier fan, but I really detest the name "Lily" (evil stepmonster). GO HOME, Lilybelle!




AND, Hector pics today. I guess, technically, he needs his own thread, but I'll wait on that for awhile.

 

[1muttsfan]

Pet me - no me!

All 5 of them look very content.

 

[speckledhen]

Pet me - no me!

All 5 of them look very content.

Oh, the 5th is the BIG chick magnet, you mean! LOL. Hector is quite the little crowing expert. He sounds off over and over again every morning. He'll make the Brahma boys start crowing. Then, it will be something to video (and laugh at).

 

[Wyatt0224]

I remember reading about Atlas growing up he pecked your husband when he was still a young cockerel. Has Hector done anything like that?

 

[speckledhen]

I remember reading about Atlas growing up he pecked your husband when he was still a young cockerel. Has Hector done anything like that?

Wow, you have a great memory! Yes, he did. I think it was when we had moved him to the bantam coop because he hurt Amanda with an early mating attempt. Hubby reached into the pop door and Atlas bit him. So, he was in a different place and something came through the pop door. I think, if my memory is as good as yours, that we decided there were extenuating circumstances. He has been good as gold ever since. Even Isaac bit me at around 14 weeks old at the feeder, but a good beak hold and a firm "NO!" right in his face fixed that little issue forever. Atlas comes from a line of males bred for temperament and I expected he'd be as good as he is at his age.

Hector has nipped me several times when I reached for him, but at just under 10 weeks old, that doesn't bother me. He's a smart boy and I think he'll learn from the admonishments. If it advances to real biting closer to mating age, I'll be more concerned. But I am really not worried about it right now.

 

[Minflick]

Awe, that is too cute. Man and birds... Really a sweet picture! Wish my birds liked people so much!

 

[speckledhen]

Awe, that is too cute. Man and birds... Really a sweet picture! Wish my birds liked people so much!

I think the Brahma chicks would be all over him if they weren't so scared of the Barred Rocks.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Cyn, is that upright freezer a Frigidaire? I think we were looking at the same one in Lowe's two days ago.

That pic of Tom and your BR babies is so precious. It looks like Hector is going to be another magnificent rooster.

Didn't you tell me that you use a Dremmel to blunt your rooster's spurs? It looks like we need to do that with Raylan and I was wondering what tip you use? My husband is home right now so I need to get all of the flock nail trimming done while I have someone to hold them.