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

[getaclue]

I wanted plain, simple 4 inch hasps for the inner doors. Nothing fancy. They had them ordered, but none in stock.

 

[speckledhen]

I posted this on a bantam Cochin thread where I asked a question about the life span of males of this breed, but I'll put the story here as well, since you all know Xander.

As I suspected, Xander's crop issue was not really about the crop, but about Xander leaving us soon. Xander passed away during the night. He was on his feet yesterday morning, but barely. DH made a nest of one of those stackable storage things, can't think of the term for it, it's open fronted, and put him in it, where he stayed until he passed. His crop was a doughy ball. Even using Colace and massage many times a day, plus all the drinking he did, did not move it along. It was not technically impacted, but at a dead stop, a symptom of a system shutdown underway at the end of his life. Food mixed with water to form a paste and sat, as I've seen with dying birds over the years, but only once with a rooster, coincidentally another bantam.

My 8 year old large fowl Delaware hen, Georgie, whose group Xander's was only recently combined with as you know, sat next to him almost all day, grooming him gently. He was unresponsive for the most part all day long. The others sometimes would sit around him, but only Georgie sat touching him and grooming him. Others would come close and bend down to check on him. Georgie went to her roost at bedtime, but at 3 a.m., my husband went to check on Xander, found him gone with Georgie laying next to him with her head across his body. It brings tears to my eyes that she did not leave him, even after death. She is 2nd in command in her own group, only next in line to my 9 yr old EE hen, June, but she played the role of head hen yesterday in holding vigil over a dying pen mate. I'm so proud of her. And we'll miss our little Munchkin Dictator. He was a good rooster. I am so tired of issues with big young, hormonal males injuring pullets lately, that I am thiiiiiiiiis close to combining all my hen groups who can run together and getting them a couple of little men to watch out for them. RIP, sweet little Xander.

 

[1muttsfan]

How both sad and sweet. I will miss hearing about his antics, and his girls will surely miss him.

 

[speckledhen]

How both sad and sweet. I will miss hearing about his antics, and his girls will surely miss him.

It was amazing that it was Georgie who sat watch, not Maretta who chose him, not Dusty who has been with him almost his entire life, but Georgie. Georgie lost Isaac, then Rex then Deacon and now, Xander. She's seen a good bit of loss of her "men". She, being 8 years old herself, just this month in fact, may not be with me a lot longer, but she's a good hen, my last Delaware.

 

[Wyatt0224]

Sorry to hear about Xander passing away. What a neat story showing how compassionate chickens really are.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I am sorry to hear of Xanders passing, but glad he went peacefully. I have had hens absolutely adore their roosters in that manner. Chickens are more emotionally complex than most people realize. I have birds go into a depression when losing another flock mate they were close with.

As far as roosters I have 5 large breed, and 10 bantam, mostly cochins. Most of my cochins end up being gentle roosters. My large breeds can be really good roosters too. Last year when I integrated my 6 weeks old chicks my head rooster stood patiently as a chick pecked at his wattles.


He's such a good boy and even watched out for them. My bantam roosters in my bantam flock will help raise the chicks.

I find it necessary to manage and often remove roosters as they mature if they get too vigorous, or are just generally being a pain. They are penned where everyone can interact through the fence with them and they remain in a sense, part of the flock.

The penned roosters often learn to sweet talk the hens so they will come by them. I have left some penned for months and others are temporary or they go in and out.

I find most roosters need 2 years to fully mature and to act more responsible. Since I free range I need good roosters, not young fools who cause chaos. Most roosters end up being good roosters after 2 years, and of course some are great from the start.

I absolutely adorable bantam cochins and find as a whole the roosters seem attentive and want to take care of the hens. So I definitely understand you wanting to have more.

 

[speckledhen]

I am sorry to hear of Xanders passing, but glad he went peacefully. I have had hens absolutely adore their roosters in that manner. Chickens are more emotionally complex than most people realize. I have birds go into a depression when losing another flock mate they were close with.

As far as roosters I have 5 large breed, and 10 bantam, mostly cochins. Most of my cochins end up being gentle roosters. My large breeds can be really good roosters too. Last year when I integrated my 6 weeks old chicks my head rooster stood patiently as a chick pecked at his wattles.



He's such a good boy and even watched out for them. My bantam roosters in my bantam flock will help raise the chicks.

I find it necessary to manage and often remove roosters as they mature if they get too vigorous, or are just generally being a pain. They are penned where everyone can interact through the fence with them and they remain in a sense, part of the flock.

The penned roosters often learn to sweet talk the hens so they will come by them. I have left some penned for months and others are temporary or they go in and out.

I find most roosters need 2 years to fully mature and to act more responsible. Since I free range I need good roosters, not young fools who cause chaos. Most roosters end up being good roosters after 2 years, and of course some are great from the start.

I absolutely adorable bantam cochins and find as a whole the roosters seem attentive and want to take care of the hens. So I definitely understand you wanting to have more.

Awww, sweet picture! I love it when roosters "daddy" the babies. My Belgian D'Anver males are like that.

 

[Wyatt0224]

I have a question pertaining to your feed and brooding chicks. I know that Purina advertises that you need their three types of feed, one when their chicks, one in between the chick age and egg laying age and the other when they're laying eggs. Some people have said that if laying hens eat feed for chicks their eggs will be poisonous. You've said you feed your chickens feed from a local mill, what do you give your chicks? Does the local mill provide chick feed?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm not sure who you are asking, but I will share what I do. I feed a non medicated grower to my chicks that the laying hens can eat. I don't use medicated feed nor actual layer. I use an All Flock and than the non medicated grower for chicks and my bantam flock. I always have a dish of oyster shells available for calcium.

 

[Wyatt0224]

I'm not sure who you are asking, but I will share what I do. I feed a non medicated grower to my chicks that the laying hens can eat. I don't use medicated feed nor actual layer. I use an All Flock and than the non medicated grower for chicks and my bantam flock. I always have a dish of oyster shells available for calcium.

Sorry if I worded everything in a confusing way but that answers my question. I wanted to know if there was a feed you could give chicks and laying hens that wasn't medicated. Do you know if All Flock is sold around the country or just at your local feed store?