Hector's World: Adventures and Mayhem at Mountain View Poultry (or Sequel to The Evolution of Atlas

[speckledhen]

An extra point is no reason not to show an otherwise excellent bird. It's only 5 points, so no big deal. The barring is great. The tail feathers may do a bit like Hector, and be a bit slow to develop, but his tail finally came in. The last two cockerel pics look very good.

Thanks, yes, agreed about the comb. Body type is paramount. I love a beautifully balanced head and a good eye, certainly. Hector has that, even with one extra point. His tail angle is low, granted, and he will pass it on to at least some of his sons, but there are two parents involved and probably not to all of them. I'm not sure this guy shows, but I know he breeds. I know his name from somewhere. I hope they are cared for, but at least they have a chance to live and have hens, possibly.

Oh, glad you got them sold. Make sure it's not that Bruce guy that was insisting on coming to help you...

Um, yeah. This guy lives in a different place, different direction.

 

[speckledhen]

I knew I knew that name. He's here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/members/danny.26231/

He raises bantam Cochins, has some gorgeous ones.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/cochin-thread.195235/page-1270#post-10225723
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...mon Blue Cochins~~***BRAND NEW PICTURES***~~~

 

[getaclue]

Putting a rooster with a lower tail over a hen with a good tail, within a couple generations should do the trick. Better a low tail, than one that's too high.

 

[speckledhen]

Putting a rooster with a lower tail over a hen with a good tail, within a couple generations should do the trick. Better a low tail, than one that's too high.

I have to agree with that. I really hate squirrel tails. Atlas's angle is too high, not a squirrel tail, but definitely not exactly right. Would help if he kept a full tail, poor guy. Those hens, especially Wynette, keep him plucked so much, I haven't seen him fully feathered in years.

 

[1muttsfan]

Well yay. And a couple of those boys look like good prospects.

 

[getaclue]

Do you have a female from Atlas with the bit higher tail, or did he have the dwarf gene too?

 

[speckledhen]

Do you have a female from Atlas with the bit higher tail, or did he have the dwarf gene too?

That is how I got the dwarf gene in here, the 1/4 Delaware that Atlas is; that's where it came from. I have nice hens from Atlas, but one of both Zara and Athena carry the gene. I don't know if MaryJo does, but if I use her, I take the chance on introducing the gene into Hector's line. Atlas produced very fine sons and daughters, but every one had the chance of inheriting the gene.

 

[speckledhen]

Of the BR hens available, I have Wynette and Dottie, who are pure Stukel, but both 7 years old and rarely lay. Also, Dottie has an arthritic hock joint and avoids Atlas most of the time. I'd hate to inflict Hector on her at her age. And I'd have to take a hen away from Atlas, who has only four as it is. I wish I could get progeny out of Wynette and Hector! That would be fabulous. But unless Atlas kicks the bucket, she'll stay with him.

The only daughters of Atlas I have here are Zara, Athena and MaryJo. I sold Lizzie and Tessa, if you recall, but I never knew if they were carriers. Zara and Athena produced dwarfs with Apollo, or one of them did, not sure if it was one or both. MaryJo is the only mystery and unless I breed her over and over and breed her progeny together, I have no clue if she's a carrier. That would make many more carriers, if so, before I got a clue she had it herself.

Then, I have Thea and Jill, who hatched with Hector. Thea has wry tail, which takes her out of the running. So, Jill is all I have until her daughters grow up. And they are almost 8 weeks old so it will be awhile....if Hector accepts them.

More and more, I am thinking of just giving up on breeding BRs as pure. Tom's knee is so bad that he can barely walk, but he still limped out to the barn to do chores with me. I wish I did not have so much to do out there. Then, he would not feel he had to come out to help me all the time in terrible pain. If it isn't his back, it's his knee. This house with its ten steps is a real issue with his knee, which eventually may need a replacement.

Bash is just too good to let go. Tom really loves him, is always saying how sweet and smart he is. He's very attached to that big giant boy.

 

[getaclue]

With a good doctor, most people are glad they did knee replacement surgery. Once it heals up, there is no pain, and full use of the knee. My mother had a friend that put it off for years, then finally had it done. She said she would never have put it off had she known how wonderful it would be to have full use, and no pain.

Back pain on the other hand, is miserable. So sorry he has to suffer so much with it.

 

[1muttsfan]

My mom was the same way, but knee replacements allowed her to stay in her own home and continue to do the things she enjoyed like travel and gardening. The thing that finally convinced her was her doctor telling her she would be in a wheelchair if she did not have surgery.