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

[Leahs Mom]

Do you "trim" spurs or do you remove the casing from them? And how do you know if how much you can trim (if you do) without hitting quick?

 

[speckledhen]

Do you "trim" spurs or do you remove the casing from them? And how do you know if how much you can trim (if you do) without hitting quick?

Oh, you do hit the quick if you trim enough. We never remove the casing, no. You can sometimes see it if the spur is on a young male like Bash, with fairly thin spurs. I can't see the quick on Atlas because his spurs are over 5/8" thick each, plus about 3" long each, so you can imagine each one sticking straight out at the other and him trying to walk normally. We use a Dremel tool and cut straight through, which cauterizes the bleeder, spins the blood almost like an airy cotton candy as it comes out, then we smooth the edges somewhat. We usually trim enough that the spurs are not in the way of their walking, not cutting close to the leg, though at times, we just blunt the sharp ends if they are not super long. I do not want to take away their weaponry entirely because they free range.

I'll try to get a picture of Atlas's spurs today for you if I can get him to hold still long enough.

 

[speckledhen]

Atlas's and Bash's spurs after the little trim and the part we cut off of Atlas's. You can see how thick they are. He's getting to be an old man.

 

[speckledhen]

Now, Betsy is limping badly. I guess Bash must have jumped her and caught her in a bad position. He was chasing them yesterday like it was spring again.

She was fine when she left to free range. When I went to get them back inside, she was favoring her right leg terribly. So, she's separated for some rest. Will the problems never end???

 

[robhuncor]

Everything seems to happen at once sometimes. I know the feeling.

 

[speckledhen]

I wanted to ask my son if he'd seen or heard from Wendy, his girlfriend before the evil redhead he married. Wendy was a beautiful girl his own age and I liked her, but she had a young toddler, a son, and that sort of concerned me, the ready-made family thing, however, she was very nice to us, very friendly and sweet. They suddenly broke up and I didn't know until a long time later why, but needless to say, I realized that there were worse things than marrying a woman with a child (like the one he did marry).

Anyway, he called today and said he ran into someone who said to tell us hello. It was Wendy. Her son she had when they were dating, Logan, is 22 and getting married. And today was her daughter's 18th birthday. I still have no idea if she is married or not, but I never asked him because he'd tell me I was pushing him on her. The truth is that I have wondered for years how she was and what her life had turned out like, not that I feel he should rebound with anyone, period. I felt that his life would have turned out better if he had forgiven her for what broke them up and just got back together all those years ago. Maybe it wouldn't, hard to know what would have happened, but I just wish he had not wasted half his life with the ungrateful, nasty wench that he did. Water under the bridge, as they say.

Bailey is so weak, but she perked up and actually ate some pancake pieces I threw to Bash today! I had to take her out of the hospital cage to put Betsy in there because of her injured leg. When Bailey would dive for the food, she'd fall over, she's so weak. I hope she can rally, but it may be too late. MaryJo seems okay, though so thin. I think she'll be fine. She's energetic and shows interest in food and life.

 

[1muttsfan]

All your troubles will be over the day you die. Hopefully they will continue to annoy you a while longer

 

[speckledhen]

All your troubles will be over the day you die. Hopefully they will continue to annoy you a while longer

Can the chickens just quit being irritating? Just for awhile? LOL.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Can the chickens just quit being irritating? Just for awhile? LOL.

Nope. It's a daily soap opera here too with my critters.

 

[getaclue]

Speckled, when was the last time you wormed all of them? That's the only thing I can think of that sort of fits your description of what's going on.