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

[speckledhen]

Did they find Lacey today???

I don't know. I called LH about 3 p.m. from town but she was on the phone with some state attorney (another matter, I think) and said she had no news, but she'd call me back in a bit. Haven't heard from her yet and I'm beginning to worry. I may call her in a minute.


ETA: I emailed her and she must have had a rough day. This was part of her answer:


Quote:

 

[crazyhen]

So sad. I am sad today too. My jubilees have not faired well all but 4 were not developing then one was born with a hugh raw area on its head. one was crushed by the hen. My others in the hatcher were all dead at about two wks and some not formed right. These were eggs that were shipped one day and arrived the next in NC from another town in NC. I am crushed almost as they are. This is one group I reallllly wanted at least a roo and hen from. I will call the seller today and let him know. He seemed really nice when i ordered them . It was probablly the handlers Sigh so much sadness today.

 

[speckledhen]

So sad. I am sad today too. My jubilees have not faired well all but 4 were not developing then one was born with a hugh raw area on its head. one was crushed by the hen. My others in the hatcher were all dead at about two wks and some not formed right. These were eggs that were shipped one day and arrived the next in NC from another town in NC. I am crushed almost as they are. This is one group I reallllly wanted at least a roo and hen from. I will call the seller today and let him know. He seemed really nice when i ordered them . It was probablly the handlers Sigh so much sadness today.

Oh, no! GJ, I am so, so sorry to hear this. What incubator are you using, I don't remember?

 

[crazyhen]

1588 hovabator. It has a turner and fan. But the ones under the hen of the same shipment did not do well either. My heart is really broken. I am so glad I will have some chicks from you a bit later. I have 4 setting under another hen from a neighbor. They are Ameracuana and Deleware. Some of the Kathy line Del, line. I had shared with her earlier. This has not been a good winter for me with chickens or health. I keep trodding away believing it will get better so this is just another dissappointment.

 

[speckledhen]

1588 hovabator. It has a turner and fan. But the ones under the hen of the same shipment did not do well either. My heart is really broken. I am so glad I will have some chicks from you a bit later. I have 4 setting under another hen from a neighbor. They are Ameracuana and Deleware. Some of the Kathy line Del, line. I had shared with her earlier. This has not been a good winter for me with chickens or health. I keep trodding away believing it will get better so this is just another dissappointment.

Same incubator I have. Probably was the shipping. The P.O. is doing downhill so badly. I think they're employing felons, I swear. They steal, they try to destroy packages for sport.

This, too, shall pass. I always have to tell myself that nothing stays the same. I've had a not-so-great couple of years but I always have the hope things will get better. I pray that for you, too. Our bodies love to betray us. My chickens and my quilt projects are my comforts and I know your birds are your bright spot, too. Wish I had some Orps to share with you but I have only two hens left, my Buff,Nugget, from Jody and my blue hen, Dusty, who came from someone out west. They are both 7 years old and quit laying when Suede died back in 2012.

 

[1muttsfan]

Gloria Jean, I wish you were closer, I have a very sweet Jubilee hen that hatched last year from some "extra" eggs, I could part with her to a good home. She and my Speckled Sussex hang out together, they look like mini and biggie me's.

Since I have lowered my expectations on hatching shipped eggs I have been much more satisfied with the results.

 

[speckledhen]

Mary, that's a shame you aren't closer to NC! That is a nice offer. I'm sure Gloria Jean would be happy to have her.

 

[crazyhen]

since it was an instate ship I thought it would be easier but who knows what happened to them. Its just so sad, i could just see those little fluffy butts running about.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

So sad. I am sad today too. My jubilees have not faired well all but 4 were not developing then one was born with a hugh raw area on its head. one was crushed by the hen. My others in the hatcher were all dead at about two wks and some not formed right. These were eggs that were shipped one day and arrived the next in NC from another town in NC. I am crushed almost as they are. This is one group I reallllly wanted at least a roo and hen from. I will call the seller today and let him know. He seemed really nice when i ordered them . It was probablly the handlers Sigh so much sadness today.

Oh no! I am sad for you too Gloria Jean.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, Gloria Jean, we've hit a possible snag with your little Dellie X. And it's because both parents are related to Isaac. I haven't seen this happen in many years and wasn't expecting it at all, mainly because neither Deacon nor Sammie Jo are related to any of the Delaware hens, namely Georgie.

The black pullet? It's not a pullet. It's a dwarf cockerel. I knew something was way off about the head shape and the short stature but now, at less than 5 weeks old, we have bright pink comb and wattles. I don't know if the Dellie one you wanted carries the gene but I suspect that he does, though he's a good bit larger than the black one. His head shape also is not quite right, IMO, and he is a tad smaller than he should be at this age, but I chalked that up to his grandmother, Deacon's mother, Tiny, a 4 lb hen.

The dwarfism I had in my Dellie flock was not like this black chick's. It was the type that produced parrot beaks, crooked toes, a mongoloid-ish look to the eyes, odd head shape, short legs and they died early on, usually before they were three months old. Neither of Deacon's sons has crooked toes nor a parrot beak, just the off head shape and the overall too-small size. I'm quite shocked because I was under the very distinct impression that it was Georgie and another hen who carried the dwarf gene-they say it takes two genes to express, yes, I know that. However, a vet going genetic testing on one of Isaac's daughters (not a dwarf, a big fat hen) found she carried TWO copies of the gene! TWO! Theoretically, she could pass both to her progeny without the rooster being involved. The vet was amazed but was thrilled to add it to his study he was doing on dwarfism in poultry. Georgie's dwarf gene is why I rarely hatch her eggs. But, I see that Isaac also has a copy and both Rex and Deacon got one gene. And Rex or Delia, Sammie's mother, also one of Ike's kids, passed it to Sammie Jo.

The gist is, you probably don't want any of Deacon's blood line out of Sammie Jo in your flock. This is definitely one example of breeding close relatives making a trait stronger. Sammie Jo is Deacon's niece, though. This means that Deacon has the gene and Sammie carries the gene from Rex or from Delia, her parents, who were both out of Isaac and a BR hen.

The evidence.







Video of the group, with the little black speck of a cockerel:

The black one's brother, definitely more properly sized, yet still a tad shorter than the BRs.



And the BRs--Gloria Jean, you may still have the BR male and two pullets if you want them instead. Whichever you want is fine by me. I'm sorry, but I had to tell you so you can decide what you'd like to do.









It's highly unlikely that Atlas carries a gene from Rex. Rex would pass his gene only to 50% of his progeny. And Atlas's mother is Ida, my largest Stukel BR hen. But even if Atlas did carry a dwarf gene, it will not express when he's bred to the Stukel line BR hens or any other hens not related to this line of Delawares. I seriously don't believe he has one. All his kids seem really big and healthy, no telltale signs.