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

[speckledhen]

I'll try to remember tomorrow. Gonna be another sunny day, but not quite as hot.

 

[getaclue]

We just had our entire AC system replaced, including duct work. The first thing I checked was what the temps were going to be. Fortunately, we had a little cold snap, so the day they did the install, it was not too hot.

 

[LukeyLux]

Im going to try to get some pictures, but i have Turken and Barnevelder chicks hatching tomorrow ad I'm SOOOOO excited!
I'm hoping some of these Barn. chicks are blue/blue carriers too

 

[speckledhen]

This is completely off the chicken subject, but we threw the last big chunk of money at our mortgage today and it's now PAID IN FULL ten years early. Seemed a prudent thing to do, considering the state of the world now. Feels surreal. It accomplished a major life goal.
In chicken news, we trimmed spurs on Hector, Bash and Atlas this morning.
I skipped my 11 yr old Belgian D'Anver rooster because, though his one spur is super long, it curves outward and away from his leg and upward so it isn't necessarily in his way; plus, he stresses so much, it might literally be the end of old Aubrey if I tried. He somehow divested himself of the other one about a year ago and it hasn't grow back more than an inch so far. So did Bash, actually, and I could have cut more off his, but at least, it's not as bad as it was.

 

[speckledhen]

Im going to try to get some pictures, but i have Turken and Barnevelder chicks hatching tomorrow ad I'm SOOOOO excited!
I'm hoping some of these Barn. chicks are blue/blue carriers too

Barnvelders are so pretty. I have a friend who used to be on BYC and trade hatching eggs with me from our hatchery Rocks who adored Turkens. I know they are excellent layers of jumbo brown eggs. Good luck with your hatch!

 

[getaclue]

A wild turkey showed up here. It stayed outside the electric fenced area, so it was at a distance from the chickens. I've missed seeing things like that. On my parents' lake property, we used to see flocks of them, and wild quail too.

 

[speckledhen]

I just remembered to take a couple pics of old Atlas. We just trimmed his spurs, but dang, the old man needs a beak trim, too, apparently. He doesn't get out and dig around like he used to in his younger days. He's lost a lot of barring in his tail now that he's up in years. And his color isn't looking particularly robust today, but he's still crowing and flirting with any hen he can get close to. The real estate sign is to keep him and Hector from fighting over the wall. This pen Atlas is in wasn't built for a rooster his height to inhabit.

 

[Shadrach]

I just remembered to take a couple pics of old Atlas. We just trimmed his spurs, but dang, the old man needs a beak trim, too, apparently. He doesn't get out and dig around like he used to in his younger days. He's lost a lot of barring in his tail now that he's up in years. And his color isn't looking particularly robust today, but he's still crowing and flirting with any hen he can get close to. The real estate sign is to keep him and Hector from fighting over the wall. This pen Atlas is in wasn't built for a rooster his height to inhabit.
View attachment 3041102View attachment 3041103

He looks like he has liver or heart problems.

 

[speckledhen]

He looks like he has liver or heart problems.

I doubt it. He's just old. He's the oldest lived large fowl rooster I've ever had in 16 years. He carries a dwarf gene, but he's never had any health issues, crows in full voice, but he does have terrible arthritis in both hock joints, a genetic predisposition. His grandfather, who lived to be just under 7 years old, had terrible leg circulation and arthritic joints. His two 6 yr old daughters are showing signs of the same issues now.
Certainly, his heart could be failing slowly. His color is better at times, worse at others. Again, he's 8 years old and a large rooster. Seems the big ones don't last as long as the small ones. I have a Belgian D'Anver rooster who is 11 years old and he regularly turns dark in his face. I've thought he was going to kick the bucket for about 3 years now, but he keeps on going.

 

[speckledhen]

I don't usually do this, but these two videos on this page are the last in a 2nd series that ends tonight. They will be taken down this evening. Worth every minute. Invaluable.
https://cvdsecrets.com/episode-10-live/?mpweb=1603-925-813217