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

[speckledhen]

I have decided to hatch some more quality Barred Rocks NOW. After looking and looking, finding folks who are not shipping anymore or not at this time, I finally found some hatching eggs from well-known breeder, Jamie Duckworth. He's collecting for me though his birds are molting now. I can't believe how excited I am to be getting more beautiful stock! He's going to try to get me two dozen at least. I wish I could tell Cheryl; she'd be thrilled. Miss her.
I am warming up my incubator to test that it still works well since I have not hatched since Hector's group and my Brahmas, over 8 years ago. I can't find all my supplies, though, my thermometers and hygrometers. We've looked all over this place, house, basement, crawlspace and nothing. I just ordered one though my incubator is automatic, the GQF styro one with turner. Seems to be humming along just fine.

You know me...I asked about his rooster's temperament. His answer:

Mine are pretty docile. The young males get testy with each other, but respect people. Let me see if i can save a few dozen.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How exciting. So happy to hear you are going to get more barred rocks Cynthia. Cheryl would be excited too. Can't wait to see them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Cheryl was a lovely woman and a loyal supporter. She was also very funny, informed, knowledgeable, intelligent, honest; I can't say enough about her. Her husband told me that she wanted to be cremated and her ashes spread on and around her chicken coop and it sounds just like her. Her husband said that he had heard a lot about me, LOL, all about my chickens, etc. Sounds like Cheryl.
My first predator loss was averted just a bit before I heard about Cheryl's passing so I feel a little shell-shocked right now. A hawk had a hen who was screaming to beat the band and I got to her before he could do any real damage. I only got the impression of what it was as it flew away, maybe a Cooper's Hawk or a Sharp Shinned, long barred tail. Dove is a lucky hen and I hope her luck holds out. I still can't believe we have never had a predator loss, not in the 20 years we've had chickens and our luck may be breaking soon on that count.
And one of Atlas's daughters, Athena, who is 9 years old, was very off this morning. Her head was tilting to the right, she was weak and her comb was that dusky purple. She also appeared dazed and unsteady. I guess her time is near.

She was a great friend, and will be dearly missed. She's been a part of all your adventures for a long time. Rest in peace Cheryl.

 

[h2oratt]

I have decided to hatch some quality Barred Rocks NOW. After looking and looking, finding folks who are not shipping anymore or not at this time, I finally found some hatching eggs from well-known breeder, Jamie Duckworth. He's collecting for me though his birds are molting now. I can't believe how excited I am to be getting more beautiful stock! He's going to try to get me two dozen at least. I wish I could tell Cheryl; she'd be thrilled. Miss her.
I am warming up my incubator to test that it still works well since I have not hatched since Hector's group and my Brahmas, over 8 years ago. I can't find all my supplies, though, my thermometers and hygrometers. We've looked all over this place, house, basement, crawlspace and nothing. I just ordered one though my incubator is automatic, the GQF styro one with turner. Seems to be humming along just fine.

You know me...I asked about his rooster's temperament. His answer:

Mine are pretty docile. The young males get testy with each other, but respect people. Let me see if i can save a few dozen.

How exciting. Time just keeps on marching on. Looking forward to the new generation.

 

[speckledhen]

Time to me seems like I'm being swept along in rapids on a canoe without a paddle! I can't believe how fast it's all flying by these days.
I may do an incubation diary type thread then introduce the littles when they hatch. My incubator is ready to go and I'll just have to pull out the rabbit cage I use for a brooder. I have not done anything like that in such a long time! Doing that would be much like this long-running Atlas thread.
What I have to do is hope we have a good number of pullets hatch and least two or three good cockerels so I can get down to two of them and pick the one with the best temperament to keep. I am inclined to keep as many as would not overwork the hens and not be too hasty to rehome the extra males so they can be assessed for the keepers. They have a high bar to meet after Atlas's and Hector's legacies, in both temperament and personality. I doubt any rooster will ever have the personality to match Hector's though, LOL. He was a pistol from about a month old. Thankfully, the breeder has said they know that his BR roosters know their proper places with people, only occasionally become testy with each other.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, this is not going well at all. After waiting awhile for word of eggs coming, I emailed, said I hope this guy is okay after the storm, casually asked how many BR hens he currently has and his answer was confusing. He said he has five and he could sell right now. Huh? I already told him I never buy started birds and hatching eggs were better for me, so he was going to collect though they are molting. Next thing he says is it could be any day since they are "March hatch". They are not even laying yet? And they'll start with smaller eggs, too. So, I have one choice, the Good Shepherd Conservancy that says on their site that they have some available. VERY pricey at $69/doz plus shipping or if you get 2 dozen, ten bucks off each doz. It may be my only chance at this time of year since many are no longer keeping breeding groups. If you are a member at $99/yr, you get 25% off, but I don't need that since I plan to hatch from my own birds after they're mature. Reg shipping is $35, 2 day air is $50 and one day air is $65 from NJ. So, that would be one huge chunk of change if you do the math. Minimum for 2 doz would be $154.98 It would benefit the Conservancy's efforts, of course.
I heard from Steven Gribble finally and his answer was that he's not even sure they're fertile. I could drive to his place to pick them up because he's only an hour away, which is a plus. No idea what he would charge for them, but maybe just maybe he'd sell them for a better price since he has no idea about fertility yet. Hmm, decisions.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Seems nothing worth having ever comes easy, does it Cynthia. I hate when people are cryptic. Eggs, or no eggs, that's a simple question.

I haven't had great luck with shipped eggs. It does depend on how they pack them. It might be worth driving an hour and seeing if they develop or not.

 

[speckledhen]

Seems nothing worth having ever comes easy, does it Cynthia. I hate when people are cryptic. Eggs, or no eggs, that's a simple question.

I haven't had great luck with shipped eggs. It does depend on how they pack them. It might be worth driving an hour and seeing if they develop or not.

Exactly! Why on earth did he say he thought he might be able to collect the dozen plus if the hens are not even laying yet? It may end up too late in the fall to hatch, though in the past, I've hatched all year long, but that was my own birds, not someone else's. I hope Steven sees my FB reply to him. We'd already told him we found a source and now, well, back to Square One.

 

[speckledhen]

The Great Egg Chase seems to be fizzling out at this point. Mr Duckworth just contacted me, pullets/hens are laying but he asked if I wanted to pick them up in Charlotte, NC. That is an 8 hr round trip. My husband just cannot travel like that anymore and with the gas prices, that add a huge chunk of change to the price. I just cannot do that and told him again that I would need them shipped from that side of NC, but if he can't do that, I understand. I'm not sure he's understanding what I tell him. If he can't ship them, which was the original arrangement, that's fine. The Good Shepherd Conservancy would be between $170 and $200 for two doz eggs shipped from NJ. The other breeder won't answer my reply to him on FB, though it notes that he saw it a week ago.
This may have to wait until spring, but I'm not sure I'd get any more of a response. Sigh. I'll keep looking here on BYC, but time is getting short to even want to raise chicks. I do not want more hatchery birds. Unless something miraculous happens, I think I'll lose a 3rd EE hen. Juliette poops yellow stuff, so there is yolk in it, doesn't bode well for her survival. She is only 3 1/2 years old, which is a baby around here.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

So sorry Cynthia. Maybe you will have better luck come spring finding eggs.

I've had some hatchery birds live to 8-9 years. Mostly EE, welsummer, orpingtons, and barnevelder. My bantam do seem to live a shorter lifes. Around 4-6 years.

This past spring I got what I thought was my dream flock of polish and some bantam mottled cochins. Than later I got a mixed bag of 15 who I am enjoying more. I do understand thinking about not getting anymore, but spring rolls around and I start looking.