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

[1muttsfan]

What a good old boy.

 

[speckledhen]

Ike is a love. He's showing his age now more and more. He waits every evening to be picked up and put in the pop door so he doesn't have to go up the ramp, which I know hurts his legs a lot. If no one came, he'd eventually go in on his own, but he knows we'll come.

 

[1muttsfan]

Cyn, have you ever tried giving him Aspirin? They still make chewable flavored aspirin for kids, and you may be able to get him to take one mixed with a treat. For a standard size bird you could give one 80 mg tab twice daily. While there are potential risks, the benefit in terms of quality of life may outweigh them at his age.

 

[speckledhen]

Cyn, have you ever tried giving him Aspirin? They still make chewable flavored aspirin for kids, and you may be able to get him to take one mixed with a treat. For a standard size bird you could give one 80 mg tab twice daily. While there are potential risks, the benefit in terms of quality of life may outweigh them at his age.

He does get the 81 mg aspirin occasionally, especially in cold weather, but I'd have to give it to him constantly. If I see he's having particular trouble, sitting down a lot outside, I'll give him one or even two of them.

 

[1muttsfan]

It's hard to watch them get old, but he is fortunate compared to many roos in having such a long life.

 

[speckledhen]

It's hard to watch them get old, but he is fortunate compared to many roos in having such a long life.

Yes, it is. He keeps on doing what he wants for the most part. He still dances for his hens, does guard duty like always, etc. I think he's doing quite well for his age, though he's lost some weight because he's molting now. I hate to see them molt when they're old because I know how much that takes out of any bird and I wonder if this time, it will take too much. Isaac has been a blessing and I think he's lived a really great long life for a Delaware rooster.

 

[speckledhen]

I put up the BR trio for sale, pending mama's rejection which should happen in a couple of weeks. Rocky and Jet seem to be doing fine. I think the last BR is a single barred male, but his barring is so crisp, I wonder what his hackles and saddles will look like. Little Rocky is doing well. Isn't he adorable? The size difference is becoming more and more pronounced as the others grow.






And my 7 year old Buff Orpington hen is showing signs of fading out. Her poop seems to show liver failure (IMHO) and she is sleeping during the day too much. Dusty the Destroyer, on the other hand, is a huge heffalump-she must weight 9-10 lbs! I picked her up today and almost threw my shoulder out, LOL. Didn't expect the pull-back! She is slowing down, too, but I wouldn't say lethargic like Nugget. They are the same age. Poor little Xander! If he loses Nugget, she will be the 3rd of his hens he's seen pass away. First Meg, then Hope and now, maybe Nugget is leaving us. If I didn't have the two D'Anver roosters, I'd put him in with those and make more Coch'Anvers. Those are beautiful hens.

 

[drumstick diva]

I don't mean to be gross but, what does poo look like that indicates liver failure? I think it would be a good thing to know.

 

[speckledhen]

I don't mean to be gross but, what does poo look like that indicates liver failure? I think it would be a good thing to know.

The urates were thick and mustard colored, not frothy and bright yellow and loose as they would be with worms, but like a thick coating on top of the rest of the poop. Insufficient bile production would turn the poop a yellowish color. It could have been egg yolk, certainly thick enough, but I don't think so since she hasn't laid in over two years and no sign of any reproductive issues. Of course, I could be way off base about the liver, but the lethargy and the strange color poop I've never seen before I'm positive are related. At her age, just about anything could malfunction, of course.

 

[lisa67steve99]

Cynthia (speckledhen), My Cheyenne that I got from you last summer has decided to go broody on me, she is on day 4 sitting on 14 eggs. I tried to take a few away from her because I wasn't sure she could cover that many. She quickly told me otherwise, with her beak! May 14th will be day 21, I'll let you know what happens. I plan on candling at day 10 to see whats going on, hope Ty is the stud he thinks he is.