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

[1muttsfan]

Cyn, I just hatched out a batch of Arkansas Blue rooster (splash in color) over some cream Legbar hens (barred). According to the Chicken Calculator all offspring should be blue, with barred males and solid females. Am I correct that the barred males should be the ones with the head spots, and the unbarred females are solid in color?

 

[speckledhen]

Cyn, I just hatched out a batch of Arkansas Blue rooster (splash in color) over some cream Legbar hens (barred). According to the Chicken Calculator all offspring should be blue, with barred males and solid females. Am I correct that the barred males should be the ones with the head spots, and the unbarred females are solid in color?

That would be correct, yes. The head spot indicates the barring gene is present. It's exactly the same as any sex link.

Some say it didn't happen, couldn't happen, but on two occasions, I got black barred birds out of a Delaware over Splash Rock hen. I was sure of the egg and definitely sure she is splash, not blue. And the resulting birds were black with green sheen in the feathers, too. I hate when things around here blow the calculator to Kingdom Come, LOL.

 

[1muttsfan]

Well quite a few of the chicks look like they are gong to be recessive white - present in both AB's and CL's. So much for them being autosexing. And some chicks from this splash rooo are black - and CL's definitely are not blue, so WTH?

But out of 47 eggs set, over half shipped, I have around 27 nice chicks. Not too bad. And another 40 give or take in the other incubator due Thursday.

 

[speckledhen]

Aimee started laying again today and rejected the barred chick so I put her up for sale (I'm banking on pullet, but I mentioned the outside chance that she could be a he, to judge for themselves). Pics from today. She would NOT look at the camera.










I tried to put Rocky out with Jet. Wow, Jet was such a little rooster, all flared up and territorial. Sweet little Rocky ran for his life. I noted that Rocky's nares are extremely narrow/small, while Jet's are in proportion and normal size. Rocky has trouble breathing if you hold him too tight. I feel that he will keel over sooner rather than later because he simply cannot breathe normally, poor little angel. So, I don't know what I'll do with Jet. He may live a good deal longer than Rocky.

I also treated that group with Rocky in it three times for coccidiosis- I would never have to do that, generally, only once and it would be over, but though I haven't seen it for certain, I think the cocci- looking poop is coming from Rocky. His defects probably are far reaching and he may not be able to fight cocci. None seem like they feel bad at all, but Rocky tires easily. I can't keep treating that group over and over again, so this is the last time. If he can't fight it, he just can't, sad though it is.

Maretta's kids.

 

[drumstick diva]

AW poor Rocky. Maybe someone has chicken hospice.

 

[speckledhen]

AW poor Rocky. Maybe someone has chicken hospice.

That would be me. He will live as long as he has here, but with his nares almost non-existent, I don't see how he could get enough oxygen, especially if he's stressed in any way.

 

[crazyhen]

They started with such promise. Sigh.. Poor babies. I think I would not want that pairing again. Maybe a new line mixed in? maybe it is caused byt the genes being to close or something.
I got eggs from Kathy. They are their second wk now in the bator. So far I see some little hearts beating away in there. I had ordered, and am using an egg with a digital read from its inside in the turnner. So far it stays pretty constant like an egg in the shell might. Here's hoping that all that can will hatch right. I should have German New hampshires, and Dells.

They would be my first hatch this yr. My Jubilee eggs none did right from the begining. I will contact the send er later today and see if he has his hatching problems solved. Others also had problems hatching them. I suggested he give them a higher protein food and wait a bit more on the eggs to increase in size. They were on the small size and had just started to lay. He was very nice and said if he could get chicks himself to hatch I could get 2 hens and a roo from him if it was to late for me to start baby chicks this season. He is in NC.
Well its garden season for me too right now. My beds are prepared and all I am waiting on is the calender. May 15th is our off. frost date here.

 

[speckledhen]

They started with such promise. Sigh.. Poor babies. I think I would not want that pairing again. Maybe a new line mixed in? maybe it is caused byt the genes being to close or something.
I got eggs from Kathy. They are their second wk now in the bator. So far I see some little hearts beating away in there. I had ordered, and am using an egg with a digital read from its inside in the turnner. So far it stays pretty constant like an egg in the shell might. Here's hoping that all that can will hatch right. I should have German New hampshires, and Dells.

They would be my first hatch this yr. My Jubilee eggs none did right from the begining. I will contact the send er later today and see if he has his hatching problems solved. Others also had problems hatching them. I suggested he give them a higher protein food and wait a bit more on the eggs to increase in size. They were on the small size and had just started to lay. He was very nice and said if he could get chicks himself to hatch I could get 2 hens and a roo from him if it was to late for me to start baby chicks this season. He is in NC.
Well its garden season for me too right now. My beds are prepared and all I am waiting on is the calender. May 15th is our off. frost date here.

Gloria Jean, there is no question that I will not be breeding from Isaac, Deacon, Sammie Jo or any combination thereof since I found this gene is still here. Obviously, Deacon and Sammie both carry and both contribute. The odds that both chicks would be dwarfs is just over the top so no way Sammie will be anything but a layer now. And, as was the original plan, Deacon will just be resident goober and farm mascot.

Best of luck with this hatch. My plans are to let numbers go way down and then start over entirely, other than Atlas and the Stukel Rock hens. I would maybe like some more Brahmas at some point. I enjoyed my two hatchery gals, no issue with heat or cold with them, good personalities, nice size roundish eggs and good layers, both of them.


Georgie, in her old age, has decided to get a tramp stamp, LOL. Just look at her twin hearts, one for her and one for Isaac.





And precious little Rocky.








June, my 7 year old EE, hard at work. She's a great old gal and Isaac's head hen.




Atlas, following after me like he always does, game camera footage from early last month. He's my good buddy.



One of Isaac's hens that he does not like for some reason, Alice, one of the two Blue Rocks. I personally think she's the prettiest hen he has, but he's picky.

 

[crazyhen]

Oddly enough the sweetest hen I have is a little Jaerhon that I raised from an egg from a lady just past Murphy at the college. The others in the group were terribly flighty but this one is a love and I will keep her and carry here around to my hearts content. She lays about a small to medium white egg and is prolific.
Each hen has their own personality. Lizbeth thinks she is better than anyone else(she my part English blue orp, ) the is 4 yrs old. Sassy is a half breed or maran and black orp and has a terrible temper. But will come to me. Bit my hb. Told him not to pick her up but he did.

Ruby is a NH from Kathy and comes but just really near. She lays a big brown egg with specks on it. Very good hen. I could go on. They each are different even the ones with the same ancestry. I am sort of partial as layers to several. I love my Emma2, She is the second BR that I have had. She is a fraidy cat but will not fuss if picked up, just a pleasing hen altogether. Broad body and sweet disposition. I am afraid my days of killing and eating them may be more or less limited I am getting to soft hearted. After all before I had them as pets, I did not know they have PERSONALITIES. Its the same with cattle, we quit rearing them to eat. Just couldn't eat a cow after rubbing her curly little spot between her eyes and her standing there like she was loving it so good. If I keep it up I will be a sweetaholic and veg. eater.

I use to eat mostly meat. I do love all kinds of beans and most other veg. This wk I will put out my tomato bed and beans. Its really life affirming when you can plant a dry bit of stuff and there is a plant which will feed you most of the yr.
can you believe that I want a rooster!!!! I miss my rooster so bad.

He could be a pain sort of but never mean acting. With the economy as it is we better keep some roos to have hen eggs later. In some places they are 4.00 a dozen and if this H5N1 orN2 get in here they will be out of sight. I am esp. vulnerable here.

The neighbors have ducks, lots of ducks who like it better here than they do the ponds next door this spring. Its to noisey over there. Now!!!! I wonder how to prepare ducks to eat.

I at this point to protect my flock I may have to thin the ducks. They are not eatting any of them and there are many to many males.

.

 

[speckledhen]

I have the same issue, GJ. I have trouble eating any meat now. The texture makes me gag, generally, and I can't eat an entire chicken breast, hate the other parts. I eat more grains and fruits and yogurt than anything else. In summer, we do eat veggies, though. Love a great tomato sandwich with tomato fresh from the garden.