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

[speckledhen]

I thought that the larger, normal sized chicks were picking on poor little Rocky, the black dwarf son of Deacon. I would put some of the grains mix on the ground and turn to leave and I'd hear squeals and yell back, "Leave poor Rocky alone!". Today, I stayed to see what they were doing to him. What an eye opener!

Rocky was guarding the scratch pile! He is the one beating up on everyone else!

He ran them all off and they escaped from his tiny wrath squealing, completely buffaloed by that teensy little critter half their height. I can see that Sumatra of his grandmother's heritage coming out. He even bit my shoe and my hand the other day. Good thing he is what he is or he might have date with the stew pot, LOL. Oh, my. His slightly larger dwarf Delaware colored brother, on the other hand, is sweet as he can be, a complete angel. He is a tough little guy as well, but even he is scared of Rocky.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Wow! Rocky is a lot of rooster in a tiny package. I know nothing about Sumatras, are they aggressive in nature?

 

[1muttsfan]

Another Tiny Terrorist!

I hatched out 5 Delawares in my first hatch, they are 2 weeks old now and really stand out from the other chicks, both in size and in attitude - first to come running out when I lean over the brooder to see what is up. And the biggest chicks.

 

[speckledhen]

Wow! Rocky is a lot of rooster in a tiny package. I know nothing about Sumatras, are they aggressive in nature?

Um, yeah, they are quite aggressive. If you've read about the Tiny Terrorist, she has more of her unexpected Sumatra heritage than her Ameraucana one. The roosters usually have two sets of spurs and the hens also have them. Tiny has quite a respectable set on her that I have to keep trimmed because they curve upward toward her legs. They're more like jungle fowl than modern day domesticated chickens.


http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/Sumatra-B105.aspx

 

[speckledhen]

Another Tiny Terrorist!

I hatched out 5 Delawares in my first hatch, they are 2 weeks old now and really stand out from the other chicks, both in size and in attitude - first to come running out when I lean over the brooder to see what is up. And the biggest chicks.

Yep, sounds like Delawares, super curious and smart and friendly. They tend to bite to explore as babies which some mistake for aggression. They have to taste everything and be the center of attention.

 

[1muttsfan]

I have a batch of Buckeye babies hatched out for my sister, they are JUST like the Delaware babies but pretty golden tan - here they all are watching the Magic Food Finger

 

[speckledhen]

Buckeyes are a great breed.

 

[speckledhen]

The four chicks Maretta raised are now w/o mama. She is back with Isaac, having shown signs of being done with them. They have been "loose" for two days now and I'm so tired of trying to herd cats. The cockerel and smaller pullet are very skittish, while Cora and Rocky are easier to deal with, but they don't much like Lizzie and Jet, who were raised by the other broody hen. SO, after two days of running around and wasting my time, they all went to live with the elderly hens. They'll learn to get along with each other and they'll soon see us as their safety rather than the big evil humans because they'll need someone to rescue them from Tiny, Becca, Snow and Gypsy. The other hens are less interested in chasing them at all, only pecking them when they intrude on their personal space. Tiny can't really see them well unless she is close to them. Becca and Gypsy will peck and give short chase. Snow is frail in her old age but she makes up for it by a good measure of cantankerous and she will wallop one good if he/she gets close.

When I put them in there, I apologized to Caroline for making her be a nanny again to a bunch of rowdy hoodlums. She broke up a fight between two of them this afternoon, with a warning growl for good measure. The cockerel, Cora and the other pullet are spoken for by a friend of mine who is coming to get them in a week or so. That means only Lizzie and the two dwarf males (who hate each other) will be left in there to make the lives of my old ladies less than peaceful. I've lost count of the youngsters I've foisted on my older hens when I had nowhere else for them to go. I hope they don't hold it against me!

 

[1muttsfan]

sounds like a circus

 

[speckledhen]

sounds like a circus

You have no idea. My poor old ladies.