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

[speckledhen]

Adding a few more. The black line I added to one photo represents a 12' truck gate we'll be putting in that location for equipment to access that pasture; it's on the power line easement road that runs on one long side of the property and is where Mark has been bringing in his equipment when he works.














McIntosh and Gala apple trees. I have three pear trees that are about 11 years old but only one ever produces any pears, the Moonglow. The Bartlett and Orient I don't recall ever having had a pear on either of them. We pruned them severely this year and maybe next year, they'll get to business. If not, I may cut them down.

 

[1muttsfan]

Those hens have such a pleasing shape. And Atlas is quite the man!

My apple trees still have blossoms on them!

Sammy Jo's leg looks not so good. Hopefully she can heal up.

I found a home for one of my very sweet Welsummer cockerels, they are from really nice eggs and I was worried he would go unwanted

 

[drumstick diva]

Sammy Jo's video made me think of a dog with a slipped stifle - they slip in and out of the groove. I don't know if chickens have the same thing. It's back legs in dogs but, hens only have 2 legs

 

[Minflick]

Patellar luxation!

 

[drumstick diva]

Thanks miniflick, that's the name I remember from my olden days.

Knew someone trying to finish a show dog, had 4 bad legs, collapsed like a card table. Under the "right" judges this very unsound dog still won it's championship. I was not competing against them. I judged her once in a sweepstakes so I know about her legs first hand. Too many strange things wee going on at the shows, I quit cold turkey, didn't miss it at all.

 

[speckledhen]

There is a slipped tendon, but I'm not sure that's what this is. That usually happens instantly. This started slowly and when I didn't immediately separate her, she got worse. Ladyhawk has a hen, daughter of Isaac and my June, named Junebug, who was literally plowed over by the big Orp hens and injured one leg. She walked similar to this with her leg from hock to foot, on the ground. When she stood up, she'd fall over. It took weeks for her to get where she could walk normally. I'm holding out hope because of Junebug's injury. She still favors her leg on occasion, but for all intents and purposes, she did heal up just fine. So, maybe Sammie, with extra vitamins, anti-inflammatories and extra protein, will also heal.

My dramas are not over yet with the flocks. I have a broody 4 year old D'Anver who is acting very oddly. You can read about Carly here on the D'Anver thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...e-breed-and-post-some-pics/7660#post_15407043

I'm really weary of problems and seems not many I can do anything about.

I am forging ahead on the fall bed quilt-here it is with the current found of log cabin blocks placed, to be stitched on today:

 

[speckledhen]

Sammie Jo is worse. She cannot stand at all, just crab walks. Her injury presented exactly like Zane's did all those years ago. First, he fell (I saw his happen), then he limped. He'd sit for longer and longer periods, then eventually, he couldn't use his leg at all. The other one was strong and he used his wings and good leg to get around. Dr. Peter Brown surmised he had permanent tendon damage. Apparently, Sammie's good leg is not as strong as his was, maybe her hock joints are weak due to the dwarf gene. I know a percentage of Georgie's progeny had bad hocks, some starting out as slipped tendons or just never being able to walk in the first place.

It's looking like Deacon may lose yet another girl, maybe even a third. Rachel's molt seems to have done her in, though I'm hoping she'll start on the upturn.

We were out behind the old hens' coop when Atlas let out a horrible yell and was looking to the back of his pen. When DH went to investigate, he found Wynette on the outside of the perimeter fence. I guess when DH put them back in their pen, he didn't count and she was left out and somehow, made it outside the safety zone. Thank goodness for Atlas's "danger voice"! I knew something was terribly wrong. Poor Wynette had been out there for awhile trying to figure how to get back in and was getting very overheated.

Caroline has another round of her sinusitis she gets in hot, humid, dusty weather. I know that's what it is, it's only her and always her, has been like this for years and years. Geez. This never ends. I'm so tired of troubles. Maybe I need to just quit chickens for a few years or completely change breeds or breed types, a whole new page.

Still working on the quilt, but I'm getting tired of quilting, too. I don't really like to do it in hot weather since we don't air condition the house and it's not pleasant to handle fabric in this weather.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Oh no, I am sorry to hear that Sammie Jo is not doing better. Do you think she will eventually be able to get around a little better or will you have to euthanize her if her quality of life does not improve?

Good grief, I had no idea that Rachel was in bad shape too! Poor Deacon how many hens will that leave him with, 1 or 2? Good for Atlas, he is such a good boy calling for y'all to help Wynette. He really is everything a rooster should be.

If you ever decide to take a break from chickens (which I doubt you will do

) you will have a lot of free time,

, so you should write a book on chicken keeping. I would be your first customer!

 

[speckledhen]

Oh no, I am sorry to hear that Sammie Jo is not doing better. Do you think she will eventually be able to get around a little better or will you have to euthanize her if her quality of life does not improve?

Good grief, I had no idea that Rachel was in bad shape too! Poor Deacon how many hens will that leave him with, 1 or 2? Good for Atlas, he is such a good boy calling for y'all to help Wynette. He really is everything a rooster should be.

If you ever decide to take a break from chickens (which I doubt you will do

) you will have a lot of free time,

, so you should write a book on chicken keeping. I would be your first customer!

We cared for Zane for his almost 5 years of life and he was a super special rooster. I don't regret a minute of it because he wanted to live and he loved life. I already have Amanda whose arthritis has rendered her a cripple late in life. I cannot do it with another bird, certainly not one of Sammie's young age. We will put her down if she cannot recover. That has been decided. We will give her every opportunity to do so since leg injuries take a long time to heal, but it's not looking good for her at this point. This heat may do her in since she isn't very heat tolerant in the first place and can't raise up to let air flow underneath her.

Deacon only has Rita, Rachel and Sammie since Serena passed away. Rita is over 5 years old, currently laying and seems in great shape. Amazing that the ones in their prime are all going, but then, they are all related to Isaac. I'm afraid that Isaac is not producing strong female progeny this late in his life for some reason. Sammie is Rex and Delia's daughter, Ike's granddaughter on two sides, so carries alot of the Delaware part of the family. Serena was Isaac's daughter with Rita.

The quilt is turning out quite well, if I do say so myself. Just needs a final border all round to frame it and I have to buy some yardage for the backing. (the purple at the top is my spring quilt showing from underneath, not part of this one, in case you thought I'd gone colorblind).







ETA: We decided it was best to euthanize Sammie today. She was really bad off, suffering in the heat, not able to walk at all, getting weaker. Enough suffering for that beautiful girl. I want this to end.

 

[speckledhen]

It's done. Sammie is gone. Lost another layer in her prime.

I have 23 LF hens left. Of those, 14 are 5-8 years old and 8 of those just don't lay. I have only one under a year old, Lizzie. Then, Ro, Rachel and Wendy are just over a year old. After that, I think I have only Druscilla, Dottie's daughter, who is well over 3 years old now and as far as I know, for whatever reason, does not lay. I did get an egg from 8 yr old arthritic BR Amanda today, the second this week. What a great old lady she is!