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

[getaclue]

Thank you for wishing me success in finding a homestead.

I'm sorry to hear about the fire. It wasn't long ago that Dh woke up one night, ran into the kitchen to ask if could smell something burning. I couldn't smell anything in the kitchen, but could smell it when I got back into the hallway leading to the bedrooms. It was that electrical smell of melting wiring, and plastic, but not really a smoke smell, and there was no visible smoke anywhere. When the smell continued, Dh called the fire dept. They came, searched, checked breakers, etc., but couldn't find anything either, however, the smell remained. They finally brought in thermal imaging equipment, and at about the same time the AC stopped working. Yes, it was the AC unit in the attic at the back end of the house. When they opened the panel on the AC unit, it had just started to actually burn, and there was a very small fire. Until then it was overheating, and melting stuff inside the unit, but had not actually caught fire, so there was no actual smoke to set off the smoke detectors.

My normal routine would have been to finish up in the kitchen, and fall asleep on the couch watching tv. It's doubtful I would have gone into the back of the house, and noticed the smell. I am thankful he was off work, and home that night, otherwise I probably would not have woken up until it was too late.

Way to go Ida!

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you for wishing me success in finding a homestead.

I'm sorry to hear about the fire. It wasn't long ago that Dh woke up one night, ran into the kitchen to ask if could smell something burning. I couldn't smell anything in the kitchen, but could smell it when I got back into the hallway leading to the bedrooms. It was that electrical smell of melting wiring, and plastic, but not really a smoke smell, and there was no visible smoke anywhere. When the smell continued, Dh called the fire dept. They came, searched, checked breakers, etc., but couldn't find anything either, however, the smell remained. They finally brought in thermal imaging equipment, and at about the same time the AC stopped working. Yes, it was the AC unit in the attic at the back end of the house. When they opened the panel on the AC unit, it had just started to actually burn, and there was a very small fire. Until then it was overheating, and melting stuff inside the unit, but had not actually caught fire, so there was no actual smoke to set off the smoke detectors.

My normal routine would have been to finish up in the kitchen, and fall asleep on the couch watching tv. It's doubtful I would have gone into the back of the house, and noticed the smell. I am thankful he was off work, and home that night, otherwise I probably would not have woken up until it was too late.

Way to go Ida!

I know that smell you're talking about. Makes me paranoid when a neighbor burns anything other than wood and I can't see smoke, can't locate the source of it.

At some point in the chicks' growth, I'm going to have to allow them to free range with Atlas's group to get used to being around other adults, getting out of their way. I know Atlas will make a beeline for Wynette to jump her bones and the babies can't be so small they are mowed down by him. The sticky time will come when I have to see if Atlas will allow his son to be part of the group. If he's anything like Isaac and he refuses to allow a second-in-command, I'm not sure what to do. I don't have numerous pens, don't really want to have, but we have some time. At a certain point, I think Xander's small group will be living with Deacon's former girls in their larger pen and his pen will open up, but I'm not sure that can happen until big, cranky Dusty is gone. That group already has a head hen and a second in command, June and Georgie, both of whom give a wide berth to Dusty. I hate to displace them that way.

 

[1muttsfan]

I was doing spring clean-up one year when I smelled smoke. Turning around I saw to my horror smoke billowing from around my house. Early spring here is a very dangerous time for wildfires, my house is surrounded by a mixed woods with lots of dry material scattered around, and there is often a burn ban, as there was that day. Running around the house I found to my huge relief that the smoke was blowing through the woods from my neighbor's. His (now ex) wife was burning trash, plastic, old rugs, etc. in a bonfire in the yard. When I told her that she about gave me a heart attack she broke the fire up, but REALLY - you burn on a super dry day so that your neighbor gets smoked out, and maybe burned out?!? Good riddance.

 

[speckledhen]

I was doing spring clean-up one year when I smelled smoke. Turning around I saw to my horror smoke billowing from around my house. Early spring here is a very dangerous time for wildfires, my house is surrounded by a mixed woods with lots of dry material scattered around, and there is often a burn ban, as there was that day. Running around the house I found to my huge relief that the smoke was blowing through the woods from my neighbor's. His (now ex) wife was burning trash, plastic, old rugs, etc. in a bonfire in the yard. When I told her that she about gave me a heart attack she broke the fire up, but REALLY - you burn on a super dry day so that your neighbor gets smoked out, and maybe burned out?!? Good riddance.

The nextdoor neighbor directly below us always burns stuff, big bonfires all the time, especially when he has company. I hate when the forest service does a burn-that completely socks us in with smoke. Happened not long ago. I'd seen a column of smoke on Watson Mtn-we live in the shadow of it- and suddenly, the skies were full and I could see nothing, was worried about my birds breathing that in. Called 911 about it and they said the next county was going a big burn. Good grief. I thought the fire on the mountain got away from someone, which is highly likely. And all those expensive log homes that sit so close to each other in order to enjoy the same view could easily go up quickly.


Oh, lookie what I found! Haven't seen one of these in ages.

 

[speckledhen]

Hey, I weighed the 7 week old chicks today. As expected, #1 was the largest.

#1 22.5 oz
#2 19.5 oz (this is the one I'm considering keeping as a back up)
#3 18.9 oz
Athena 17.7 oz.


I weighed the younger cockerel, too. He is 5 weeks old as of yesterday. He is 13 oz. so it will be interesting to re-weigh him in two weeks to see which of his older brothers he most matches up to.


I was surprised that there was that much difference between #1 and #2 and so little between #2 and #3. What do you think of that? It makes me wonder if, when #3 is all feathered out, and he still isn't, if he will catch up some to #2. Hmm. Decisions, decisions.

 

[1muttsfan]

You would likely need to grow them out to full adulthood, although in my experience size differences do not change a whole lot after a certain point.

Lucky clover things are looking up

 

[speckledhen]

You would likely need to grow them out to full adulthood, although in my experience size differences do not change a whole lot after a certain point.

Lucky clover things are looking up

I don't really hold out a lot of hope for #3 to catch up to #1 (well, none, really). I was super amazed to see only about a half ounce difference between #2 and 3, though, because #2 looks closer in size to #1, but it could be that #3 is still getting wing feathers, too. The others are fully feathered. And Athena has attached herself to DH like a tick. She flew to his shoulder and sat down, ready to go on an adventure.



ETA:

Amanda, my arthritic-crippled BR hen, laid an egg THREE days IN A ROW. Gets into the nest box, over the lip, lays her egg, makes her way out if I don't catch her in there to help her. Is she going to die? Last hurrah? amazing. She's past her 9th hatch-day. What 9 yr old hens lays a daily egg, EVER? My gosh.

 

[speckledhen]

The 5 week old pair today. He weighs 13 oz, didn't catch her to weigh her. I want to re-weigh him at 7 weeks old to see which older brother he's closest to in size then.

 

[1muttsfan]

Maybe he only looks so small due to slow feathering then? That wouldn't be bad at all.

Amanda the Mighty Hen

 

[speckledhen]

Maybe he only looks so small due to slow feathering then? That wouldn't be bad at all.

Amanda the Mighty Hen

I've rarely had a chick that still had bare wings at 7 weeks old. He definitely feathered slower than his two larger brothers, though he does weigh a tad less. I'd not think that 1/2 oz was explained by just feathers, but time will tell.

Yeah, that Amanda is something else. She keeps amazing me. I don't care if she just lays her egg on the floor and she has at times, but when she is able, she hauls herself over the edge of the big portable nestbox to put it where she knows it should go. Good girl, my Mandy.