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

[1muttsfan]

Do you think you'll still hear them hollering from there?

 

[speckledhen]

Do you think you'll still hear them hollering from there?

Well, yeah, if the windows are open, which they are all summer long, I'll definitely hear the Cheep Chorus. That's what just happened, though I was in the kitchen, with a direct line to that coop, nothing to obstruct the sound. Of course, their up-high vents are open so that won't block it leaving the coop and sailing on up to the house. My bedroom is now on the opposite side of the house so I'm not sure I'd hear them at night unless the baby monitor in the barn catches it and broadcasts it to the house, along with all the other sounds.


There's nothing wrong with them. They are plenty warm, no drafts, predator-proof coop and a back up 75W bulb in a 2nd fixture in case the main heat lamp blows during the night. At least there would a small warmer spot, but it will take a long time at night for that coop to cool down. The afternoon sun hits this back wall for hours. Should be a good grow up coop until they and the Brahmas outgrow the space.

 

[speckledhen]

Peeked in on them this morning through the end window. They were eating, drinking, running around, perfectly happy and content in there. It's in the 50's this morning, vents open, will have to turn off the heat lamp later on because it will be too hot. If it doesn't rain, depending on what's happening, I might open the pop door and let them see the big, wide world outside. I have them a kitty litter pan full of fine, soft dirt for a play yard/dust bath.




ETA: Sale of the pair just fell through. Supposedly, she had a death in the family on Saturday. Whether or not it's true, I don't know. Seems it would be an extreme excuse just to get out of the sale of chicks, but I said no problem, my condolences. The cockerel is becoming attached to Athena but Athena beats up on her little sister. Good grief. Do I keep the pair? What the heck? I'll get new photos of the male for you today. The pullet is petite, but she is the sweetest thing, much more sweet than even Athena.

 

[1muttsfan]

Someone will come along. Now that chicks are no longer available in the stores, more people will be searching for young birds.

 

[speckledhen]

Someone will come along. Now that chicks are no longer available in the stores, more people will be searching for young birds.

Probably. There is an ad up at the local co-op so may eventually get a call. The co-op still has chicks from Mt. Healthy in big bins, but I don't care for their birds. I've seen their Buff Orps and NHs and their "ameraucana/araucanas". (big eyeroll).

The guy who bought the other three males said his friend wants the pair, but I sort of suspect he is the "friend", though I could be wrong. I had told him that since he didn't want more than 20 birds, I cautioned him against having too many males to females, that the hens could be hurt or even killed by over-mating. So, I hesitate to send the little gal off with him, but we'll see. I think with my husband in crisis, I seriously do not need them (and really dont need Athena. She could go with them, I suppose)

Pics of the three teens and the Dirty Dozen.


I messed up his feathers here, sorry.



The little gal with him.

Athena.







Athena is fairly wide.

Tessa has plucked herself. I fear she's going broody for the first time. Sigh.

It always thrills me when I see the first wing bars!

 

[MistyMountain]

They are so pretty (and the littles are cute!!). I understand your excitement when the first wing feathers peek out. Glad they are all doing well outside. How many days til the second hatch?

I broke and gave Anna 10 eggs from my flock. Most will be EE or EE mixes, maybe an OE or two in the mix. I just couldn't let her go to waste. I could have done a full dozen, but she is such a big girl and broke a couple last year. I think 8-10 is her magic number. I am not going to separate her this time. She holds her ground well and is in the box that no one ever uses. She gets off in the morning when I open the coop and does her business before going right back her nest. It may backfire on me, but she is a good mom and I have a calm flock. The great thing about this is that we will have chicks when my sister visits with my nephew.

Keep posting pics!!

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks, Michelle. Good luck with your broody. I seriously do not need Tessa to hatch anything for me. The Brahmas are too far along and I don't want to take a chance on her hurting one, her being completely new to this. I may try to break her.

This morning, I'm considering selling the pair plus Athena as a trio. He and Athena are becoming pals (sometimes sparring pals, LOL), and though she picks on her little sister some, I think she will be happier with them than she would be staying behind with Atlas's group. If so, I will add $10 to the $10 I'm asking for the pair because she's turning 12 weeks this week and I was going to keep her as a breeder, whereas her little sister would have been sold or used as a layer only anyway. I have so many coming along anyway, I really do not need her. But she already knows her name. I held off naming the younger pair, knowing they were leaving.

 

[MistyMountain]

That breaking business is hard! Anna's sister, Elsa, went broody two Novembers ago, when it was in the negatives. It took me about two weeks! She was pitiful!

The ideal situation here would be for the welsummer sisters to go broody and Sandhill to fill my order. I would let those two raise the 25, no problem!

I know it is hard for you to let the three go, but you do have some nice replacements, luckily! I struggle with letting some of mine go, adults mostly, because we have a lot of chicken traders around here. My nightmare is that they would end up in a place with a revolving door and no quarantine and end up sick, or worse, go to the flock swaps next to a cage of sneezing cockerels. I should really get rid of the cuckoo marans. They are not really worth the dark brown eggs--- not good layers. Then again, my 8 year old requested 4 eggs for dinner last night, and ate them all. So begins summer and growing boys eating me out of house and home….

 

[speckledhen]

That breaking business is hard! Anna's sister, Elsa, went broody two Novembers ago, when it was in the negatives. It took me about two weeks! She was pitiful!

The ideal situation here would be for the welsummer sisters to go broody and Sandhill to fill my order. I would let those two raise the 25, no problem!

I know it is hard for you to let the three go, but you do have some nice replacements, luckily! I struggle with letting some of mine go, adults mostly, because we have a lot of chicken traders around here. My nightmare is that they would end up in a place with a revolving door and no quarantine and end up sick, or worse, go to the flock swaps next to a cage of sneezing cockerels. I should really get rid of the cuckoo marans. They are not really worth the dark brown eggs--- not good layers. Then again, my 8 year old requested 4 eggs for dinner last night, and ate them all. So begins summer and growing boys eating me out of house and home….

I know, the traders are here, too. That's one reason my ad is so picky. Of course, I can be lied to and not catch it. But, I do all I can and I really cannot keep them all, though I sure wish I could.

 

[1muttsfan]

I wish people understood the difference between birds and good birds