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

[speckledhen]

Great recent stories and events!

Mine, not so great. Lost 2 to a hawk attack, including my favorite bantam cockerel

NO! I'm so sorry! I can't believe I've never lost any to hawks; they're certainly all around us. And I do free range my Belgian D'Anvers about every other day, have for awhile now. My number should have been up by now, thankfully it hasn't been, but I'm sure it will be one day. So sorry for your loss.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I've never lost any to hawks either despite there being a lot of them. I have lots of cover and roosters for look outs.

 

[speckledhen]

I've never lost any to hawks either despite there being a lot of them. I have lots of cover and roosters for look outs.

Same here. So far, that's been enough.

 

[1muttsfan]

Spring and fall, when the hawks are migrating, are the worst times for Hawk predation. Some of those travelling birds are just really hungry.

Poor Apollo! Hopefully one of his own girls will finally fall for him.

 

[speckledhen]

Spring and fall, when the hawks are migrating, are the worst times for Hawk predation. Some of those travelling birds are just really hungry.

Poor Apollo! Hopefully one of his own girls will finally fall for him.

I know. I wish he could get some "Dusty time" in w/o Xander seeing them. Xander won't even allow Apollo to mate Athena in his presence. I think Dusty misses her "big man", Suede. Instead, I foisted this little Munchkin Dictator on her. But, Xander really is a good little man. He's lost several older, big hens and he's bound to lose Dusty, too, her being close to 9 years old now. I'll have to see what I can do for him in that regard.

 

[getaclue]

Good morning! Coffee is brewing, and I'll get a cup shortly. Yesterday morning I counted 5 hawks circling in the field across the way. Then there was the neighbor's dog that ran into our yard. He ran right back out, but we need to put up new fencing on the front, and put the gate back up. We had already decided that I will have wired runs, but that removed any notions about free ranging them. I will also put and electric fence around their area.

The sand was delivered yesterday. Dh spent the day spreading the sand. I helped as much as I could, but that wasn't too much. I was way to tired, and sore to be of much use. DD#2, and I had spent Sunday at the coop. We did a major cleaning, and I turned all the dirt, in the big sections. I still have one small section to do, but will take care of it the next time I go. When we finished up at the coop, I colored, and cut DD's hair, then took her back home. When I returned home, I ran all the wiring, and connected the surround sound system. Needless to say, I was up all night. I had about two hours sleep when the sand arrived. I was already sore from turning the dirt at the coop, and tired from staying up all night. We both went to sleep very early last night.

Working on my first cup of coffee now. The cats are out by the pool, and I'm headed that way to listen to the morning sounds, as the world around me wakes up. I hope everyone has a wonderful day today.

Glad that Hector is doing so much better behavior-wise.

 

[speckledhen]

Good morning! Coffee is brewing, and I'll get a cup shortly. Yesterday morning I counted 5 hawks circling in the field across the way. Then there was the neighbor's dog that ran into our yard. He ran right back out, but we need to put up new fencing on the front, and put the gate back up. We had already decided that I will have wired runs, but that removed any notions about free ranging them. I will also put and electric fence around their area.

The sand was delivered yesterday. Dh spent the day spreading the sand. I helped as much as I could, but that wasn't too much. I was way to tired, and sore to be of much use. DD#2, and I had spent Sunday at the coop. We did a major cleaning, and I turned all the dirt, in the big sections. I still have one small section to do, but will take care of it the next time I go. When we finished up at the coop, I colored, and cut DD's hair, then took her back home. When I returned home, I ran all the wiring, and connected the surround sound system. Needless to say, I was up all night. I had about two hours sleep when the sand arrived. I was already sore from turning the dirt at the coop, and tired from staying up all night. We both went to sleep very early last night.

Working on my first cup of coffee now. The cats are out by the pool, and I'm headed that way to listen to the morning sounds, as the world around me wakes up. I hope everyone has a wonderful day today.

Glad that Hector is doing so much better behavior-wise.

I really hate to see dogs already being a nuisance, or potential one. It's hard moving and getting it all set up at once. I have not moved with chickens yet, may never, but I can see doing everything for them first before I unpack any of my own boxes.

 

[Wyatt0224]

How has Hector been treating his girls lately? And how do you notice that a chicken is having problems with their hocks?

 

[speckledhen]

How has Hector been treating his girls lately? And how do you notice that a chicken is having problems with their hocks?

He's grabbing them and they scream, but he knows when one is not in the pen and comes back out looking for her. He's as good as you'd expect from a male his age.


As far as the hocks, I know Atlas it having issues because he'll pull his leg up and act like it's hard to flex it back, but he keeps doing this shortened back-stretch of his leg over and over again, like it hurts, like we'd do if an elbow joint was stiff and painful. Isaac was the same way but he was much older when his began acting up on him.

 

[h2oratt]

He's grabbing them and they scream, but he knows when one is not in the pen and comes back out looking for her. He's as good as you'd expect from a male his age.


As far as the hocks, I know Atlas it having issues because he'll pull his leg up and act like it's hard to flex it back, but he keeps doing this shortened back-stretch of his leg over and over again, like it hurts, like we'd do if an elbow joint was stiff and painful. Isaac was the same way but he was much older when his began acting up on him.

I have a maran who hold her leg up. We have checked it and I don't see anything wrong. Is this a sign of hock problems? Or just a habit?