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

[1muttsfan]

Yes thiamine I Always say that wrong.

I've had good luck with medicated feed, still some loose stools but no illness.

 

[speckledhen]

Yes thiamine

I Always say that wrong.

I've had good luck with medicated feed, still some loose stools but no illness.

I think the locale has a lot to do with cocci. We're in the soupy south so we naturally get more cocci outbreaks here than you would. BUT, I have not had any real outbreaks in years, not since I either put dirt in every brooder early on or hatched with broodies. And I don't feed medicated. Used to be, every group that hit the ground got it and all I used to feed was the medicated stuff because it was all anyone carried here. When I realized it did no good, I just decided it was better not to mess with their B vitamin balance and treat as needed.

 

[1muttsfan]

In one respect our cold winters and not hot summers are an asset

 

[speckledhen]

In one respect our cold winters and not hot summers are an asset

That is true. It's all a trade-off.

Oh, Rowena.. Rowena, Rowena, Rowena! She was beating the crud out of Jill and then Thea would attack Ro. Hector did nothing. It was war in the back pen every day. Finally, I grabbed Ro out and since Apollo was outside, I threw her out with him. She seemed happier with Apollo, dustbathing, allowing him to mate her, etc. And she went willingly back to Apollo's pen (where she used to live with Xander, Wendy and Dusty). So, she seems happier in her old home, no matter who is living there, even if she does boss the younger girls, her nieces. Remember, Rowena is Apollo's aunt. I think Wynette may be her mother, but I'm truly not sure who was her mom. She was raised with Atlas, if you recall. I think. I get confused these day as to who is the aunt or the mother or the sister of who. Ro and Wendy are both bossy butts. I didn't want Ro in with Apollo, but at least they are not siblings. I JUST WANT PEACE IN THE BARN!

 

[speckledhen]

Ro is back with Hector. She was causing more trouble so I figured if she was going to do that anywhere, she might as well be with Hector, not her nephew, Apollo. Sheesh.

Apollo should be a daddy by Sunday three times and three more times the following Saturday. All three eggs under Bonnie and all three under Brandy are fertile and dancing.

Athena and Apollo.





And Atlas and his crew. Tessa is finally getting her feathers, but she still looks like half a chicken, she's lost so much weight.



And two more I snapped, Georgie's group and the Belgian D'Anvers.

 

[robhuncor]

Everybody looks contented. Apollo has a wonderful tail! The wind is making it look like an exotic barred flower!

 

[speckledhen]

Everybody looks contented. Apollo has a wonderful tail! The wind is making it look like an exotic barred flower!

Apollo has that awesome Stukel line tail, for sure. Hector is probably a bit jealous of it, LOL. He has one, finally, but it just sort of droops too low.



ETA: I'm still considering going to one cockerel, choosing between Hector and Apollo. Since I have six Apollo babies that will be hatching over the next week or so and certainly, there will be a cockerel in that bunch that I could keep if I was of a mind to do so, I am leaning toward keeping Hector, mainly because of his size, secondarily because he's unrelated to most of the hens he will be over. They are Stukel-based, therefore may improve his tail issue. Or that's the theory. It could go the other way, but since the mothers influence the sons more than their daughters, I'd hope they'd improve the tail on the males that come out of Hector. Keeping only the one right now would also simplify my life and make DH happy in the process, I bet. He's fond of Apollo, but he's also quite fond of Hector.

I realize I've been all over the map with this, for different reasons, but until I am settled in my mind, I have to consider all the angles.

 

[Wyatt0224]

Do you think you could find a home for Apollo if you did indeed decide to sell him? And I know I have no knowledge of breeding but it makes sense to me if you did sell Apollo because you'll have six of his babies. By playing the odds you most likely will have at least one of his sons.

 

[speckledhen]

Do you think you could find a home for Apollo if you did indeed decide to sell him? And I know I have no knowledge of breeding but it makes sense to me if you did sell Apollo because you'll have six of his babies. By playing the odds you most likely will have at least one of his sons.

This afternoon, after Atlas had been outside for awhile at the end of the day, I went to put him back and lock up the barn. He had blood running down his beak from his comb and I thought his hens had just picked him a lot. Then, I saw Apollo in his pen and he was bloody. The only place they can even see each other is the crack in the door jamb, which is a tad too wide, maybe 2" or a bit less. That had blood spots, so they were fighting through the crack and Atlas was tearing up his face/beak/comb on the rough side edge of the OSB panel that is the bottom part of Apollo's door. Sigh. I guess Apollo got over his fear of Atlas.

Yes, I think I might sell Apollo, thinking about the six chicks of his that are on the way, and let Hector rule for awhile. He'd have Jill, Thea (though I don't want her eggs to hatch), Rowena, Athena and Zara. Maybe I should have said it like this: Thea, Athena, Rowena, LOL. Sounds funny.

Hector broke up a hen fight in grand fashion today just like Isaac would have done. Thea attacked Wendy, who was out on range with them (she was pacing the fence, so I let her go with them). As soon as the fight broke out, Hector jumped into the air, landed between them and flogged Wendy, just pushed her away from Thea, though Thea started it. If it was Isaac, he would have then danced for Wendy, but not Hector. He stalked off with his girls away from Wendy.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Roosters sure are a pain in the spring aren't they.