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

[speckledhen]

Beautiful boys. Maybe they could end up being your rooster tag-team in the future. Poor Piglet, such a sad story. At least he lived a loving life, couldn't have spent it anywhere better.

I really have nowhere to put these boys unless something happens to Atlas. Then, they'd be related to the hens. Unless I just used that pen as a layer pen and got some layers for them to oversee, they don't have much of a place here, which is why I sold Apollo. Atlas is my main free range rooster already. He just turned 3 years old. I'd prefer one I could actually breed from, so one of Hector's sons would be preferable if I kept another male. A rooster team is an elusive dream for me, isn't it?

Cyn I am sorry to hear that. Who knew losing a bird could be so hard?

It's always so hard. I haven't even checked on him this a.m., dreading what I'll find.


ETA: I heard DH over the monitor say, "He's gone".

Then, in a couple minutes, I hear, "If you flare up at me, I'll kill you!" I thought, oh, no, is Hector it trouble again? I've never seen Bash "flare up" at anyone and most definitely he was not speaking to Atlas, who is rising to the level of respect I gave Isaac. When he came in, I asked who flared up at him, was it Hector. He said, "No, it was Tiny! I smacked her in the face". Same old, same old. That stupid, crazy hen never learns! She is sweet and gentle as a kitten with me.

 

[speckledhen]

Adding photos of the grandsons of Atlas. Doesn't the older boy have super long legs? Reminds me of Isaac a little.

 

[getaclue]

I know it hurts to lose Piglet, and Pooh, but the "built in kill switch" you mentioned is that way for a good reason. Even though it's that way for a good reason, it doesn't take away the hurt. So sorry both you, and the dwarf birds have to go through this.

 

[speckledhen]

I know it hurts to lose Piglet, and Pooh, but the "built in kill switch" you mentioned is that way for a good reason. Even though it's that way for a good reason, it doesn't take away the hurt. So sorry both you, and the dwarf birds have to go through this.

It's a bummer, for sure. And a really nasty surprise, those two showing up at this late date. Unless there is a dwarf gene floating in the original Stukel stock, and I've never heard anyone mention it, it would mean that not only Atlas is a carrier, but Rex was as well as Deacon. Deacon and his sister were the last parents of dwarf males, of course. That's more than a 50% pass rate, though I realize I don't hatch huge numbers and that ratio is predicated on a certain number, just like the male/female rate.

 

[h2oratt]

Adding photos of the grandsons of Atlas. Doesn't the older boy have super long legs? Reminds me of Isaac a little.

In the first picture he reminds me of George Clooney in o brother.

 

[h2oratt]

We are losing Piglet already. He was hunched up this a.m.. Yes, it was chilly, but no one else was very cold and when I brought them a plate of scrambled eggs, he didn't eat much. I just found him outside, hunched against the wind, while all the others were inside. Took him in the house and let DH hold him while I got a warm place ready for him to rest so he would not be hassled. So, he and Pooh are in the hospital cage, brought her for company, and he's breathing very hard, eyes closed. She seems okay so far. He's not as old as Rocky and Jet were , just turning 7 weeks old. This is the type of dwarfism that Piglet has:


So you see they are pretty much hatched with a kill switch. We just don't know when it will flip until it does. Poor guy, I am so sorry.

 

[speckledhen]

In the first picture he reminds me of George Clooney in o brother.

 

[1muttsfan]

Ha we were watching that last night too

 

[speckledhen]

I need one to look like Daniel Day-Lewis in The Last of the Mohicans.

I've always wanted to name a rooster "Nathaniel". I can imagine a bantam Cochin with that big name, can't you?


I didn't post these pictures of the boys. Seems to me that the 7 week old is bigger than just six-days-worth of growth over his brother. What do you think?


Big boy has gorgeous barring, but so does younger bro.







Sweet little Pooh-bear with Cora the partridge Brahma.

 

[h2oratt]

I love that boy or maybe it's just the picture.. he is one long legged Mack daddy.