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

[h2oratt]

Ha we were watching that last night too 

I love the music.

 

[GingersHuman]

Looks the older one is always stretching out!

I've found a home for my last LF cockerel. I decided I didn't need one at all this year. So I'll be down to 1 OEGB cockerel and the hens and pullets.

 

[speckledhen]

Looks the older one is always stretching out!

I've found a home for my last LF cockerel. I decided I didn't need one at all this year. So I'll be down to 1 OEGB cockerel and the hens and pullets.

He is a tall drink of water, isn't he? And he's always curious. If I needed to keep one, he'd be a good one. But, no idea if he carries that gene and I have no unrelated girls to give him than just Jill. Can't breed from Thea at all due to her wry tail. She is still clucking, by the way. Wish she'd make up her mind. If she goes over the edge, I will give her Jill's eggs, at least, so I can get something from Hector's pen.

As we did chores yesterday, I know both of us were thinking about simpler times. I have about decided that when Atlas is gone, he won't be replaced. I'll move Hector into that spot if he's still here, which he will be unless he goes nuts on me or gets himself killed or drops dead unexpectedly. And anything can happen with chickens, of course. Just look at poor Mary. That was out of the blue.

I do have the Brahmas. I may not even replace Bash if something happens to him, not sure on that. I've been sort of ambivalent lately.

 

[speckledhen]

Sons and daughter of Apollo today. Such a difference between the older BR and the slightly younger one, but there is not an entire week's diff in the two.
L'il Pooh-bear



See the difference? Good grief.

younger male

 

[Wyatt0224]

Why do you think there is such a big difference in size so early on? Will the smaller brother ever catch up?

 

[speckledhen]

Why do you think there is such a big difference in size so early on? Will the smaller brother ever catch up?

I'm not sure. Could be one is a dwarf gene carrier or just the difference between a son of Athena and one of Zara. He may catch up, but no way to know unless they continue to grow out here.

 

[getaclue]

From personal experience, I don't find the size difference for being a week apart, unusual at all. I've done staggered hatches that I wouldn't integrate the chicks, if they were a week apart, for that very reason. I'd wait until they were a little older, and the growth rate of the older ones slowed down a little, and the slightly younger ones would catch up, so they were closer in size. All were from the same lineage, so that was not it. Maybe it's more pronounced in LF.

 

[speckledhen]

From personal experience, I don't find the size difference for being a week apart, unusual at all. I've done staggered hatches that I wouldn't integrate the chicks, if they were a week apart, for that very reason. I'd wait until they were a little older, and the growth rate of the older ones slowed down a little, and the slightly younger ones would catch up, so they were closer in size. All were from the same lineage, so that was not it. Maybe it's more pronounced in LF.

It may be nothing wrong at all, just individual differences. There is more of a difference than I usually see in a six day age difference, but could be the big guy is just extra large for his age and the other one is the usual size for his. They both seem normal in every way, visually. If I was looking to keep one, I'd be keeping the big guy for sure, especially if he grows into those legs.

 

[speckledhen]

Garden is being set up now. This one is expanded by about 8' to allow more room between rows. Husband's fighting bad back and a bad knee that may need surgery, but we are getting it done. Nobody else will so....In lower left is the herb box with Mexican oregano, Italian flat leaf parsley and sage. Need to get some basil, too, but I like lettuce leaf basil which is hard to find. Back center is the strawberry patch. I've planted okra, kale, spinach, peppers, buttercrunch lettuce and crowder peas, but will plant tomatoes and beans this afternoon, maybe cantaloupe, honeydew and some squash in the far back right corner since they vine all over.


Panorama of the pasture greening up. Usually, it's full of deer, every night, but last night not one. Maybe something spooked them.

 

[getaclue]

I have a question. Why are you using raised beds, instead of using the soil beneath the raised beds?