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

[speckledhen]

Since the molts are finishing up on these hens, I took photos of Rex, Atlas' dad, Atlas's grandma (Rex's mother, Ida) and Atlas's mother, Wynette.

 

[chickenneighbor]

Ida is just an awesome looking hen! I know it's not polite to ask, but how much does she weigh? What is the standard for rock hens? Beautiful!

 

[speckledhen]

Ida is just an awesome looking hen! I know it's not polite to ask, but how much does she weigh? What is the standard for rock hens? Beautiful!

Thank you! She's the largest of the three original Stukel Rock hens, but I dont have a weight for her. The standard calls for 7.5 lbs for a hen, if I recall. I'd say she meets or slightly exceeds that. Wish I had something reliable to weigh her with.

 

[1muttsfan]

Those hens look like turkeys!

 

[speckledhen]

They are some pretty hefty hens, for sure! Ida has always been the largest. And she growls. That hen is a no-nonsense kind of gal.

 

[drumstick diva]

I like Ida ,she is large and in charge

 

[lularat]

Now I know where Atlas got his good looks from. Those hens make my girls look like bantams.

 

[speckledhen]

I like Ida ,she is large and in charge

Yep, that's Big Ida. You nailed it. I swear, I can't count the number of times I've said to her, "Ida, stop growling, woman!".

Now I know where Atlas got his good looks from. Those hens make my girls look like bantams.

They are big 'uns, that's for sure. Dottie is, too, but back-to-back chick raising sessions have left her a little thin and she needs to bulk up. Hopefully, this winter, she will.

That splash is my splash Rock hen, Gloria Jean. She's average in size, but standing next to those Stukel Rock hens, she looks puny.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I love quality Barred Rocks. Mine is one of my best broodies. Fred wants to steal her from me, and I've thought about it, but that's as far as it has gone. This is Dusty and she's still trying to come out of her molt, so she's a bit thin.

 

[speckledhen]

I love quality Barred Rocks. Mine is one of my best broodies. Fred wants to steal her from me, and I've thought about it, but that's as far as it has gone. This is Dusty and she's still trying to come out of her molt, so she's a bit thin.

Yup, pretty hen. I have a Dusty, but she is my almost 7 year old Blue Orp hen. Dottie is a spectacular broody, too. Wynette went broody but when the first chick hatched, she killed it, horribly, and I took the other two eggs, gave them to just recently broody Dottie, who hatched them, but since she'd just then gone broody, didn't want to mother them (wasn't hostile, just wasn't ready to be a mom yet), and those, I brought into the house and my new pal, Andrew, bought them so I wouldn't have to brood chicks. (Thanks again, Andrew!).

I don't really blame Wynette since Dottie had a false start herself the first time, crushing the chick inside the egg as it was zipping. That foreign wiggling thing underneath them, they don't understand the first time, I guess. But, Dottie has gone on to raise a few broods and is just exemplary. She raised Deacon and Delia. May have to speak with her about that goober, Deacon, though, LOL.