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

[speckledhen]

She is a precious little munchkin. She looks like she's wearing her big sister's clothes, doesn't she? I'll be so sad when she leaves us.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

But you are blessed to have such a sweet little angel, even if just for a while. Some chickens are just more special than others, an affect our lives more than others.

 

[getaclue]

I love the expression on her face! LOL!

 

[speckledhen]

But you are blessed to have such a sweet little angel, even if just for a while. Some chickens are just more special than others, an affect our lives more than others.

She is a little angel, but nobody's pushover! And she is very food-motivated, too!

I love the expression on her face! LOL!

I know, she always looks like that.

 

[speckledhen]

Oh, anyone know what this plant is in my strawberries? It has a deep root, can't pull it up by the root by hand. It was in the compost pile and I kept pulling the leaves and it kept coming back.

 

[1muttsfan]

Looks like Dock

 

[speckledhen]

Looks like Dock

I do believe it is. Apparently, it's supposed to be toxic to poultry, but I know mine have eaten the leaves at times.

Here is an internet picture of Curly Dock:

 

[speckledhen]

Not the best day so far. Atlas decided to try to fight with Hector over the half-wall of Hector's pen. Luckily, I was only a few steps away, scooped up Atlas and threw him back into his pen. One of his hens, Druscilla, daughter of my late Dottie, is limping badly and lays down a lot the last few days-not sure if she has been hurt internally or her hock joint is hurt, but I have to wait for a broody to finish her hatch and be moved out of the hospital cage to put Dru in there.
Little Carly, my tiny 17 oz, 6 yr old Belgian D'Anver hen, has most likely has a stroke. She walks to the left, acts like she is drunk, has a glazed expression, and when the rooster grabbed her wing and she struggled, she began flapping all over the place. I grabbed her up and we put her in a pet carrier to rest and be unmolested. If we lose her, it will be the first of my original three D'Anver hens to go. And she is the head hen who regularly beats up on the main rooster, LOL, little spitfire!
Earlier, I found 9 year old Ameraucana, Snow, upside down and twisted-she has severe arthritis, no control of one leg and was struggling to turn over. It was obvious if I had not seen her, she may have died in that position.
What's next? Good grief.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

So sorry, must be in the air. I recently had to cull a few hens that were dear to me, one being a lovely little barnevelder hen that was 5, a year old andalusian, and my favorite old welsummer hen who was almost 10, she had quite the personality.

I also have a trio of porcelain d'uccle roosters who are getting old like your d'anvers. 2 are almost blind, and one is still pretty spunky. He also will lead the blind ones around.

We also butchered the 2 remaining roosters from last year's large fowl group as they were just too much and someone had to go. Such is chicken keeping.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, crap. Sounds like that was a hard time for you, too.

Carly is just sitting calmly in the pet carrier. She has not tried to stand and turn around to eat and drink at all. Why does it have to be Carly? Why not bratty 6 yr old D'anver rooster, Aubrey? He's a PITA all the time, dumb as a box of rocks. And Carly has even been laying recently, too, a very rare thing for my D'Anver hens. I'd rather lose both those roosters in there than one of those sweet little hens. I don't even care if they lay or not.