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

[speckledhen]

Roosters caring for the chicks, that would make a great video.

It would, diva. Spike especially starts getting excited when he hears peeping under a broody hen. He gets as close as he dares, cranes his neck and peers as closely as he can. He feeds the babies when mama lets him get close enough after they have their footing and are running around. When they're older, they jump on him and pull his tail feathers and he runs all over checking on this one and that one. If they are LF chicks, who surpass him in size by 8 weeks of age, he starts acting like Olive Oyl, wringing his figurative hands and making that "oh, oh" sound just like she did. They start to make him nervous, lol. His own sire, Aubrey, watches over the babies more than actually participating with the feeding, but he does it on a limited basis. Spike is an amazing daddy.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Wow, I had no idea that roosters could be good daddys. That makes me love them even more! As a matter of fact, I was looking at a vintage rooster lamp on Ebay a few days a go and the base was a ceramic rooster with chicks at his feet. The first thing I thought was, "No way are you seeing that in real life" because of my experiences with male cats trying to kill kittens so I am happy to hear that I was wrong. Yeah, I thought that story the local BYC club member told about her hen (I can't remember what breed she said her hen was) adopting other chicks willy nilly sounded like it might be the exception rather than the rule. Chicken behavior is so fascinating.

I am guessing Spike is a bantam roo? What breed is he? We have a little chocolate orpington roo that is so tiny I am beginning to wonder if I can ever incorporate him into our original flock. He is 5 months old and is the size of a 6 week old LF. Of course he was super sick when we first got him so it may take a while for him to catch up. Other than him being tiny and having a Napoleon complex he is good. He is a whole lot of chicken in a little bitty space! Your bantams mix and mingle freely with the LF right? I remember you talking about Xander trying to mate with the big girls. LOL!

 

[speckledhen]

Wow, I had no idea that roosters could be good daddys. That makes me love them even more! As a matter of fact, I was looking at a vintage rooster lamp on Ebay a few days a go and the base was a ceramic rooster with chicks at his feet. The first thing I thought was, "No way are you seeing that in real life" because of my experiences with male cats trying to kill kittens so I am happy to hear that I was wrong. Yeah, I thought that story the local BYC club member told about her hen (I can't remember what breed she said her hen was) adopting other chicks willy nilly sounded like it might be the exception rather than the rule. Chicken behavior is so fascinating.

I am guessing Spike is a bantam roo? What breed is he? We have a little chocolate orpington roo that is so tiny I am beginning to wonder if I can ever incorporate him into our original flock. He is 5 months old and is the size of a 6 week old LF. Of course he was super sick when we first got him so it may take a while for him to catch up. Other than him being tiny and having a Napoleon complex he is good. He is a whole lot of chicken in a little bitty space! Your bantams mix and mingle freely with the LF right? I remember you talking about Xander trying to mate with the big girls. LOL!

My bantams are in their own separate coop and pen, Angela. I used to have some older hens living with them, but that was awhile back. Those hens, all except one, have passed away.

Here is Spike-he is a Mille Fleur Belgian D'Anver

 

[1muttsfan]

We used to have a cat named Mooch that was the best mother cat I have ever seen. He would lay with kittens, cuddle and clean them, and generally do everything short of providing milk. A rare boy, but I have seen a few male cats that were real sweeties with kittens. Garfield isn't so interested in little kittens, but loves them when they are old enough to get around.

I don't have any digital images of Mooch, but here is Garfield with his little Sweetie

 

[speckledhen]

We used to have a cat named Mooch that was the best mother cat I have ever seen. He would lay with kittens, cuddle and clean them, and generally do everything short of providing milk. A rare boy, but I have seen a few male cats that were real sweeties with kittens. Garfield isn't so interested in little kittens, but loves them when they are old enough to get around.

I don't have any digital images of Mooch, but here is Garfield with his little Sweetie

Aw, what a sweet picture! Orange tabbies really are great cats, aren't they?

 

[Peanutsmomma]

My bantams are in their own separate coop and pen, Angela. I used to have some older hens living with them, but that was awhile back. Those hens, all except one, have passed away.

Here is Spike-he is a Mille Fleur Belgian D'Anver

Wow, Spike is handsome man! I guess I will just have to cross the "should I try to incorporate the bantams" bridge when I come to it. I have been hanging out on the Bantam Orp thread and some people have their flocks mixed together and others keep them separate. It would be easier to have them together as one flock but if I have to keep them separate for their safety I will.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

How is Rachel doing today?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Roosters caring for the chicks, that would make a great video.

I love watching my roosters with my broodies and chicks. I always segregate (within the flock) my broodies with their chicks for 1 week, then I let them out with the flock. My barnevelder male would bring in grape leaves and give them to the broody to feed to her chicks. He would then stand guard, protecting them from the flock. He is the only one the broodies let near their chicks.

 

[speckledhen]

How is Rachel doing today?

Rachel is hanging in there like a champ. I'm worried that she's already losing weight early into this so made them all a huge plate of scrambled eggs and she did eat that, but she won't willingly get off the nest to eat, drink and poop like the experienced moms do. Dottie is broody now. Good grief. I'm trying to break her, but I have my doubts. I've never been able to before.

I love watching my roosters with my broodies and chicks. I always segregate (within the flock) my broodies with their chicks for 1 week, then I let them out with the flock. My barnevelder male would bring in grape leaves and give them to the broody to feed to her chicks. He would then stand guard, protecting them from the flock. He is the only one the broodies let near their chicks.

Will be interesting to see how Atlas reacts to chicks. Not sure what to do when they hatch right now.


Angela, I had a bantam Cochin hen once who was always in the main LF flock. The rooster never mated her and she did great with them for years. Eventually, she went in with the D'Anvers, but she wasn't very happy about that. The d'Anvers can fly, though, and my main pens are not covered.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Thanks for the Rachel update and good luck with breaking Miss Dottie.

You are right, I totally forgot about the flying being an issue. Our bantam rooster is getting on the roof of their mini coop constantly which is about 4.5' off the ground. Maybe if our little guy wasn't so tiny he would be more earth bound, like his half sister. I am sure if I let him out to roam with the big girls he would eventually figure out how to clear the privacy fence. He would probably make a nice hawk snack too, so I am thinking they need to stay in their run for now.