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

[speckledhen]

Keep your eyes and ears open, you never know what can show up. Sometimes farm bred ones are pretty reasonable in prices. I always figure the right dog finds me when it's right, but that's a whole new topic I might be called crazy for.

Yeah, well, I said for months that I probably needed a barn cat, but no way DH would get a cat for ANY reason. And I really did not want a litter box situation, either. The conversation began with Ladyhawk. She had three cats, all who chose her after she moved to KY, including one that was owned by loser neighbors who would leave their place for an entire season and just leave a bag of cat food open and hope the cat survived. LH found it in her barn starving not long after they moved to KY. She vetted her and took care of her. Then, the owner showed up one day, was there for some reason, saw the cat, said, "That's my wife's cat". You can imagine her answer to him. Needless to say, the cat stayed. Cats pick their owners it seems. Anyway, I was saying that we ought to have a barn cat and then, Finn showed up and stayed. So, maybe you're not all that crazy.

We've had really only one dog show up and get into our fence that didn't seem to mean any harm, a blue tick beagle pup. We called A/C who came to pick her up and surely, she got adopted, but we still had a dog at the time and didn't think we could add one. And once, my husband went to town and he came back carrying a Pomeranian. He found her wandering down the road, no collar, no "lost dog" posters anywhere. She was obviously well-cared-for and leash-trained, but we could not find the owner after knocking on doors up and down the road in the area. A lady who stopped when he did to pick her up said if he could not find the owner to call her and she'd take her, and she did.

I think that some folks who have relatives who pass away and they don't want the dogs left behind may just dump them sometimes. I would never, even if I hated the dog, if it was a mean, nasty thing, it's better to euthanize it than to just dump it on the road.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I agree. Dogs get traumatized by being rehomed. Mine are mine forever.

Cat's get dumped all the time. People seem to not care about cats, and they are very disposable to people. It's quite sad. They should at least get them spayed or neutered but many don't.

I have taken in people's house peeing cat, who love life outside.

Finn is a lucky cat. Most around here are too terrified after their dumping to approach people. I have watched many come and go in short order. Despite the popular idea, a house cat can't just be dumped, it needs to be acclimated and confined for a month or so, or else they just keep running until they are dead. We put out food, but many are just passing through in their terror.

Thankfully dogs aren't dumped like they used to be, at least that message is getting through. Now it's time to give more value to cats.

 

[speckledhen]

I agree. Dogs get traumatized by being rehomed. Mine are mine forever.

Cat's get dumped all the time. People seem to not care about cats, and they are very disposable to people. It's quite sad. They should at least get them spayed or neutered but many don't.

I have taken in people's house peeing cat, who love life outside.

Finn is a lucky cat. Most around here are too terrified after their dumping to approach people. I have watched many come and go in short order. Despite the popular idea, a house cat can't just be dumped, it needs to be acclimated and confined for a month or so, or else they just keep running until they are dead. We put out food, but many are just passing through in their terror.

Thankfully dogs aren't dumped like they used to be, at least that message is getting through. Now it's time to give more value to cats.

Mine are mine forever, too. I almost have had to train myself that I can't do that with roosters, who I fall in love with and want to keep them all, especially the really sweet ones. And you know most all mine are that type, but these Brahmas I adore. And you can't keep a rooster that size over average to small hens, you just can't do it, not unless there are a LOT of hens for him/them.

Finn is a good cat, really the best cat you could have. I grew up with cats, dogs, birds, ponies and around the farm animals as well, but Tom never had a cat or birds. And his dogs always conveniently disappeared when his parents didn't want to take care of them anymore. Yes, I have trouble thinking my in-laws were "dog-dumpers", but they were. My husband is not at all like most of his family, thank GOD.

 

[1muttsfan]

Dog training is not really something that you take time to do. It is something you do from the minute a dog or puppy walks into your home, and do it every minute of the day, just as you train your children. As OHLD says, constant, consistent reinforcement produces well-behaved dogs that are great family members and know their place in the home order.
Love that group pic, really nice looking group of pups.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thank you @1muttsfan , they are raised like kids, reinforce the good, redirect the bad. Mine aren't taught obedience, they are taught manners. I don't care if they sit. I do care that they don't jump up on people or drive me nuts. They are still dogs though and need some leeway. Can't stop them from sampling chicken poop behind my back.

Roosters are a different thing, not all can be kept. @speckledhen , I know you find them great homes. Mine go in the freezer if I can't find a place for them here. I don't take that decision lightly, but most good homes around here would mean the freezer, so best they go after a good life here and into my freezer.

 

[speckledhen]

Dog training is not really something that you take time to do. It is something you do from the minute a dog or puppy walks into your home, and do it every minute of the day, just as you train your children. As OHLD says, constant, consistent reinforcement produces well-behaved dogs that are great family members and know their place in the home order.
Love that group pic, really nice looking group of pups.

Thank you @1muttsfan , they are raised like kids, reinforce the good, redirect the bad. Mine aren't taught obedience, they are taught manners. I don't care if they sit. I do care that they don't jump up on people or drive me nuts. They are still dogs though and need some leeway. Can't stop them from sampling chicken poop behind my back.

Roosters are a different thing, not all can be kept. @speckledhen , I know you find them great homes. Mine go in the freezer if I can't find a place for them here. I don't take that decision lightly, but most good homes around here would mean the freezer, so best they go after a good life here and into my freezer.

I hated my dogs jumping on people. I never allowed that. They knew "down", "off", "stay", etc. though Cody was very hardheaded and he sometimes just ignored us. Typical boxer, big goofball, but a smart and stubborn goofball.

I have a hard time putting any in the freezer unless they turn mean. And that's kind of rare here. Actually, I haven't done that in maybe 10 years. But, then, I dont have the number you do. If I had 100 birds and a lot of roosters, would have to process them myself or sell them at "processing prices" just to get rid of them.

I'd like to do a study of the easiest keepers among chicken breeds. Now, that may not be the friendliest or lay the largest eggs, but I can see us going to super easy keepers, some that forage for most of their feed willingly and that I can have multiple roosters with in one flock. Tough requirements, maybe impossible. But, I've heard that Egyptian Fayoumis are like that and they are actually disease resistant, especially to Marek's. Of course, guineas are like that if you like guineas (which I do).

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have tried many breeds. I lean towards the bigger lazier ones to minimize how far they will forage. My best hustlers have been my polish, but they need maintenance like crest trimming, and are a bit too flighty for my tastes.

I really haven't had troubles with roosters fighting too much as they have plenty of places to go and spread out. No one is locked in. If I do have troubles in winters under closer confinement I have a few pens to keep troublemakers in.

I have some show bred birds. They are less inclined to forage. Hatchery stock will hustle more in my experiences, and show bred stick closer to the shed. Both have their advantages.

I don't hatch too often, so mine all run together. It's definitely easier. Generally roosters work out a pecking order as they grow up so I don't generally see fighting.

Your boys are a bit more feisty than mine, especially those little Brahma boys. I did have a bantam buff Brahma rooster that was pretty feisty like that too and he went to the freezer for it.

I don't like a lot of work either, so my flock needs to be low maintenance too.

I try to minimize butchering as I really like my roosters and what they add. I tend to cull based on behaviors towards the hens.

Boxers bounce, that's part of their charm, but the older I get the more I don't like being knocked around. They are eternal puppies.

 

[speckledhen]

I have tried many breeds. I lean towards the bigger lazier ones to minimize how far they will forage. My best hustlers have been my polish, but they need maintenance like crest trimming, and are a bit too flighty for my tastes.

I really haven't had troubles with roosters fighting too much as they have plenty of places to go and spread out. No one is locked in. If I do have troubles in winters under closer confinement I have a few pens to keep troublemakers in.

I have some show bred birds. They are less inclined to forage. Hatchery stock will hustle more in my experiences, and show bred stick closer to the shed. Both have their advantages.

I don't hatch too often, so mine all run together. It's definitely easier. Generally roosters work out a pecking order as they grow up so I don't generally see fighting.

Your boys are a bit more feisty than mine, especially those little Brahma boys. I did have a bantam buff Brahma rooster that was pretty feisty like that too and he went to the freezer for it.

I don't like a lot of work either, so my flock needs to be low maintenance too.

I try to minimize butchering as I really like my roosters and what they add. I tend to cull based on behaviors towards the hens.

Boxers bounce, that's part of their charm, but the older I get the more I don't like being knocked around. They are eternal puppies.

Boxers do bounce! Yes, they sure do. Puppies forever. The day before Cody died from kidney failure, he was playing with Kes. She'd run from one side of the yard to the other and when she'd pass him, he'd make a fake jump at her, playing until the very end at 12 years old.

I wish my roosters would get along. Everybody will have to die and then, I'll have to start over and raise some together in a large group of girls, I guess.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

12 was old for a boxer, hopefully my current one lives that long, last two went at 10 and 9, both broke my heart. I like the eternal puppy, wish I could be an eternal puppy.

Roosters can always find ways to be trouble. Apparently I like the challenge of troubles both in dogs and chickens.

 

[speckledhen]

I like the eternal puppy, wish I could be an eternal puppy.

Me, too, me, too.

Roosters can always find ways to be trouble

oh, yes, they can!