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

[Leahs Mom]

I just finally looked up the oil gland so now I see it looks like it's right on top of the tail.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Poopy butt does seem to be a random personal matter. Some hens I don't think squat as much when they poop. Some just poop and it rolls down the feathers, yes, I have watched my chickens poop.

I've watched too I guess I'll have to observe if she squats or not.

I'm just surprised that ALL chickens don't have poo on the bottom feathers. Seems like it would be hard to prevent that but maybe it is the squatting practice!

 

[speckledhen]

Cyn, I know how much you dislike the thought, but some of your older hens may be better off if you were able to end their lives. They will likely continue to survive with the excellent care you give them, but that is not the same thing as having a good life. It is the way of all living creatures to endure, with the hope that better times will come. Those old ladies are not ever going to have a better life, just daily pain and lack of normal activity. They do not think logically, can not understand that their quality of life is forever gone, and will continue to struggle to survive without the possibility of going back to a life of running around, chasing, bugs, and scratching in the dirt. I perfectly understand how hard that decision is, but want you to know that no one here would ever think you could do such a thing for your personal benefit - but in the interest of what may be best for your old friends.

I can't do it, Mary. It's too violent. If there was a way to euthanize a hen like vets have, maybe, but there is no good way to hands-on end their lives, not generally healthy hens who have been around this long. I mean, they're healthy overall, they just can't use one leg. And Amanda still lays eggs and loves to be out in the sunshine. Snow is happy to be held by either of us for however long we can stand to do it. She will propel herself forward by sheer force of will and throw herself into the aisle if she hears Tom's voice in the barn and her pen door is open. They seem to have interest in life, neither seems depressed or in actual pain. I know for sure Tom would never hear of it, not unless one had a stroke or was actually badly injured like Carly was recently. I guess they'll be gone soon enough. Their hearts will eventually give out. Really, how much longer can these hens really live?

I know it was my decision to allow them to live out their lives....and boy, are they living out their lives, bypassing others who pass on much younger than they are, like Rita, who was the same age as Tiny and Emily. It just gets to me sometimes when Tiny is being a nut and I literally have to grab her and tuck her backwards under my arm like a football to get her out of my way so I can tend to the others. I ought to remove that hellion from the old lady pen #1 and put her in old lady pen #2, but I think June would run away from home. She used to leave Isaac's side on the roost to come down and thrash Tiny when she acted up at bedtime.

Tom just again mentioned building wall cages in one of the pens so they could be side by side and see each other but have no one else messing up their food and water. I took care of Zane from the time he was injured at 20 weeks old or so until he died suddenly at four-and-a-half years old and would have done it if he'd lived much longer. But, these hens are so stinking old, they really have had a very long and pampered life. And Amanda has been crippled for maybe four years now, though it started with one stiff leg and just progressively became worse until she could no longer walk. She can locomote and get across the room, but it's a really ungainly effort.

 

[speckledhen]

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Some cute bunny pictures and my chocolate Orpingtons.

Lisa, I love the little rooster next to the Buff Orp hen! What kind is he? I've never been a real fan of the chocolates, but I think that's because they probably do not photograph well. Orps in general, I love, though. I miss Suede still after all these years.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Lisa, I love the little rooster next to the Buff Orp hen! What kind is he? I've never been a real fan of the chocolates, but I think that's because they probably do not photograph well. Orps in general, I love, though. I miss Suede still after all these years.

He's a mottled bantam cochin crossed with a bantam buff Brahma. He's a good little rooster most of the time.

This is the first time I've had the big English Orpingtons, you can see the one big buff girl I have too in that picture. My hatchery one is already laying, I think the big girls will take a while. I can definitely see where the bigger birds would have more health problems.

We don't cull until it's necessary. I don't cull just because they are old, only to end suffering, so I definitely understand why you can't, I can't either. I am lucky that my husband will take care of it for me, otherwise I don't think I could do it at all myself.

 

[speckledhen]

He's a mottled bantam cochin crossed with a bantam buff Brahma. He's a good little rooster most of the time.

This is the first time I've had the big English Orpingtons, you can see the one big buff girl I have too in that picture. My hatchery one is already laying, I think the big girls will take a while. I can definitely see where the bigger birds would have more health problems.

We don't cull until it's necessary. I don't cull just because they are old, only to end suffering, so I definitely understand why you can't, I can't either. I am lucky that my husband will take care of it for me, otherwise I don't think I could do it at all myself.

He's adorable!

I've never had what they call "English" Orpingtons. Actually, all Orps are English but the ones they imported have a lot more fluff and are definitely larger. They seem almost Cochin-like to me because the fluff goes so far to the ground, they almost appear to have feathered legs. Ladyhawk was given a 1/2 import Eng. Orp hen by a friend of hers, a super nice guy who once sent me a very nice big tote bag with a Delaware rooster printed on it that I will keep forever-he said he thought it looked like Isaac and it really does. He always named his Orp hens with names of wives of Presidents. This big splash hen was named Mary Todd, for Mary Todd Lincoln. Mary Todd is about 10 years old now, has what LH calls "dragon feet" and is just humongous. She was one of Lancelot's hens.

I'm glad you understand, Lisa. I don't want folks to think ill of me because I don't euthanize old hens. Yes, they are a lot of work if they become crippled up. If I felt they were truly suffering, I would try to help them along somehow, but they don't seem to be in actual pain, not to a large degree.

Gypsy is second in age to Amanda, 10 years old now, and other than a slightly stiff hock when she's been sitting awhile, she is pretty spry. I hope she lives to be 20, eggs or no eggs. I love that hen, partly because of how happy she made Zane. They were so attached to each other, it was touching to watch him raise up and try to dance for her.

 

[1muttsfan]

Nobody could think ill of someone so dedicated to taking care of their birds.

Look! Bunnies!

 

[speckledhen]

Nobody could think ill of someone so dedicated to taking care of their birds.

Look! Bunnies!

I do struggle with the decision often, Mary, mainly with the ones I'm treating and hoping they'll recover. I always put it off because I think I'll make the decision too soon.

Yes, bunnies! They look nothing like the ones that hop around this property, you know, the ones Finn hunts. The ones I often save from him.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Yep. That's one thing I HATE about keeping animals. I just hope mine have that "heart attack" moment and are gone quickly.

 

[speckledhen]

Yep. That's one thing I HATE about keeping animals. I just hope mine have that "heart attack" moment and are gone quickly.

Well, Tessa almost gave me that heart attack moment this evening. We locked everyone in the barn about 4 p.m. and went to town to grab a burger and get some screws at Home Depot in prep for building the wall cages for Snow and Amanda. When we got back, Tom went to the barn to check the girls. When he came back, he said, "So, I guess you just let one of the sisters stay in that pen alone.". He meant that Lizzie was in the first pen where she's been recovering and Tessa was not in there. Well, Tessa was in there....I remember distinctly running both of them back in there after they spent time out with Georgie's group in the pen today. He also said that every single bird in Atlas's group was on the top roost bar. That is unusual because one sleeps on top of the file cabinet nest box that is adjacent to the roost and one usually sleeps on the separate little roost bar, either Tessa or MaryJo.

So, I said, that's not right. Tessa should be with Lizzie and it would make no sense that both MaryJo and Tessa would be on the roost together with Atlas because Tessa torments MaryJo. So, I told him that I'm going out there to be sure that Tessa somehow didn't go back outside and was left out. We are both in the barn with a flashlight. Sure enough, Lizzie is alone and a milk crate that sits on top of the file cabinet nest box is tossed onto the floor. I look at Atlas's group and I see MaryJo, for the first time ever, is actually sitting next to Wynette, which shows she is really part of the group now, but again, no Tessa. We look in Georgie's pen and then in every pen. No Tessa. I am looking all over the barn and beginning to panic. Where is Tessa? Surely, there is no way she could sneak out past us and us completely miss her when we locked up. This makes no sense.

Then, DH says, "Cyn, look up". Tessa has pulled a MaryJo and she is on the top plate of Georgie's pen wall, just roosting up there by herself. Apparently, Lizzie hassled her and she went airborne to escape. Sigh. Now, she knows she can fly up there so here we go again.