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

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sue, I still am sure it's not the flu. No fever or chills or extra fatigue. It's like not long ago when I had a minor dry cough at my regular appointment for checking my thyroid and my doctor gave me some fluticasone nasal spray. She said it was sinus drainage irritating my throat. I'm sure it's the same thing, just worse than last time.

Take care of yourself no matter what it is. We need you here.

 

[speckledhen]

Take care of yourself no matter what it is. We need you here.

You're very sweet, Lisa. Thanks for watching out for me, all of you.

Oh, story about Lizzie. I switched Atlas and Georgie's pens yesterday, giving Atlas a the larger one since he now has MaryJo with him. Lizzie kept trying to fly out of the pen, literally throwing herself against the wire wall. I thought she was going to re-injure her leg. Yesterday, she was trying to get into the hospital cage, flew up onto the dog cage that sits underneath it and was trying to figure a way in so I said, "You wanna lay your egg in a cage? Okay, weird girl, have at it" and I put her in. A few minutes later, she produced an egg. So, today, I thought that she may be trying to get back to it, though yesterday, she was out running around and today, she'd have to scale a 6' wall. So, I snatched her out and threw her in the cage, and again, her egg was laid in there.

Prior to all her flying antics, she was being a big bully, pounding Zara in the head, who was just trying to duck and lay her own egg in the proper nest so I first threw her in with Hector. She didn't like that and neither did Hector's girls. I'm about to throw all the bullies in one pen and let them duke it out with each other.

Maretta's eggs are not pipped, but babies are in the air cells cheeping. Tomorrow is Day 21.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Your chickens like to keep you busy. I think they plan it out first. Hopefully you get some chicks. I'm so jealous.

 

[speckledhen]

Your chickens like to keep you busy. I think they plan it out first. Hopefully you get some chicks. I'm so jealous.

I really didn't want them now, but Maretta had other plans. You know what cross I miss? The barred EE (BR x Ameraucana or EE). I have only one left, Panda, who has no beard of muffs, just a tall pea-single combo comb. She hasn't laid in a couple of years, but the old gal is turning 10 years old. She and Gypsy have the same blue Ameraucana mother. My most beautiful barred EE was Riley, also same mother. She was so lovely and sweet and I hate that she died at only 3 years old, some internal reproductive thing, I think. She was blue barred, whereas Panda is black barred.
Here is Panda with one of Suede's sons that she raised the only time she ever went broody.

And half sister, Riley. That's hers, Gypsy's and Panda's mother, Charlotte, beside her in the last photo.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I did have one of those mixes too, she was nice, looked just like a barred Wyandotte.

 

[speckledhen]

I did have one of those mixes too, she was nice, looked just like a barred Wyandotte.

I remember you posted a picture of her not long ago, right? She was a pretty hen. I loved Riley, super sweet. Somewhere, I have a photo of Riley, Gypsy and Panda all side by side.

Oh, I see your caption! Spring Dreaming, yup, me, too! Just think, in about two weeks, we are about one month away from the official start of spring! It's coming (unless the world stops turning, which, in that case, we won't be thinking about spring much).

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I remember you posted a picture of her not long ago, right? She was a pretty hen. I loved Riley, super sweet. Somewhere, I have a photo of Riley, Gypsy and Panda all side by side.

Oh, I see your caption! Spring Dreaming, yup, me, too! Just think, in about two weeks, we are about one month away from the official start of spring! It's coming (unless the world stops turning, which, in that case, we won't be thinking about spring much).

Our spring generally doesn't start until sometime in April. It has been a warm January here, we will see how February and March go. Generally we see the most snow and cold during them.

I did post a vaguely blurry photo of my hen who passed last fall at 9 years. She was a nice mix. Unfortunately I think this is my only photo with her as she didn't often leave the shed.

 

[speckledhen]

Our last official frost date is usually the 3rd week of April, but the last few years, it's been the first week or so. March may be the calendar start of Spring but there's a lot of cold left until mid-April here.
Yes, that's the picture you posted, I remember it well. Riley had a few sisters and brothers that I didn't keep, but I sure wish at times that I had. Such a pretty hen, love the blue barring.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Our last frost date isn't until May 15, but we have got frost into June.

 

[speckledhen]

Today is Day 21 for Maretta. There are four pips out of the six eggs that I can see. I guess they're going to be fashionably sort of late. Usually, my broody chicks seem to begin hatching on Day 20 except for the Blue Orps, who would usually start late on Day 21 and keep it up into Day 22.