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

Something's wrong with Deacon. He's just not right. Maybe these hens are too much stress on him or his fight with Rex, which eventually killed Rex, after so soon recovering from the terrible injury Isaac inflicted on him is not doing him any good. He's lost weight and he's just off. I wonder if Deacon, in fighting Rex a month ago, re-injured himself. And now, these hens are causing him too much stress and he's not eating as he should. When I picked him up to hold him, he just leaned into me and was going to sleep. When I put him on his roost shelf and he jumped down, he lost his balance and stumbled. Reminded me of after Isaac hurt him and he couldn't walk without staggering all over the place.

He's in his old place, Zane's cage, for the night, with his own heat lamp, his own food and water, peace and quiet. Tomorrow, I'm taking out Wendy and Robin, the "mean girls" who beat up on Sammie Jo and giving them back to Atlas. Then, we'll see how Deacon does with just mellow old Rita, Serena and sweet little Sammie. That is, if he seems okay tomorrow morning. He's just too sweet to let him suffer needlessly.

Now that I have this bed runner top pieced, I've lost Rex and Deacon isn't looking so great. But old Isaac keeps on trucking.




Isaac and Deacon (Deacon has two spurs in this representation, LOL)



Rex



Rex with Isaac

 

Thank you! If you want to read a wild story, check out this one, regarding two daughters of my late Suede, one with Meg and one with Smoky, also both passed on now. It's something beyond what I've ever seen a head hen do to keep order. Chickens are way beyond amazing if folks will just observe and believe what they're seeing. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ith-a-lethal-beak-and-execution#post_14709196

 

He was crowing. DH just now went out to give him a special breakfast with some vitamins in it. And the mean girls, Wendy and Robin, are moving back with Atlas-let him deal with them. I'm betting Rita, Serena and her niece Sammie Jo will be enough company for Deacon.

 

Sorry to hear that. Sometimes, it's just something internal that snaps and that's the end of them. I wish for that rather than a long drawn-out, lingering downhill slide. I hate mysteries, but they aren't always knowable.

Deacon wouldn't really eat. Tom let him out to run around and all he wanted to do was fight with Atlas at the main pen. No need for him to be expending energy that way so I said put him back with his hens, minus Wendy and Robin, of course. Those three-Rita, Serena and Sammie Jo- shouldn't give him any trouble. He should accept Serena well because she and Sammie look so much alike (Serena is Sammie's aunt). I can't force him to eat, so I just hope he eats enough to keep him going. There's nothing I can really treat and I hate to keep him separated after him living with Sammie Jo, one he's been developing a relationship with for weeks now. Best to let him be a rooster and if he drops dead from some internal issue, then at least, he was with his girls.

 

Atlas's babies are doing great. Rachel got out very briefly and did a speed-dustbath and ran back to her babies, but DH had to take her to the dust hole or she wouldn't have left them. It's about 50* today and sunny. The babies looked out the door but wouldn't venture onto the ramp. We stood guard, watching out for Finn, who left for his daily hunting trip.

Here they are, the little barred champions.