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

Awesome! My EE hen, Maretta, who lives with Isaac, has been clucking around for 2 months but hasn't started sitting. She was on the nest really late today so she may go over the edge after all this time. I'm not sure why she hasn't yet other than she tends to sleep on the floor with Isaac, whose arthritis keeps him from roosting much anymore. Such loyal hens he has, that old boy. I really don't want her to brood chicks right now because I have my BR pullet, Rachel, already raising five BR chicks who are almost 3 weeks old. I'd rather not have lots of chicks to worry about in the winter.

 

Maretta has raised babies twice before so I know she would be a good mom, but we have a lot on our plate, just not a great time for a second broody raising chicks. Wish she's hold off awhile. Best of luck to your Miss Daisy!

 

Yes, we are still there, Angela. Even one that I have pegged as a cockerel has conflicting traits. If they were hatchery kids, I'd have them already sexed to a 99.9% certainty. But, these are slower to feather and don't have the same head spot ID definition that hatchery stock does. Hatchery stock would be way more feathered out by 3 weeks old than these are now. This bunch still doesn't have full wing feathers, but slower feathering is necessary to get crisper barring. If I go simply by the barring, there are three with less defined, pullet-like barring, but that doesn't necessarily mean that all three are pullets; could be that one cockerel who may have come out of Rachel (whose barring is a tad blurry). So, #3 is still a mystery. I could even be wrong about the 2 & 2 part. I hope not, but 2 males and 3 females would be great. 1 male and 4 females, like happened with Atlas's group, would be perfectly awesome!