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

[speckledhen]

"Sure wish you were ready for that son of Atlas! But there will be others, no worry."

ME TOO!!!

Did the gentleman that had the first right of refusal decide not to buy a pair of the babies? In your experience how long does it normally take to integrate a hen back into the flock after she has raised her chicks? Is Rachel doing better now that she is with Deacon?

I know that you all are glad to have a temporary break from the freezing temps. Have the chicks been able to get out any not that it is so cold?

I haven't heard from him, no, so they are all up for grabs. And Rachel can't go in with any other birds until her back is healed further. They really ganged up on her, made worse by her not being able to go outside, so she has lacerations and is missing a big portion of her feathers from wing tops to oil gland. It's one big scab. She is under the deck dustbathing right now. Tried her in with them and she is over the motherhood thing, pecked at them so can't live with them anymore, either. That's why I need them gone ASAP, with Maretta needing that pen for her and her chicks due in about ten days. Today was the first day the babies got out in a week or more, but there are hawks all over and I can't let 6 week old chicks out on their own without supervision. My quilt job takes hours every day so I can't sit out with them. They may get out later. Yesterday it was too wet and too much snow still. Today, sunny!

 

[1muttsfan]

Biggest and nosiest! And I see what you mean about his barring, it is almost blurry - reminds me of a test page when you set up a printer, and you pick out the clearest set of lines.

 

[speckledhen]

It is more precise on the sides, less in the chest area, but he's a born leader, that one. He sort of reminds me of Indy, though Indy was 1/2 Delaware. He was a tall drink of water, too. To be fair, baby feathering won't necessarily be exactly how it till turn out later on, but I see slightly better barring in one of the smaller males. Conformation is more important than coloring and he sure has the size on him at this stage.

One of the pullets is really tiny compared to the others. Could be she is out of Rachel or Rowena or could be they just have been cooped up too long when free ranging would have let them grow more naturally. Natural light, etc, does make a difference. I've seen it with chicks raised with the bantams in their covered pen, so they didn't get to free range like most of my broody raised chicks do. She may catch up or she may always be smaller.



ETA: I may be moving both Rowena and Rachel in with Deacon. I see what my issue is, same as it was earlier-the two black hens, Robin and Wendy. Though the older Stukel BR hens can be cantankerous, those two are just mean to underlings and any who are milder mannered than they are. Both Rachel and Ro are very sweet girls. I found that Rowena is also quite thin just like Rachel and I've witnessed Wendy in particular being mercilessly cruel and going out of her way to harass Rowena. She did it when she was in with Deacon, too.

They are really great layers, which is why it would pain me to let them go. I have few young layers now. But, truth be told, I don't need them as breeders and I don't need Rachel and Rowena in with Atlas since they are not up to par with their mothers and aunts and cousin, all pure Stukel line BR hens. Maybe in a completely different environment with birds they didn't know, they would learn a lesson. Or, I could be really mean to them and put them in with Dusty the Destroyer, LOL. That'd learn 'em, hehe. This is who they'd be facing if I did that (but, poor Xander)

 

[1muttsfan]

They might just need a little butt whupin - but even that would be unlikely to change their attitude toward less aggressive hens. Attitude is one of my big criteria in hens, & I prefer the mild mannered ones. I (the one who buys the food) just like it better when everyone gets along.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm used to pecking order and rarely encounter this type stuff, but Wendy is just a class A witch. After having to remove those two sisters from Deacon's group because they were really merciless to sweet little Sammie Jo, now Rachel has actually gotten hurt and I thought it was all of them, having to stay inside so long with the bad weather and her coming back from a long absence, but I've never had a hen actually hurt like that before. My gut tells me it was mainly Wendy who is the culprit there.

If Wendy comes up against Dusty, she won't come out on top, not unless Dusty has a heart attack due to her age or something. Dusty is old (7 yrs) and has always been very nasty to underlings, though she has never hurt anyone like Rachel is hurt. She might enjoy doling out a good butt whoopin' about now. She has only little Xander and Nugget with her. Nugget is the one I'd worry about, same age as Dusty but she has a heart issue, I think, and her color goes dark under stress. I may have to take her out briefly, let Dusty work her magic and wear them down, then let the Nuggster go back in with them. Though she's rarely a dominant hen, she can be a little growly herself if she thinks another is beneath her.

Wendy is super sweet with us, though her attention-seeking bites on your pants leg that grab skin can hurt. She loves being held. Robin is more standoffish. I might miss Wendy a little if I sold them, but not the trouble she's causing. If someone had a situation where those two could be with a rooster of their own, that would be excellent. They do lay very well, certainly.

Funny thing is, Atlas and Deacon are both mild mannered and not adept at dealing with the hen-fighting thing. Isaac, on the other hand, would dole out discipline with an iron beak. He'd be jumping in the middle, thunking heads left and right. Of course, he has years of experience with many different hens.

 

[drumstick diva]

Cynthia, I notice the bedroom photo has the very samel phone I have by the computer. It wasn't working well and I searched online for a replacement. Couldn't find any except no- brand junk - they don't seem to make phones like that anymore. They expect everyone to have cell phones or something. Well turned out my cord was the problem, we ordered a new one and the old phone is back in business.

 

[speckledhen]

Cynthia, I notice the bedroom photo has the very samel phone I have by the computer. It wasn't working well and I searched online for a replacement. Couldn't find any except no- brand junk - they don't seem to make phones like that anymore. They expect everyone to have cell phones or something. Well turned out my cord was the problem, we ordered a new one and the old phone is back in business.

Oh, yeah, we had to change our cord, too! Those old corded phones are life savers. We don't get cell signals at our place and when the power goes out, so do all the cordless phones. That one doesn't even have a redial, probably the first ever touch tone desk phone, almost as old as me, but still works.

 

[holm25]

We might be getting goats!!!! And we ordered 25 more chickens and 5 more turkeys!!!!

 

[speckledhen]

We might be getting goats!!!! And we ordered 25 more chickens and 5 more turkeys!!!!

I might need to borrow a goat to eat that nasty, skin-ripping cow vine that my property is inundated with, so yeah, get some goats!

 

[drumstick diva]

My phone must be younger, just noticed it has a redial - had it all there years and never noticed.- maybe if I had cleaned the keys before now, I would have seen it.