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

[MistyMountain]

Oh, I am so sorry to hear about Sammie Jo! You sure have had a rough summer! Keeping you in my thoughts today!

We've had a rough weekend here. Lost two BO (my only two…) to a fox, coyote or bobcat. Trailcam is set up to see if we can figure out which. Frustrating, really, but understandable. I set the dinner table for them by free ranging. Sure does help me decide were I want to put the new coop, though.

Anyhow, sending hugs your way!

I hope things get better for you!

 

[speckledhen]

I have gotten 3 BR eggs today from Atlas's group. Got one yesterday from Ida. I have three BR eggs under a broody. One is Ida's, two are 5 days behind because I wasn't sure Ida's was fertile. If it is, I'll have to remove the other two and finish them up in the bator and give them to Aimee when they hatch. She usually takes chicks with no trouble; I had to give two week old chicks to her when my Silver Phoenix hen died suddenly-their chicks hatched at the same time.

I'm wondering if I should just bite the bullet and incubate some eggs from those Stukel BR hens since I've lost so many related to Isaac over the past year and will continue the losses with the older hens soon, I'm sure. With the predators around so strongly this spring/summer already, I wish Atlas would accept one of his sons in the group to help watch over the free ranging BR flock. If I sneak one in with some teenage pullets, maybe he will.

Michelle, so sorry to hear about your losses. They're out in force for sure- foxes, coyotes, etc.

 

[drumstick diva]

Poor Sammie Jo, so sad

 

[speckledhen]

Poor Sammie Jo, so sad

Yes, it is very sad. I'm so bummed right now, I can't even describe it. And poor Deacon, what must he think? She was the first hen of his very own. This heat isn't making it easier. Never saw it so hot even before summer began. The humidity is horrible. I could lose birds just because they are not accustomed to this.


Carly is hatching today. One way ahead of the other two. And a couple pics I took of Old Man Ike and his hens a few days ago. He gets more "gray" tail feathers as he ages and Georgie has lost most of her tail black at going on 7 years old.

 

[seminolewind]

Sorry, Cynthia.

 

[1muttsfan]

Sorry Cindy and Misty Mtn, it is so frustrating sometimes when you loose the ones that should be around forever. Thank goodness you kept Lizzie! And Ike looks good for a grizzled old guy.

 

[speckledhen]

Sorry, Cynthia.

Thank you, Karen.

Sorry Cindy and Misty Mtn, it is so frustrating sometimes when you loose the ones that should be around forever. Thank goodness you kept Lizzie! And Ike looks good for a grizzled old guy.

Yes, thank goodness I kept that beautiful Lizzie! She is 14 weeks now, I think, just gorgeous. Very soon, she'll be introduced to the awesomeness that is Atlas. She may not think so for awhile, but she'll be convinced before long.

Yup, my sweet old rooster is not bad for an elderly guy. Love that boy. He's amazing.

 

[1muttsfan]

Just a little addition - I like grizzled lookin guys. You should see my ironworker musician boyfriend - rough around the edges but can he sing! And mows the lawn pretty good too, when he is not on a job.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

I am so sorry to hear about Sammie Jo. How is Deacon handling her absence?

I am with you on the heat situation, the heat index here yesterday was 111!! SERIOUSLY???? I shudder to think what will happen in August.

Have Carly's other two chicks hatched?

Sending you and MistyMountain a

for your losses.

 

[speckledhen]

I am so sorry to hear about Sammie Jo. How is Deacon handling her absence?

I am with you on the heat situation, the heat index here yesterday was 111!! SERIOUSLY???? I shudder to think what will happen in August.

Have Carly's other two chicks hatched?

Sending you and MistyMountain a

for your losses.

Yes, Carly has 3 little munchkins. The last one was becoming exhausted trying to zip out of the egg so, feeling in my gut that I'd lose the chick if I didn't intervene at that point, I popped the top off for it and it was obviously needing 24 hours of rest. It had become so exhausted, being big for the egg it was in, that it had quit trying to get out. Today, it's somewhat better, trying to walk around but a tad wobbly still. Aimee has her three eggs out of Atlas's pen-she's a slightly bigger hen so she can handle that many LF eggs whereas Carly probably would have had trouble. I don't need any D'Anvers and these will all be rehomed when she's sick of them in a few weeks.

I have several eggs in the basement (though even the bsmt is too hot to store my hatching eggs now) from Atlas's pen. I guess I should just chuck them in the fridge. I can't deal with any more work right now, not in this horrible summer heat. I HATE SUMMER! Thankfully, it's about 5-10* cooler at my house than in town, several hundred feet lower in elevation there. DH's back is out in a big way and it's all on me in 90* heat. I don't do well in this type of heat, which is why I live in the mountains and this is unusually hot and humid and for a longer time than my birds or I am used to. I had to put my ankle brace on. And DH went yesterday and got layer feed. They were out of the brand I get in the 22% so he took the "other" brand. I go to get it out of the SUV this morning and it has a damp spot on the side that looks like it's growing mold. So, I have to wait until Friday to be sure they got in a new shipment and take it back and raise Cain about that. I will not even open that stupid bag. That brand has given me grief in the past and I won't buy it again. Tucker Milling hasn't been a problem, but this one, well... But these guys that work for April at the co-op are a bit dull-witted, if you ask my opinion, or just don't know or care, what moldy feed will do to a chicken.

I'm sick of nothing going right. Was going to try to put at least part of our back perimeter fence up again today, the part that Mark got scraped/cleared at one end, but not with DH in screaming pain today. Sigh.