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

[Peanutsmomma]

Has Atlas recovered from his fracas with Deacon?

 

[speckledhen]

Has Atlas recovered from his fracas with Deacon?

oh, yeah, they're both fine. I'm more worried about Deacon's mental state because he's losing Rachel very soon. No idea why, but I think it's something to do with her hormones. She has never been quite right after she was attacked after raising her chicks and we tried to integrate her back into the main flock. She tried to go broody twice, I broke her, but she never gained her weight back, I think only laid a couple eggs and she's been going downhill ever since. Deacon will be left with one 5 yr old hen and I have no others to give him that don't also have expiration dates.

I just gave Rowena and Wendy to little Xander because he lost all his old hens except Dusty and I can't take those from him because Dusty is 7 years old herself. Gloria Jean could go in there because Atlas doesn't need a splash Rock, but she has some reproductive issue and I think I'll be losing her soon. Her belly is still bloated. Isaac has two blue Rocks that are the same age as Rita that he doesn't even care for much, but his other two are as old and older than he is and if they kick off before Ike does, he'll be left with nothing, too. I just have no other hens for Deacon unless I hatch more. Poor Deacon, always odd man out.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

I am glad that Deacon and Atlas are both okay physically. My heart goes out to you in trying to figure out how best to allocate your hens to your roosters. Rachel will always be special since she raised Atlas' first babies.

I had a horrible fright with one of my 7 week olds yesterday. Cookie (she is a black Orpington) jumped out of the brooder and unbeknowst to me was under my feet and I stepped on her! I swear to Pete I thought I killed her after hearing the blood curdling scream she let out. I was just sick but after examining her it seemed like the injury was only in her left foot. I gave her some Metacam and put her in a cage by the brooder and by last night she was putting a little weight on it. This morning she is doing even better and I am so relieved!

I had to go to a funeral yesterday for my husband's uncle and because of the drama with my little Cookie I was about 30 minutes late. You would not believe the shade I got for being late because of an "injured chicken." It INFURIATES me how people say, "It is just a chicken." GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I asked one of the people who made the just a chicken comment to me, "Would you hit your dog backing out of the driveway and let it lay there and suffer?" PETS ARE PETS people! And our chickens are pets first and foremost. I seriously want to ask the next person who uses that "just a chicken" statement what in the heck is wrong with them?

 

[speckledhen]

I am glad that Deacon and Atlas are both okay physically. My heart goes out to you in trying to figure out how best to allocate your hens to your roosters. Rachel will always be special since she raised Atlas' first babies.

I had a horrible fright with one of my 7 week olds yesterday. Cookie (she is a black Orpington) jumped out of the brooder and unbeknowst to me was under my feet and I stepped on her! I swear to Pete I thought I killed her after hearing the blood curdling scream she let out. I was just sick but after examining her it seemed like the injury was only in her left foot. I gave her some Metacam and put her in a cage by the brooder and by last night she was putting a little weight on it. This morning she is doing even better and I am so relieved!

I had to go to a funeral yesterday for my husband's uncle and because of the drama with my little Cookie I was about 30 minutes late. You would not believe the shade I got for being late because of an "injured chicken." It INFURIATES me how people say, "It is just a chicken." GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I asked one of the people who made the just a chicken comment to me, "Would you hit your dog backing out of the driveway and let it lay there and suffer?" PETS ARE PETS people! And our chickens are pets first and foremost. I seriously want to ask the next person who uses that "just a chicken" statement what in the heck is wrong with them?

This may sound harsh, so please forgive me, but, and this is my slant on it, deceased person vs live injured animal? No matter how much you loved that person, they're gone and only their shell is left. No decent person leaves an injured pet so they can be on time for someone who isn't even really there anymore. To me, living, breathing animals who depend on you take precedence. JMHO. You would never leave a hurt animal, that just isn't you. BTW, I'm sorry about your husband's uncle.

Funny, Tom stepped on Georgie when she was a little gal, maybe 10 weeks old or so, lost his balance standing on a cinder block in what is now Deacon's coop and stepped off. She yelled, I grabbed her and there was blood in her eye. I thought it was coming out of her eye because he'd crushed her. He felt awful, still does talk about how he almost killed poor Georgie, but it was only that her eye scraped the edge of the block and was scratched a mite. Thank God she was okay! That gal adores him to this day.

I almost stomped the little runt D'Anver cockerel a couple weeks ago myself. They were swirling around my feet and I was watching the two broodies, seeing that they didn't fight too much, started to step and for some reason, I guess I felt something, didn't put my foot all the way down and the chick was screeching, turning in circles, holding his left shoulder down. I scooped him up, massaged him, blew my warm breath on his shoulder area for awhile and he wasn't seriously hurt, miraculously. If I'd stepped another inch to the ground, he'd have been dead on the spot. It happens, but I sure felt terrible! He's a feisty little critter, but he's not growing right, never was, one of those short-bodied chicks whose wings outgrow them, but he's made it to 5 weeks old so he's a fighter.


ETA: Atlas and Ida's son @ 3 weeks, 3 days old. Still naked, LOL. Typical slow feathering quality BR.

 

[1muttsfan]

Just love those fuzzy little chick butts.

And I agree about deceased folks and living creatures.

 

[speckledhen]

If you don't hear from me for a few days, going out of town. My 94 year old father, a WWll and Pearl Harbor veteran, passed away yesterday. Not sure when I'll be back on. Take care, friends.

 

[1muttsfan]

Cyn I am so sorry to hear that - hope you find comfort in your memories of him, and in the company of your family,

 

[chickenneighbor]

So sorry to hear of the passing of your father. My prayers are with you in this difficult time.

 

[MistyMountain]

So sorry to hear about your father, Cyn. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

 

[Pyxis]

I usually just lurk in this thread and read about Atlas and your other birds, but I wanted to give you my condolences