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

[speckledhen]

I'm sorry you lost Dottie. The way things seem to have been going lately, you need to get in on the Spring HAL to keep things going. Post lots of incubator, and fuzzy butt pics.

I'd rather have my barn set up and all the birds moved so I had a better place to brood them. I don't like having to "make do" and hatch with no plan for brooding, as much as I need new layers. I do need them, though.

Oh My Gypsy. How is that sweet girl. I bet you have snow this morning. I talked to a friend in Franklin and they have what I call potato chip snow. You know when a lot of flakes stick together and sort of float like a heavy potato chip to the ground. So pretty but very wet.
I finally got most of my Dr. trips settled with a bit of results. I am looking forward to tractor supply chick days. I need about 4 to 6 layers to start. Like you my hens are aging out. Chicks are always fun. If I were sure of where I could be all year I would want another dozen or so. sigh!!! moving back and forth is not what it is cracked up to be. I want a real home in the mtns. sooooooo very bad. Love ya

Oh, GJ, Gypsy seems good, I love that hen with a passion! She is my absolute favorite of all the ones here. She has a touch of arthritis in her joints, you can tell when she's been sitting and gets up to walk and limps for a few seconds. She gets stiff like us old folks, but she seems healthy. She was recently laying, gave me about a half dozen eggs and quit again. I'd say that's pretty great for a gal who passed her 8th hatch-day months ago. My most recent picture of Gypsy, taken about ten days ago:



I have to post this picture of Caroline, my only hatchery hen now and weirdly enough, in spite of losing most every hatchery hen to reproductive malfunctions, she is also the oldest hen here, just turned 9 years old last month. I may have posted these here before but don't recall.

 

[crazyhen]

She is pretty and gypsy is still a doll. Classy girls. I think I will call tc and find out when their chick days are here in Shallotte. They are only 1 mile from my home here. too close, Ha !!! Ha!! very tempting.

 

[lularat]

Just caught up on the posts.....so sorry to hear about Dottie.

I'm glad she passed peacefully.

 

[speckledhen]

Thought you might enjoy this slideshow. Wish I could find music to fit the mood and the video length, but the choices are just weird.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Oh my goodness, I am so sad to read that Dottie passed away last week. Please know that I am deeply sorry for your loss. How is Druscilla doing in the wake of Dottie's passing?

On a happier note, I enjoyed watching your video and I have to tell you that is most beautiful cinnamon bread I have ever seen. Lord have mercy you are quite the baker!

 

[speckledhen]

Oh my goodness, I am so sad to read that Dottie passed away last week. Please know that I am deeply sorry for your loss. How is Druscilla doing in the wake of Dottie's passing?

On a happier note, I enjoyed watching your video and I have to tell you that is most beautiful cinnamon bread I have ever seen. Lord have mercy you are quite the baker!

Dru seems okay as far as I can tell. I heard some broody-sounding noises from Dottie's sister, Wynette, today, but the first time, she literally slaughtered the chick when the first one hatched and I had to take the rest of the eggs and let Dottie, who was also broody at the time, hatch the rest of the. Not sure I can trust Wynette, though what she did happens sometimes with first-timers.

Thanks on the cinnamon bread. It sure did taste great, which is why I have not made it since, LOL. I could eat the entire loaf by myself in one sitting.

 

[getaclue]

GREAT video. I really enjoyed watching it. Thanks.

 

[holm25]

Great video!! I loved it!

 

[speckledhen]

GREAT video. I really enjoyed watching it. Thanks.

Great video!! I loved it!

Glad you liked it. So hard to pic the slides for it, but I got all the roosters who've come and gone from Hawkeye and of course, Atlas.

Was just gathering eggs in Atlas's coop and one BR hen, which at first I thought was Wynette, was sitting on eggs and clucking under her breath. Wynette has been threatening to go broody for a few days and she has been broody once in her life, but nope. This was IDA. Oh, my. The shell quality better be great with that big gal stepping on them in a nest! Almost 5 years old and maybe broody for the first time. I guess it can happen. Rita, my mixed breed hen, went broody for the first time at well over 4 years old and raised Rex, Atlas's sire, hasn't been broody since then.

 

[MistyMountain]

Ohh I am so ready for some broody hens!! I had 3 last summer, all three just one year old. Not yet… gotta have the new coop done...

We're on our 3rd day with no school due to weather. We got about 11 inches of snow, then it rained and freezing rained and iced all over the place. A branch fell out of the tree and busted the back glass of the car yesterday. Limbs down all over the place, including all over the edge of the run. That old white pine had a rough couple of days. It looks like someone sheared the entire side up about 30 feet.

for a broody for you!