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

[speckledhen]

Okay, so here are Wynette's four chicks, 4 weeks old now. Check out the size diff between one of the males and the other two (still not 100% sure one is male, but for now, will assume that since they all feathered similarly)

I'm not sure how Athena's barring is going to be. The pullets may start out less distinctly barred, but this is a little on the "blurry" side for my taste. No matter, she's staying anyway.

I am looking at the largest male already, though there are two that are very close in size.




See the smallest "male" on the far left? Maybe it's Tessa's since her eggs were the smallest. Not sure.



Athena thought Dusty's feather might be good. Thankfully, she put it down.

Three males here. Not much difference in barring between them. All have some dark on leg fronts.



The male near Wynette, see how wide he is? He's the one I'm pegging off the bat as the keeper, but time will tell.

Same boy here as the big one above.

 

[1muttsfan]

Hercules

 

[holm25]

Beautiful!! I love how big they r already!

 

[speckledhen]

They are hoodlums for sure. I'll have plenty of males to choose from. The narrower bodied one is already out as a keeper, though his barring is really super nice. That leaves the larger two males plus the one with Ida. I'm sure one of these bigger boys belongs to Ida as well.

 

[crazyhen]

Beautiful little chicks. Can I use your knowledge? I have new chicks all are growing running , eating jumping hulligans but two are much larger and breath so heavy that They appear to have run for a mile. This has been going on since I got them. They are from a different batch. I can not see any deformaties. What can cause this. Their breathing seems deep and clean.???????/ Thanks

 

[speckledhen]

Beautiful little chicks. Can I use your knowledge? I have new chicks all are growing running , eating jumping hulligans but two are much larger and breath so heavy that They appear to have run for a mile. This has been going on since I got them. They are from a different batch. I can not see any deformaties. What can cause this. Their breathing seems deep and clean.???????/ Thanks

Gosh, I dont know, unless their hearts are not as large as the other chicks, not as strong. I have never noticed anything like that in chicks here before, but that's about all I can think of.

 

[speckledhen]

Okay, it's official. I have, of the six chicks with Wynette and Ida, four cockerels and two pullets. The younger pullet will be better barred than Athena. I may sell Athena with a male or keep her since I do need new layers anyway. Cockerel #3, feathered even slower than the rest, therefore, has super sharp barring, but he is the smaller of the the three older ones. Since body type is paramount, I may end up keeping the largest male, not really that much difference in the barring but this #3 is just a tad more precise.


















And the two week old pair with Ida, who are truly her own chicks. Both appear they will have wonderful coloring.

 

[holm25]

Okay, it's official. I have, of the six chicks with Wynette and Ida, four cockerels and two pullets. The younger pullet will be better barred than Athena. I may sell Athena with a male or keep her since I do need new layers anyway. Cockerel #3, feathered even slower than the rest, therefore, has super sharp barring, but he is the smaller of the the three older ones. Since body type is paramount, I may end up keeping the largest male, not really that much difference in the barring but this #3 is just a tad more precise. And the two week old pair with Ida, who are truly her own chicks. Both appear they will have wonderful coloring.

They look amazing! I love have big those cockerels are!

 

[speckledhen]

They look amazing! I love have big those cockerels are!

Me, too. Can't wait to see how the two week old male measures up to his big brothers. I have to pick one and sell the others. I think the smaller bodied male, the #3, will have to be sold, His coloring is spectacular, but I need to keep the size here. One of the big males has a slightly longer back than the other, it seems to me, and that is a trait I need in there to offset Atlas's slightly too short one.

 

[1muttsfan]

I also prefer type over almost anything (within reason). A noticeably smaller cockerel would not impress me as a breeder, no matter how beautiful he is. Cockerel #4 looks like he is getting some really nice barring too.