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

[speckledhen]

AKA a "messy" pea comb

Sound like a good hatching plan. I love my Spot Check.

It's the regular Andalusian blue, so you get the blue-black-splash colors. Although BlackxBlue will yield all black (50%) and blue (50%)

What I thought, thanks for confirming that, and I hope I get at least some blue partridge! It's one of those color varieties, the partridges, where the males and females are patterned completely different. I rather like that. And I've never had Brahmas from a breeder, only the hatchery gals, so I expect they'll be the proper size, too.


ETA: there is a whipporwill tuning up just across the power line easement behind our house, very loud. I hope Finn or some other predator doesn't kill it, it being mostly a ground bird. I never heard those until last year around here. Love it. I just lie in bed and listen when it wakes me up in the middle of the night.

 

[1muttsfan]

I love to hear them but they are LOUD - whip-Poor-WILL!!

 

[speckledhen]

I love to hear them but they are LOUD - whip-Poor-WILL!!

They say there are actually two different birds who make similar sounds. The other is the chuck wills-widow. But I can't really tell much difference in appearance or sound. I listened to the calls online of both and unless I have both in my woods, I'm not sure which one I have, but they're both considered nightjars.

 

[speckledhen]

My mail carrier, Mike, called us first thing this morning to tell us that he had a package of hatching eggs for us. I dread the day he retires! He's had me on speed dial about ten years now. Such a good guy, takes pride in his work.


Druscilla has been hurt some way. She was limping this morning and I noticed a swelling on the outside of her foot just above the outer toe and I think I see some bruising. Definitely not bumblefoot. Not sure if she pulled something badly or broke a bone in there, but she's in the wall cage now to limit her movements. I did notice her laying down outside yesterday at the end of the rock wall. I've been afraid they'd be hurt on that and maybe she did and maybe she didn't. Atlas is not gentle with her and she tries her best to avoid him so it could be she was injured during one of those sessions. I'll give her some penicillin later to offset any soft tissue infection, hopefully. I hate leg injuries because they can turn into raging infections inside the body where you cannot see what's happening until it's too late.


On another front, the Brahma eggs arrived a bit ago, unpacked, checked for cracks. All arrived in good order, no floating air cells that I could see, PERFECT! There are 11 darks and 10 from his partridge/blue partridge pen. So, maybe in addition to a small group of Brahmas to keep separately (maybe), I can give Mr. Wonderful (Atlas) a couple of Brahma hens for some variety in his life as well as some new, gorgeous barred gals.

 

[speckledhen]

Wynette is back in lay and back with Atlas now. Got her first back-to-work egg just a few minutes ago. She did a great job as a broody mama, keeping them until they were almost 10 weeks old. She officially has abandoned the youngsters, much to their dismay, but if they guy coming Saturday does take the two males, I will move my #2 yet-to-be-named male (thinking maybe Apollo) and Athena into Atlas's pen to free up the #6 pen for Ida and her pair to leave the bantam coop.

That will open up the former little bantam coop as a grow-out coop for the bator-hatched chicks for awhile, until they are older and larger. Then, when those have outgrown the little 3.5 x 7.5 coop, I'll move the young BR and Brahma crowd into the slightly larger #6 pen in the barn to let them grow and begin sorting out my keepers. Of course, I have no idea how many chicks that will actually be. Currently, there are 14 BRs and 21 Brahmas, but being all shipped eggs, could end up with five chicks total, you just never know, but I predict that out of 35 currently incubating, I may end up with 15-18 chicks. So, we shall see if I'm right! I have 14 BRs still alive and kicking in there-I re-candled just this afternoon. None removed since the one that did not develop, all seem okay, even the ones with huge, scalloped air cells.

Was all that clear as mud? LOL Musical chickens! We all play that, don't we?



ETA: Dru's foot seems to be a tiny bit better. The swelling seems to have gone down ever-so-slightly and she is walking a little better when I put her on the ground, but I think she needs at least another day away from Atlas's attentions before I even consider putting her back.



Ida's pair today at 8 weeks old.










ETA: WOW, how time flies! I move the BRs into the hatcher either Saturday night or Sunday morning! I have no idea about the ones with the huge, scalloped air cells, if something will go wrong with those, but they were ALL moving when I candled on Day 14! All appeared normal. I expect from those 14 to at least get 7-9 chicks. Would be nice to get even more, but just like in football, never count any team out nor count on winning until the last second has counted down.

 

[speckledhen]

Hey, where are all my thread buddies? I'm almost ready to move the Barred Rocks to the hatcher, can you believe it? Since the Brahmas are about two weeks behind the BRs, they can be brooded together, which makes me very happy! I think that the entire batch of chicks will grow out in pen #6 (5x8) until I start picking the keepers and then others will have a chance to get some fine quality birds from the ones I don't keep. I plan to keep one BR male and maybe one Brahma male and the rest pullets, but if I get a big Brahma hatch, maybe two males. All those details will be hashed out later.

 

[Pyxis]

Hey, where are all my thread buddies? I'm almost ready to move the Barred Rocks to the hatcher, can you believe it? Since the Brahmas are about two weeks behind the BRs, they can be brooded together, which makes me very happy! I think that the entire batch of chicks will grow out in pen #6 (5x8) until I start picking the keepers and then others will have a chance to get some fine quality birds from the ones I don't keep. I plan to keep one BR male and maybe one Brahma male and the rest pullets, but if I get a big Brahma hatch, maybe two males. All those details will be hashed out later.

I'm a thread lurker, does that count? I can't wait to see what you get from the brahma eggs. They're one of my favorite breeds. The first two chickens I got on purpose were light brahmas.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm a thread lurker, does that count?

I can't wait to see what you get from the brahma eggs. They're one of my favorite breeds. The first two chickens I got on purpose were light brahmas.

Haha, of course, it counts! Glad when you post, too, though. Is that your own Ayam Ceymani in your avatar?

I'm excited, for sure, about both hatches. The Brahmas are just good birds. They are friendly, but not constant trip hazards like my Delawares were (and Georgie still is, that bad old gal). They seem to do very well in cold or hot weather, no issues with either. My Miranda and Caroline were just the salt of the earth. Caroline is still kicking, but Miranda's been gone 4 years now. Miranda was a Lt. Brahma, though hatchery stock. I think I may be amazed at the size of these Brahmas over my hatchery hens. What do you think?

Miranda, sweet girl:

 

[Pyxis]

Haha, of course, it counts! Glad when you post, too, though. I'm excited, for sure, about both hatches. The Brahmas are just good birds. They are friendly, but not constant trip hazards like my Delawares were (and Georgie still is, that bad old gal). They seem to do very well in cold or hot weather, no issues with either. My Miranda and Caroline were just the salt of the earth. Caroline is still kicking, but Miranda's been gone 4 years now. Miranda was a Lt. Brahma, though hatchery stock. I think I may be amazed at the size of these Brahmas over my hatchery hens. What do you think? Miranda, sweet girl:

She's beautiful! Light brahmas have to be up there as of one my favorite colors on brahmas. I bet you will be pretty shocked by their size over hatchery stock. I know I was shocked at just how large cochins really are when they're not from a hatchery! The size difference can really be incredible. I'm spoiled now - I can't go back to hatchery birds. I have to hatch all my birds from eggs from other breeders.

 

[MistyMountain]

Hey, where are all my thread buddies? I'm almost ready to move the Barred Rocks to the hatcher, can you believe it? Since the Brahmas are about two weeks behind the BRs, they can be brooded together, which makes me very happy! I think that the entire batch of chicks will grow out in pen #6 (5x8) until I start picking the keepers and then others will have a chance to get some fine quality birds from the ones I don't keep. I plan to keep one BR male and maybe one Brahma male and the rest pullets, but if I get a big Brahma hatch, maybe two males. All those details will be hashed out later.

NO WAY!!! Oh, I can not wait! I have some major chick fever right now. I decided to order some chicks from Sandhill and my first ship date came and went. Next ship date is the 24th, so fingers crossed. Then again, I don't know what I am going to do with all those chickens!! My LF blue cochin is working on going broody, having slept in the nest box flat as a pancake the past 3 nights. This morning was the first time she puffed out and started picking fights with the other hens if they came near her in the run. Ya think 25 chicks will fit under her big fluffy bottom? Sure would make my job easier!!