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

[speckledhen]

Cub those birds look AMAZING! I haven't got to post much lately but have read every single one of your posts on this thread!!

Oops, typo! LOL. I was just thinking about you this morning, Isaiah, you must have heard me. Was going to tag you to check in, you and @oldhenlikesdogs who, I believe was following my barn build thread. Glad you're still with me!

 

[speckledhen]

Apollo was mating Athena, who was struggling and yelling as usual (shes submits to Atlas, but not Apollo). Hector put his head down and ran full bore across the pen and slammed into Apollo, knocking him off Athena. What do you think Apollo did?

The Little Tyrant

 

[Wyatt0224]

I remember when I first read this thread when Atlas was growing up you talked about being able to tell if a rooster was mean or not by his eyes. Have you seen that with Hector or Apollo? Or any of Atlas's children?

 

[speckledhen]

I remember when I first read this thread when Atlas was growing up you talked about being able to tell if a rooster was mean or not by his eyes. Have you seen that with Hector or Apollo? Or any of Atlas's children?

I'm not sure Hector is old enough yet for "the look" I was talking about, but so far, I don't see any indication of the hardness I've seen in other males who've turned on me. I'll let you know when his hormones kick in.

Apollo is very easygoing, though it's hard to see that through the skittish "don't touch me, omg, you're going to touch me!" stuff he's learned from his experiences in Atlas's group. He's very sweet, just doesn't want to be touched, but when I do stroke him on the roost, he just lowers his head and closes his eyes and endures it until I quit. He has a very soft eye, a good boy.

None of Atlas's sons has turned on me, not one, no "hard eyes" in that entire lot. His older daughters have had different experiences, being raised by broodies, so Lizzie doesn't like being touched but she doesn't bite unless I reach for her when she's on the nest. Tessa is, well, Tessa. I can pick her up more now, trying to get her used to being handled again, but her personality has changed since the three kids moved into her group. Now, Apollo and the two pullets sleep elsewhere, but they free range with Atlas and the older hens. Again, Apollo is chased and harassed by Tessa and Dru, if he gets too close to her. Overall, Atlas's progeny is very sweet. Athena and Zara are super sweet girls.

 

[h2oratt]

Hi,just found your thread. I am going to start at the beginning. I am very interested in your breeding project. Just learning about breeding chickens. I have been breeding dogs for 20 years but I can see it is very different. Haven't even settled on the breed of chicken I like. I have a small flock of various hatchery chickens.

 

[Wyatt0224]

Hi,just found your thread. I am going to start at the beginning. I am very interested in your breeding project. Just learning about breeding chickens. I have been breeding dogs for 20 years but I can see it is very different. Haven't even settled on the breed of chicken I like. I have a small flock of various hatchery chickens.

You will certainly learn a lot in this thread. Cynthia knows what she is talking about and I think has been very successful.

 

[speckledhen]

Hi,just found your thread. I am going to start at the beginning. I am very interested in your breeding project. Just learning about breeding chickens. I have been breeding dogs for 20 years but I can see it is very different. Haven't even settled on the breed of chicken I like. I have a small flock of various hatchery chickens.

Welcome! Hope you have fun and learn a lot. We get a little chatty, it's not all business.

You will certainly learn a lot in this thread. Cynthia knows what she is talking about and I think has been very successful.

You are so sweet. I just know about what I have to know about and some of what I have learned is from experiences I'd rather not have had, LOL.

 

[h2oratt]

Still catching up. I am on page7. I have a Orpington cockerel. He is good with people but very hard on on the hens. I really don't want to lock him up but it looks like that is the direction I am going. I did hatch out some other orps from the same breeder. Do yo think I should give him more time to calm down. The hens that won't tell him no are being injured. My younger orps are around 2 months. A couple look pretty nice. I need a very low maintance flock. What do you suggest?

 

[getaclue]

Apollo was mating Athena, who was struggling and yelling as usual (shes submits to Atlas, but not Apollo). Hector put his head down and ran full bore across the pen and slammed into Apollo, knocking him off Athena. What do you think Apollo did?

The Little Tyrant

I think Apollo left Athena alone...possibly ducking out of Hector's way....and will continue to leave her alone from now on. Just my guess.

 

[speckledhen]

Still catching up. I am on page7. I have a Orpington cockerel. He is good with people but very hard on on the hens. I really don't want to lock him up but it looks like that is the direction I am going. I did hatch out some other orps from the same breeder. Do yo think I should give him more time to calm down. The hens that won't tell him no are being injured. My younger orps are around 2 months. A couple look pretty nice. I need a very low maintance flock. What do you suggest?

Are the girls big enough for him? Usually, the Orps males' sheer size makes them ungainly, which can lead to injuries with the girls, especially when they are very young and hormonal. My big old Suede ripped open the sides of two different hens with his toenails gripping them for balance. He was about 14 lbs. He never hurt their legs, though, which can happen when a male of that size jumps a hen who is not in position yet. I made saddles with special flank flaps for the hurt girls and never had that happen again. It's up to you if you take him out, but any young male can be hard on the girls so you may get that problem all over again.

I think Apollo left Athena alone...possibly ducking out of Hector's way....and will continue to leave her alone from now on. Just my guess.

Apollo has always tried to mate Athena, but she'd flare up and chase him off. I guess he got her before she could react. Hector sure didn't like it. But, though he runs with several adult groups outside, poor Apollo really has only Athena and Zara, who also rebuffs his advances most all the time. I guess they are more impressed with big studly Atlas than still wimpy Apollo. I feel sorry for him, poor boy. He's very sweet and needs girls. I was hoping he'd turn the tables on Tessa, but I don't see that coming anytime soon. He was making the moves on Dru yesterday, but that was not a good thing to do. She is very tough and was all over him. She won't even willingly allow Atlas to mate her.

I thought later in the day that Hector had injured Apollo. I looked out the window and saw Apollo sitting on the ground by the fence at the top of the rock wall with Hector a few feet away, standing tall and flapping his wings. I ran out there and sure enough, Apollo was crouched down like he had been beat up a little bit. He stood when I got between them and walked off, but Hector is the top dog, without a doubt. Amazing, considering this week, Hector is 15 weeks old and Apollo is 24 weeks old.