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

[Wyatt0224]

Darn it, Hector. I was really counting on him. Hopefully this is his last reminder.

 

[speckledhen]

Darn it, Hector. I was really counting on him. Hopefully this is his last reminder.

Yeah, I was beginning to relax around him, having such a long period of exemplary behavior toward us. Still, with all the drama surrounding his early-on adult-like behaviors, he never has flogged either one of us, which works in his favor a bit. If he does that, he will leave here, on his feet, or feet in the air, because I have never experienced a flogging rooster ever stop that behavior.

 

[GingersHuman]

It's hard to introduce a new male cold like that. Even hens are hard, but males are almost impossible.

I have him in a smaller pen inside the large run during the day. The 1st day the big cockerel was very curious, 2nd day was jumping at the sides of the pen, 3rd day and on he ignored the new cockerel completely. I started letting the new cockerel out after a few days, but only while supervised, or if I have the big cockerel penned up instead.

 

[Wyatt0224]

None of my roosters have attempted to flog me yet. They better hope luck is on their side if they do that to me. It seems like Isaac and Atlas are the perfect blue print for a rooster.

 

[speckledhen]

I have him in a smaller pen inside the large run during the day. The 1st day the big cockerel was very curious, 2nd day was jumping at the sides of the pen, 3rd day and on he ignored the new cockerel completely. I started letting the new cockerel out after a few days, but only while supervised, or if I have the big cockerel penned up instead.

I've never been able to even "sneak" a cockerel in on an adult male. Tried it with Isaac and his sons, Rex and Deacon. Well, first with Indy and Rex. Indy was toast and that's why I was left with a single-factor barred male (Rex) to breed from. Rex and Isaac had a tenuous relationship but were okay until Isaac had to be removed due to frostbite on his feet until they healed. After that, Rex challenged Isaac and Isaac, with his diminished lung capacity from a fungal infection on a previous summer, would have just run out of air before that fight ended. So, that ended that. Then, Deacon was okay for a time, until Isaac did a sneak attack in the coop one day and hurt him somehow in his spine/neck area. And if you've read this entire thread you know how Atlas treated Apollo once he was looking like an adult. Sigh. I want a rooster "team". So far, the Brahma boys are okay with each other, but Bash bows to Bruno right now and as long as that is the case, it may work out.

None of my roosters have attempted to flog me yet. They better hope luck is on their side if they do that to me. It seems like Isaac and Atlas are the perfect blue print for a rooster.

Isaac, Rex and Atlas were all wonderful. Deacon was as well. The temperament from the Delaware "force" is strong in this line.


Short videos uploaded today:

 

[Wyatt0224]

Did you already move Zara into another group as a layer? All of them look really, really nice.

 

[speckledhen]

Did you already move Zara into another group as a layer? All of them look really, really nice.

You mean Thea-she is who I was going to separate out as a layer, but since none of those are laying yet, she's still with Hector. Zara is with Apollo, just was on the floor when I shot that short, impromptu video of Apollo. She hasn't laid one single egg so I'm not sure what she's going to be, lol. She's gorgeous so I hope she lays! She has stunning barring. Now, early on, she was smaller than Athena, but she caught up nicely and I will use her in the breeding pen, just not sure who with yet.....


if she ever lays, darn it, Zara...

 

[1muttsfan]

They looked like you were telling bedtime stories. And don't they just all know their names!

 

[speckledhen]

They looked like you were telling bedtime stories. And don't they just all know their names!

Oh, yeah, they sure do know their names. You saw Hector look at me when I said his name. When I went into his pen, at first, he looked apprehensive, as if he was wondering if I was going to pop him in the head like I did this morning, LOL. I did go up and scratch his chest to show he was forgiven (until next time, if he didn't get the message this morning).

 

[speckledhen]

You know, I am still not 100% sold on Hector. His tail is really awful. I don't see it getting better. Apollo's, on the other hand, is gorgeous. And the temperament is much more desirable on Apollo than Hector. Hector's width and barring and comb are very good, even with his 6th comb point and the blade not hugging the head as well as I like to see. I have never fully trusted Hector and I still don't, though I was beginning to relax around him more lately. I'm wondering now if Apollo with Mary and Jill would be a better combination, plus, of course, leaving Zara and Athena in with him as well. The barring on Apollo and Hector are comparable, Apollo being a noticeable improvement over his sire.

One thing I noticed about Apollo and the Brahma cockerels as opposed to Hector. When one of the males grabs a hen and she is yelling and struggling, Hector glances over and seems reluctant to leave whatever he's involved with, digging or dustbathing, etc. Apollo and Bruno and even Bash, immediately jump up and begin to run to the rescue. Bruno has taken a run at even Xander and Apollo when they had a hen down for mating. That rather surprised me since Bruno is still in a way rather babyish. Also, it surprised me about Hector. Now, Hector may just feel that since it is not a predator, it's not important to get into a brawl immediately, but who knows? He did come running into the barn today when one of Rita's group was yelling about being assaulted by Apollo, but he didn't follow through with it.