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

[speckledhen]

I have zero aggression in my roosters and find it odd that so many people do have troubles. I've kept all kinds of different breeds and all leave me alone. I also don't handle mine much nor do I hand feed them. They are are curious and approach me, but also they move out of my way. I currently have 5 large breed roosters and 10 bantams.

I've seen many emotions in chickens. The worse is when they lose a close friend and go into depression from it. It is so sad. My 9 year old EExRIR lost her friend last year and spent more than half a year being sad and by herself. She still stays to herself mostly. They really do bond to each other and form lasting friendships.

That is very true. Gypsy seems very sad right now, spends a lot of time sitting in a nest. She's 9, too, and her best gal pal was almost a year older. Becca went to that Great Roost in the Sky a week after their head hen and I think Gypsy is just grieving over both of them. No one will sit with her now.

I have zero aggression in my Delaware x Stukel BR line males. It doesn't matter if I hand feed them or handle them or don't handle them, they're all easygoing towards us. I'm becoming familiar with the temperaments of the other BR line and the Brahma line. I'm giving the Brahmas time for their girls to start allowing mating and their hormones to level out before I declare they are aggressive or not. They are very hormonal right now, Bruno more so than Bash. Neither of those, nor Hector, have flogged us, so that's a huge plus. I think Hector will be fine.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Nothing worse than teenage boys of any species. Always so full of themselves. It's always nice to get past that phase. The bigger breeds seem to need about 2 years to finally settle. I'm always happy when one is good right out of the egg and they are good roosters from the start.

 

[speckledhen]

Nothing worse than teenage boys of any species. Always so full of themselves. It's always nice to get past that phase. The bigger breeds seem to need about 2 years to finally settle. I'm always happy when one is good right out of the egg and they are good roosters from the start.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[islandgirl82]

Nothing worse than teenage boys of any species. Always so full of themselves. It's always nice to get past that phase. The bigger breeds seem to need about 2 years to finally settle. I'm always happy when one is good right out of the egg and they are good roosters from the start.

My current boy is one of those good guys from the start. I didn't get him until he was 5 months and he hadn't yet reached the age of interest in the girls. There was one day around 7 months that he was a little aloof, charged a piece of firewood but lost interest when it didn't respond and was more interested in the girls but after that one day he was right back to his mellow self, wanting his daily neck rubs and to be held. He's nearing a year now and his demeanor really hasn't changed.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would have enjoyed watching him get into it with the piece of wood. That must have been hilarious.

 

[islandgirl82]

Oh, it was. He charged straight for it with hackles raised and when it didn't respond he picked it over for bugs. It was a knotty piece of wood and I suppose with a little stretch of the imagination, it had a similar shape to a rooster with a big tail so naturally, it really needed to be challenged.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Oh, it was.  He charged straight for it with hackles raised and when it didn't respond he picked it over for bugs.  It was a knotty piece of wood and I suppose with a little stretch of the imagination,  it had a similar shape to a rooster with a big tail so naturally, it really needed to be challenged. 

Thanks for that image, I will giggle for a while about it. Silly rooster.

 

[getaclue]

The coop is starting to shape up. The taller posts will all be cut down to size, and at the proper angle when we go to put the roof on it.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The coop is starting to shape up. The taller posts will all be cut down to size, and at the proper angle when we go to put the roof on it.

How big? Looks nice.

 

[speckledhen]

Wow, Cheryl, looks big! Will it be sort of open, seeing as how you live in Florida?