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

[Wyatt0224]

Quilt looks very nice! I hope Xander is feeling better being surrounded by his big girls.

 

[speckledhen]

Quilt looks very nice! I hope Xander is feeling better being surrounded by his big girls.

Thanks. Xander is very weak. The girls are keeping vigil, sitting all around him, even the ones that were not his originally. I've watched Georgie clean off his beak like she used to do for Isaac and Deacon. At least he can take comfort in being surrounded by his adoring hens.

 

[1muttsfan]

The decline of a benign Tzar, surrounded by his adoring harem

 

[speckledhen]

The decline of a benign Tzar, surrounded by his adoring harem

It reminds me of how Caroline's court surrounded her at her last moments. Chickens have such dignity. People just have no idea.

 

[holm25]

Poor Xander boy... It's good the hens are being good to him and not leaving him all by himself.

 

[speckledhen]

Poor Xander boy... It's good the hens are being good to him and not leaving him all by himself.

They're quite fond of the little man.


ETA: Hector behavior update:
Hector's a goof, jumps up at the latch and body slams the pen door when I go to open it because he wants out so bad and is so full of energy. I make him back off from the door, don't reward him for that behavior. DH did one better. He went in, directing him to "get away, let the girls out first, back off!". He made Hector stay until Jill, Thea and Rowena were all out the door. That Hector has been penned more than he's used to due to winter weather and he's ready to get OUT!

 

[speckledhen]

Again, re: fermented feed fad, none of the proponents can tell me how they know the fermentation process STOPS when they ingest it? If it doesn't, you can create a situation that is dangerous. It enters a warm, moist pocket so it should continue fermenting inside the crop. If a bird has a crop that is at all sluggish, you are making it worse by feeding fermented feed. That is what my concern is. Plus, the necropsy that said the feed caused the environment that killed Shawna's birds, proof positive that it isn't all sunshine and rainbows. I think it is a very dangerous practice. And once you have a problem, it may be impossible to fix. Certain breeds seem to be more prone to crop issues, in my experience, well, you see where I'm going, though usually hens have more crop issues than roosters, being bigger eaters.

 

[getaclue]

Sorry to hear that Xander is declining. Yes, chickens do have some dignity on quite a few things.

I agree with you speckledhen. I never hopped on the fermented feed bandwagon. I do know that sprouted grains offer more nutrition, so I have actually taken planters and grown a mixture of seeds, and non gmo grains for both my cats, and chickens. I would not make it the mainstay of my feeding program for my chickens, but they do seem to love all the different little sprouts. At least once a month, I give them some grit too. It does seems to help deter crop issues, especially in the older chickens, when they are eating things other than commercial feed.

Tomorrow, Dh is going to start building my roosts. I still have to go get the hardware for the door closures, and put them in. I went before to get them, but they were out of the ones I wanted in the size I wanted. I should be able to have my chickens here by the end of this week. It's like a dream come true.

 

[speckledhen]

Sorry to hear that Xander is declining. Yes, chickens do have some dignity on quite a few things.

I agree with you speckledhen. I never hopped on the fermented feed bandwagon. I do know that sprouted grains offer more nutrition, so I have actually taken planters and grown a mixture of seeds, and non gmo grains for both my cats, and chickens. I would not make it the mainstay of my feeding program for my chickens, but they do seem to love all the different little sprouts. At least once a month, I give them some grit too. It does seems to help deter crop issues, especially in the older chickens, when they are eating things other than commercial feed.

Tomorrow, Dh is going to start building my roosts. I still have to go get the hardware for the door closures, and put them in. I went before to get them, but they were out of the ones I wanted in the size I wanted. I should be able to have my chickens here by the end of this week. It's like a dream come true.

Sprouted grains are not the same thing as fermented feed. Those are just fresh, young plants and I have no issue with that. What I take issue with are the folks who put crumble/pellets in a bucket, fill it with water and let it sit and well, begin to sour. It's as nuts as making yeast bread dough and giving it to them. Wanna blow up a chicken? That might be a fast way to do it. Mine have grit all the time since we live on a mountain. There is also grit in the 12 and 13-grain scratch mixes because they are meant to be fed to game cocks as the sole ration.

I'm excited for you! It seems just yesterday we put ours in their new barn.

ETA: Dusty's crop is not bloaty, but there is a mass in it that is not right. That may be why it malfunctioned in the first place. It's a flattish mass, very hard, about the size of a half-dollar coin, very odd. Ida has what I believe to be crop tumors. So many things can go wrong with a crop, especially in their old age. But, I have only had one other rooster, ever, with a crop malfunction, and that was the porcelain D'Anver male, Angus, who was Aubrey's brother.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sorry to hear that Xander is declining.  Yes, chickens do have some dignity on quite a few things.

I agree with you speckledhen.  I never hopped on the fermented feed bandwagon.  I do know that sprouted grains offer more nutrition, so I have actually taken planters and grown a mixture of seeds, and non gmo grains for both my cats, and chickens.  I would not make it the mainstay of my feeding program for my chickens, but they do seem to love all the different little sprouts.  At least once a month, I give them some grit too.  It does seems to help deter crop issues, especially in the older chickens, when they are eating things other than commercial feed. 

Tomorrow, Dh is going to start building my roosts.  I still have to go get the hardware for the door closures, and put them in.  I went before to get them, but they were out of the ones I wanted in the size I wanted.  I should be able to have my chickens here by the end of this week.  It's like a dream come true.

What kind you getting? Sorry if you mentioned it already.