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

[speckledhen]

Apollo and Zara are parents! And broody Brahma pullet, Bonnie, has turned from a sweet broody into a vicious viper! Whoa! I have not seen her actually react to the baby yet, but she does raise up to allow movement under her, which is good. Some clamp down and crush the chick, not understanding fully what's happened. I've seen that on multiple occasions or the hen just literally slaughter the new chick, yuck.

 

[Wyatt0224]

Awesome! Have you spotted it yet? Any photos?

 

[speckledhen]

Awesome! Have you spotted it yet? Any photos?

Only when we pulled the shell out. I think it may be awhile before we can get pictures. She's pretty set on us not touching her or those babies right now, oh my goodness! But, my husband said she is probably the youngest ever to hatch chicks here so she doesn't trust us as much as all the older broodies in the past.

 

[GingersHuman]

Good luck with the new babies!

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks, Jess.

Okay, has everyone lost their minds in the barn? Hector bit me! And this is days after Apollo bit DH. I was getting Hector and girls back into their pen and Jill was trying to sneak out past Hector, who was standing crossways in the door frame. I reached down to shove Jill back inside and Hector bit the fire out of my arm! He raised a pretty good welt, which is bruised and stings on top of that. Later, I looked at Bash and asked if he was going to bite me, too. Geez.

 

[Wyatt0224]

Wow do you think you might've scared him or startled him?

 

[GingersHuman]

Ugh, spring fever!!!

 

[speckledhen]

Wow do you think you might've scared him or startled him?

Ugh, spring fever!!!

Ugh is right!

No matter what I do around Atlas, he never, ever nips. He would never dream of being the least bit aggressive to me. If Atlas bit me, I'd be looking for some painful wound on him, but I don't think he would even then. Hector, well, I'm not sure what to attribute that behavior to today. He was in the doorway sort of sideways, Jill was trying to duck under his neck to escape and all I did was shove her back in, exposing my forearm to his beak and he popped me pretty hard. He'd better not be taking steps backward now and neither should Apollo. Neither has been any trouble at all for a long time, though Hector had to learn his lesson early on about being a little brat, but Apollo was always sweet, though didn't like being petted much.

The only one I trust 100% in that barn is Atlas, but he has 3 years of history with us and a proven record. These young bucks have a lot to live up to.

The head spots on the two BRs hatched today look very boyish to me. Not much dark on the leg fronts, either. Could both be males. Hopefully, the next three will be all pullets.

 

[Wyatt0224]

Oh darn. The last thing you need is more boys running around.

 

[speckledhen]

Oh darn. The last thing you need is more boys running around.

Seems when small numbers hatch, I get boys. They won't be running around here for long because I don't need them, not unless I decide to sell off Apollo and raise up a new guy. But, I have no idea how long these two newbie girls will mother their chicks. Some keep them forever and a day, some want them gone by four weeks.

Dusty raised two batches of chicks. The first ones, she wanted gone at three weeks old....and she literally was chasing them, trying to kill them. I had to rescue the traumatized chicks. The second time, she kept them until five weeks and same deal...kids must DIE! She never went broody again after that. I don't think I would have let her have eggs again! Both times I was there to rescue her babies, but the next batch might not be so lucky!