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

[getaclue]

Quote: I know, but at least he'll have a nice life, no matter how long.

I finally got my chickens home, in their new coop. I'm glad I waited until I got the mesh up between all the coops, and runs. The roosters hackled up, and tried to square off, but the mesh prevented them from getting hurt. I fussed at them about it, and they quit. They seem to have settled in nicely. Lots of happy clucks. I still have one section to finish, but it's not needed now, so I will try to get it done next week. Later, I will do the outer perimeter with mesh too. For now, the welded wire will have to do. Their roosts, and things are far enough inside they should be safe. I put out mothballs too, so I shouldn't have any snakes getting in.

We spend a lot of time sitting out on our screened in patio, and I LOVE being able to watch them from there. It's how it should be.

Tomorrow I do need to finish shortening their spurs. While my eldest daughter did a great job of taking care of them for me when I could not, but she was not filing down their spurs, and didn't mention it to me. They were LONG. I used the dremel to grind them down some today, but will finish the job tomorrow.

 

[speckledhen]

I know, but at least he'll have a nice life, no matter how long.

I finally got my chickens home, in their new coop. I'm glad I waited until I got the mesh up between all the coops, and runs. The roosters hackled up, and tried to square off, but the mesh prevented them from getting hurt. I fussed at them about it, and they quit. They seem to have settled in nicely. Lots of happy clucks. I still have one section to finish, but it's not needed now, so I will try to get it done next week. Later, I will do the outer perimeter with mesh too. For now, the welded wire will have to do. Their roosts, and things are far enough inside they should be safe. I put out mothballs too, so I shouldn't have any snakes getting in.

We spend a lot of time sitting out on our screened in patio, and I LOVE being able to watch them from there. It's how it should be.

Tomorrow I do need to finish shortening their spurs. While my eldest daughter did a great job of taking care of them for me when I could not, but she was not filing down their spurs, and didn't mention it to me. They were LONG. I used the dremel to grind them down some today, but will finish the job tomorrow.

Happy for you. The screened in patio is a real bonus. When we moved here, the western side of our deck had screening laid underneath the deck boards, obviously in preparation for making that side screened, but it had not been done. So, dirt and trash all collected between the boards, not being able to fall through. I am in process of removing that from underneath, a tedious job, stuff falling in my face and hair. I did some of it, the screening pretty rotten now after 20 years, but quit.

It's hard to get anything done when I am usually in basic survival mode, with DH always in pain with his back and now, his knee is in screaming pain. We have a roll of 5' fencing and u-posts ready to replace some old rusty 3' sections from our driveway gate on both sides and around the front to where the 4 or 5' fencing begins, but it sits in a roll against one of the old coops and no idea how long it will. I can't get much done these days. Gardening season may not be what I envision, though we need that food. That's one reason that chicken chores are harder and harder. I want to quilt more and I don't need this many chickens to tend to. A Brahma group, a Barred Rock group and the rest together is how I'd prefer it, but I have some crippled hens who can't walk so can't be with others who are not in their own old lady group or they'd be picked on and hurt badly, especially by mean old Wendy and others like her.

 

[holm25]

Hey Cyn! Havent been on BYC as much lately! We are up to 9 calves! We are getting one a day every day lol! Last night my grandpa and I pulled a 100lbs+ calf out of a first calf heifer! Thought for sure it was a bull but it was just a monster heifer!

 

[speckledhen]

Hey Cyn! Havent been on BYC as much lately! We are up to 9 calves! We are getting one a day every day lol! Last night my grandpa and I pulled a 100lbs+ calf out of a first calf heifer! Thought for sure it was a bull but it was just a monster heifer!

Isaiah, Isaiah! Thanks for checking in! Was thinking about you and those new babies! Wow, HUGE calf! Amazing. I'd take your knowledge over what most young men your age know any day. Congrats on all the new calves!


For those wondering about my 9 year old EE, June. We've been dealing with a bad prolapse for almost a week, I think. Days are just smushing into one another. Mary has been a fabulous help since this is not where my main experience has been. June prolapsed several times this year and we've been able to get it fixed, but this one was bad. It refused to stay in. We thought it was her intestines poking out. She has not been able to really poop in a week. Urates were drying on the protrusion like plaster, but finally, after two days of soaks, we got it off and it was like a cast coming off! This a.m., it is IN! She is still probably going to die from her old lady parts betraying her, but at least, she is not currently prolapsed. Thank you, Mary.

 

[1muttsfan]

One of my mentors told me years ago not to let anyone fool you, having two horses is twice as much work as one and having three horses is three times as much work as one. There is no economy of scale. Same thing with having multiple pens of birds.

 

[speckledhen]

One of my mentors told me years ago not to let anyone fool you, having two horses is twice as much work as one and having three horses is three times as much work as one. There is no economy of scale. Same thing with having multiple pens of birds.

Yes, it is, Mary, completely agree. And as we get older and have more mobility issues, the chores and rooster dramas are harder to deal with. Though I love Atlas and now, Hector and Bash, I sometimes long for the early days when there was only a bunch of hens, maybe one rooster. After having the experience of Xander with the big butt girls, I'd be fine with a bantam Cochin or other mild-mannered small male with a decent size laying flock of around 20-25 hens. Unless there was a few small hens, it would not be self-sustaining, but they can watch the skies and alarm as well as any big rooster. And lay down the law very well, too! I miss Xander.


ETA: First big rumble of thunder. Signing off until this passes. See y'all later! You guys are the best, you know.

 

[speckledhen]

Well that was nothing. Storm mostly skirted around us as they tend to do.

A Piglet story for you: Today, Brandy laid her first post-broody egg and is back with Bash. Piglet, his BR bigger brother and the Brahma pullet now named Cora were put into the bantam coop with Brandy's five chicks. They did okay all day. I went inside for awhile, came out and found that somehow, Piglet had gotten out of the pen. But, that smart little munchkin jumped onto the ledge of the human entry door and stood there, waiting for someone to come find him. Is that smart or what? He is barely familiar with that coop and he somehow knew that's where he should stay. I walked up to him, he looked up and practically jumped into my hands. He's the sweetest baby ever! And I hate that I'm going to lose him one day way too soon. He and little Pooh-bear seem to recognize the trait in each other and even the dominant BR cockerel, who loves to throw his weight around with Brandy's chicks, does not bother her.

The younger Brahma trio will be leaving on Friday evening. Left will be Piglet, Pooh-bear, the two BR brothers who are a week apart in age, plus Cora, who will stay here.

 

[getaclue]

Great Piglet story! Glad he, and Pooh Bear are not getting picked on.

 

[getaclue]

This is a partial view of my new coop from my screened in patio.


Yes, we planted grass over the bare spots where we had dirt hauled in. Yes, it's growing in nicely.


There are 5- 8x8 coops, 2- 4x8 coops, 3- 8x16 adjoining runs. I can alternate groups using the runs every other day, or further subdivide the runs, so each coop will have it's own adjoining run. For now, I prefer them having the larger runs.


This is the back of the coop. Each coop has it's own electrical outlet. I will get the splitters for the water spigots, so each coop will have it's own hose. The fence posts are for my electric fence, which is forthcoming.


Each coop has it's own fan.


It seemed like it took forever, but I finally got my chickens home, and in their new coop. They seem content in it. Now, I can focus on hatching chicks!

 

[speckledhen]

Quote: Love the fans, Cheryl. Are they barn fans with the sealed motors? VERY nice job! Bet it feels great to get to this point.


June has been back with her crew since yesterday a.m. FINALLY! It took quite awhile to fix that prolapse. We even had her grave dug. But, she's a tough old gal, our Junie. Again, thanks to Mary for her invaluable support.