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

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I get too many eggs, so I like non layers. The naughty ones live forever, and the nice never long enough. Chickens and dogs break my heart, but I can't live without them.

 

[biophiliac]

Well, crap. Sounds like that was a hard time for you, too.

Carly is just sitting calmly in the pet carrier. She has not tried to stand and turn around to eat and drink at all. Why does it have to be Carly? Why not bratty 6 yr old D'anver rooster, Aubrey? He's a PITA all the time, dumb as a box of rocks. And Carly has even been laying recently, too, a very rare thing for my D'Anver hens. I'd rather lose both those roosters in there than one of those sweet little hens. I don't even care if they lay or not.

Sorry Speckled Hen , I have enjoyed your thread so much, going back from time to time to catch up. Condolences to both you and OHLD

 

[speckledhen]

I get too many eggs, so I like non layers. The naughty ones live forever, and the nice never long enough. Chickens and dogs break my heart, but I can't live without them.

You got that right! Tiny the Terrorist Attack hen will probably live to be 20.

Sorry Speckled Hen , I have enjoyed your thread so much, going back from time to time to catch up. Condolences to both you and OHLD

Thank you. Some days it doesn't pay to get out of bed, I think, but those are not the bulk of them, thankfully.

 

[holm25]

Cyn pooh is too cute! Have her little legs grown at all?

 

[speckledhen]

Cyn pooh is too cute! Have her little legs grown at all?

nope. They're slightly thicker, but no longer than when she was a chick.

 

[speckledhen]

The Barred Rock chicks are three-and-a-half weeks old now and though I was thinking two pullets and three cockerels, one of the "boys" is feathering WAY faster than the known cockerels, plus has no pink in the comb and more dark on the legs than they do as well, but the white bars are so white, it's like Lexie all over again!
So, I could possibly have three pullets, which would make me jump for joy! I labeled the #3 confusing chick with "Pullet??" so you can help me figure it out. Click to make them larger so you can see the details.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Should be interesting to see what it ends up being. It struts and stands like cockeral though.

 

[speckledhen]

Should be interesting to see what it ends up being. It struts and stands like cockeral though.

Yeah, it's confusing me! Two obvious boys and two obvious girls and this guy. Maybe it's just a bit further along in feathering than the other two males and behind in comb development, but wishful thinking and my experience with Lexie, my first BR hen who was cockerel-colored, may be skewing what I see.

 

[speckledhen]

Newest project: replace the 20 yr old black plastic landscape edging with concrete bullet edging. Will do one side, then decide about the other-would love to carry it further than the former stuff went, which stopped at the steps. It was here when we arrived and over time had become cut and uprooted in places, too sunken in others. Makes me feel good to make the place look a little better.
And I'll be soon be doing Phase II, making large planting islands around some of the oak trees to delineate walking paths so in heavy rains, I don't have a downhill racing mudslide. It's very shady so will have to find groundcovers that work in shade or partial shade. Think permaculture beds.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I love those edging bricks, they work really well. That plastic edging didn't last long around here. Sounds like you are making more work for yourself. Something we have a problem with too. Always wanting stuff to look better and better, but it makes you feel better inside when the outside looks nice. It's looking good.