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

[speckledhen]

And to show the difference in the two pullets, I tried to get them close together, not an easy thing. MaryJo wants to run with the cockerels, who are more her own size.
First, by herself, the smaller pullet who is part of the pair for sale. I'm letting the buyer choose which male.

I'm thinking this male's comb looks like the Hector line more than the Stukel line. It has a beefier base.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hmm, what a mysterious chick. It looks a bit more pullet now doesn't it? Should be interesting to see how it goes.

We are getting rain almost daily too. Usually by now things are drying out. My garden is slower this year too, temperatures have been lower than average, which I don't mind, but my garden is taking its time. We are about done with the lettuce. The Swiss chard is growing good, and my potatoes plants are big.

 

[kitkat5505]

I wish we'd get some rain! Dang dry desert Utah lol. But my tomato plants are doing great, ate my first ripe cherry tomato a couple days and I should have a handful more ready to pick and tons growing. Potato plants are growing good too. Nothing on my zucchini and squash plants yet but they are getting bigger.

I still think Drew/Drea is just a slower maturing cockerel. When it's next to the two girls the barring obviously has more white and the comb is a little more red than theirs. Of course then next to the two males it looks more pullet-ish lol.

 

[speckledhen]

Hmm, what a mysterious chick. It looks a bit more pullet now doesn't it? Should be interesting to see how it goes.
We are getting rain almost daily too. Usually by now things are drying out. My garden is slower this year too, temperatures have been lower than average, which I don't mind, but my garden is taking its time. We are about done with the lettuce. The Swiss chard is growing good, and my potatoes plants are big.

You know, I've never eaten chard. What do you do with it? I don't think I even heard of it growing up and I know for sure my husband never did. He had much more limited foods than I did.

I wish we'd get some rain! Dang dry desert Utah lol. But my tomato plants are doing great, ate my first ripe cherry tomato a couple days and I should have a handful more ready to pick and tons growing. Potato plants are growing good too. Nothing on my zucchini and squash plants yet but they are getting bigger.

MaryJo has some really nice size on her, a good one for Hector's future wife.

I still think Drew/Drea is just a slower maturing cockerel. When it's next to the two girls the barring obviously has more white and the comb is a little more red than theirs. Of course then next to the two males it looks more pullet-ish lol.

What may be skewing my view of Drea/Drew is my first BR hen, Lexie. She was a cockerel-colored pullet. Folks kept telling me I had a cockerel until fairly late, up until around 10 weeks old or so. So, it's possible to have a lighter pullet, of course, though not very common. If it's a male, makes me wonder what kind of comb he'll end up with at maturity. I really like him, too, such a nice personality.

MaryJo has some really nice size on her, a keeper to add to Hector's pen.

 

[robhuncor]

I love Swiss Chard. You can do with it everything you do with all "greens". It has it's own distinctive flavor but can be used like spinach, kale, collards or beet greens. It's a bit more robust than spinach but not as overpowering as kale/collards. I steam it as a side dish or use it in quiche or frittatas or even risotto. It's also good stir fried with other veggies. Throw it in at the end so it doesn't get too soggy. It's really easy to grow. When it gets big enough, keep picking the side leaves off to use and the plants will last most of the summer. And if it gets ahead of you and gets too old, the chickens love it! I usually grow extra just for the chickens.

 

[speckledhen]

I love Swiss Chard. You can do with it everything you do with all "greens". It has it's own distinctive flavor but can be used like spinach, kale, collards or beet greens. It's a bit more robust than spinach but not as overpowering as kale/collards. I steam it as a side dish or use it in quiche or frittatas or even risotto. It's also good stir fried with other veggies. Throw it in at the end so it doesn't get too soggy. It's really easy to grow. When it gets big enough, keep picking the side leaves off to use and the plants will last most of the summer. And if it gets ahead of you and gets too old, the chickens love it! I usually grow extra just for the chickens.

Thanks, Robin. Appreciate the overview. I can see using it in stir fry, we do that occasionally. We don't usually make quiche, never made a frittata or risotto. I usually only give the kale to the chickens, but we put spinach in our salads. But, if it does well in stir fry and your chickens love it, might have to try some next season.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We just blanch chard, it tastes similar to spinach but grows all summer. I eat mine with salt and pepper, husband likes a bit of lemon juice. I also freeze some for winter soup, chard and dumplings. Spinach seems to bolt the minute it comes up for me so I have stopped growing it.

 

[1muttsfan]

I have up on my garden this year, have only potatoes, garlic,onions - and 2 packs of lettuce that I spread like grass seed once I realized I would never have time to get it done right.
We are getting tons of rain and cool temps too. My flower beds look great, though.

 

[speckledhen]

I have up on my garden this year, have only potatoes, garlic,onions - and 2 packs of lettuce that I spread like grass seed once I realized I would never have time to get it done right.
We are getting tons of rain and cool temps too. My flower beds look great, though.

We cant grow potatoes in the ground anymore, meadow mice tunnel and eat them. Would have to put hardware cloth in a bed or something like that, maybe get a bushel basket and grow them inside it.

I do have tons of little yellow black legged bugs skeletonizing my bean leaves, shaped like tic-tacs. Never had that happen until this year. They're brutal. And a few Japanese beetles are helping them, too.

 

[1muttsfan]

http://www.gardenguides.com/95140-bugs-eat-bean-plants.html