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

[speckledhen]

Went for chemo today, but didn't get it. We stopped it. It's done as much as it's going to do. I start on an aromatase inhibitor tomorrow.

The PT scan is not very good, but not very bad. I have 2 teensy spots on my spine. They did not light up, so they're not showing as cancer at this time, but due to the nature of my cancer, they probably are cancer. We have to keep an eye on them to see what develops

I was going to say something else, had typed something, but it sounded clumsy and I'm not sure it was coming out to sound like what I meant, so I'll just .

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

X2 I have no words either that seem right.

 

[1muttsfan]

Yes, but our thoughts speak for us, and they are with you

 

[getaclue]

There are several circumstances that words fail me too. I totally understand.

Now, about those chickens!

 

[1muttsfan]

Hmm a good excuse for pretty bird pictures!

 

[getaclue]

Awwwww, so cute 1mutts

 

[speckledhen]

Oh my gosh, I love little blue chickens! Cute little blue baby peeking out from the back is the first one I saw. Of course, mama is very pretty, but you know I have a huge soft spot for blue chickens. (yes, I saw the black ones, cute, too, but my eye goes to the blues every time!)

I slept longer than normal this a.m., got up about 8:10 a.m., probably because I was up by 6 a.m. yesterday, much earlier than usual, to to to the lab in town for routine bloodwork related to my thyroid. The lab sends the results to our doctor an hour south of us so when we have our appointments, she has our lab results (though sometimes, they goof up and miss doing it).

DH had already de-pooped the entire barn and let Bash and his girls out for a bit and when I walked out the door, he had shooed them back inside and was putting Lizzie on the ground to squirt her liquid poop (which had only a few green semi-solids in it). I saw that and went back in to mash her up a boiled egg with some yogurt, of which she ate a only small amount. Today is Day 16 with her three Jill eggs. And I can't break up Bonnie, the blue partridge Brahma, though I keep throwing her off the nest and taking eggs from her, so if I have issues with Liz, Bonnie would most likely take the chicks.

Rowena is perkier today, but I am doubting this will last. We noticed her color was better yesterday and she was outside keeping up with Jill and Thea. She hasn't laid in awhile now when she had been laying regularly so I'm not sure if it's truly egg related or something else has malfunctioned and stopped her laying. She and Atlas were 3 yrs old in March or April, would have to look again. I forget. So many have gone through this place. It's like having hundreds of kids and trying to remember all their birthdays, LOL.

 

[speckledhen]

New pictures of the kids. I know it has only been a couple of days, but I expect to know for sure about Drea/Drew any day! They'll be 11 weeks old this coming Saturday, so how can we not know for sure about a BR youngster? This is nuts, LOL.

Note a few things about the differences in the two. Drea/Drew's tail is really coming in now, another Stukel difference, and it has more angle than the male's does, what there is of it. I'm wondering if both known cockerels belong to Hector and the two Stukel chicks are Drea/Drew and MaryJo. MaryJo is about as large as Drea/Drew, which I would expect from a big old Stukel hen. Jill is not nearly the size of any of my Stukel hens, nor is she as round as Thea, and it makes me think maybe the smaller pullet was hers, though nothing is certain. No crowing still from Drea/Drew, but the boy sounds off all the time, like his brother who just left.

First pic is Atlas's sister, Wendy, out near the perimeter fence. Need to really cut that grass out there or something could sneak up close enough to get the jump on them. And that group has no rooster with it. I heard a fox alarm bark the other morning, so I know one is around here recently.

And for fun, the original Stukel male, Rex #1 at 11 weeks old. The tail, just look at the tail, which is almost identical to Drea/Drew's, BUT the comb! It's "normal", LOL. If the "it" child is Wynette's, then this gorgeous young man would be her/his uncle on mama's side and something on daddy's side, but I can't think that much right now, LOL.

And, Hector at 10 weeks old. Now, that's a big honking comb on that young man.

 

[speckledhen]

Found a picture of Hector at 11 weeks old. Looks like the boy I have now for sale, I think, even bigger comb, though. But, Hector always had a huge king-like comb. The wattles on the males always seem rounded on the bottom to me, unlike Drea/Drew's, which are flattish on bottom, more like a pullet. So, I am still not convinced on the sex of that big mystery kid. DH still says girl.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I am out of guesses. I say it's both.