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

[getaclue]

I was suppose to dust my chickens yesterday, but it rained all day. I'll go do it in a little while. Had to have a cup of coffee, to start my morning, first. Dh has been on a quest. He went to get the kit to change the oil, and filters on his John Deere, then off to get a light bulb for the pool light. He worked all night, so he's going to come home tired, and cranky. Will he rest first, then change his oil, and the light? Nope.

 

[speckledhen]

I was suppose to dust my chickens yesterday, but it rained all day. I'll go do it in a little while. Had to have a cup of coffee, to start my morning, first. Dh has been on a quest. He went to get the kit to change the oil, and filters on his John Deere, then off to get a light bulb for the pool light. He worked all night, so he's going to come home tired, and cranky. Will he rest first, then change his oil, and the light? Nope.

If he's like mine, he feels he has to keep going or he'll crash and never get around to the next thing he has to do. Work now, crash later.

Lizzie did a great job for her first time as a broody, though she has not gotten them out to eat and drink. They are coming out on their own to do that, little smarties. All Hector babies, but another broody Stukel hen, good grief. Dottie raised several batches, including Atlas himself. Ida and Wynette both raised chicks at as they turned 5 years old. Tessa has been broody three times already, but I never gave her eggs. Now, sister Lizzie has her chicks to raise. So far, neither Zara or Athena, that I recall, has gone broody yet. And Druscilla is about to be 6 years old, but not a sign, ever, of wanting chicks, in spite of being Dottie's daughter. That's fine, don't need any more broodies!

 

[getaclue]

They all look healthy, and content.

 

[itspebbl]

She looks like a good momma so far!

 

[kitkat5505]

So sweet! Love the tiny new babies. Glad she has been a good broody mama.

 

[speckledhen]

She looks like a good momma so far!

So sweet! Love the tiny new babies. Glad she has been a good broody mama.

She's doing very well, good girl, Lizzie. And she's calmed down now that they've all hatched, no pecking. I just rub her face/wattles and stroke down her chest, telling her she's a good girl and then I reach for the chicks. She's fine with that.

As far as the looking for another place, it's not looking good for finding anything better than what we have for $200K or under, not with all the requirements. If we put in a lift, it will solve one issue, the front steps. Here is where I want to put it, in that 90* corner where the bench bumps out, making that small section of railing just in front of the built-in bench a gate that swings inward.

Please ignore the messy junk, still trying to get all that cleaned up, but it's so darn hot, we can't work in this. I removed some concrete blocks with full size 2x4 rough cut lumber skids under that bench area that used to be for firewood and am going to have to level it out and rake it smooth under that bench.

Sort of like this, but maybe not all enclosed. DH is thinking he can do a DIY one, but I have my doubts. It would not have to go this high, of course.

 

[getaclue]

That's a nice one. I think I'd want it covered, in case of rain. It looks large enough to get a wheelchair onto, if needed later on, and it would hold lots of groceries, and other things too.

 

[MistyMountain]

I am not too impressed with my order from sandhill. They sent me a bunch of polish. I had asked for a few red polish which they didn't have. I guess they thought I would interested in buff laced and white polish, not. Oh well they arrived alve but one had bad legs. The mottled Java. I am sure they should have known that. Why would you ship a chick with bad legs? I only got two so now I just have one. I admire the fact they are trying to preserve breeds but I will never order again unless it's something I can get no where else. I don't like how you never know when they are coming. Of course the call you after they ship them. It usually the worse possible timing. Oh well hopefully the blue Orpingtons will turn out nice.

(Playing catch up, been a long time... many pages to read!!)
This caught my eye. I too had ordered Mottled Javas from Sandhill. They held my order up all spring and summer last year, and finally sent them in September. I guess their mottled javas were the problem. I got one mottled java, among the 10 welsummers and other "fillers" (including a TINY Delaware). The one mottled java I got was small and like yours, had messed up legs. I hobbled it with little hope it would turn around. It did, and turned out to be a cockerel. With an attitude and a crooked neck when he crowed. Needless to say he did not stay here. Days before the Sandhill order arrived I had 9 mottled java chicks hatch (breeder stock) in my incubator. That was definitely the way to go--- big healthy chicks. Needless to say, I won't order from Sandhill again.

 

[speckledhen]

That's a nice one. I think I'd want it covered, in case of rain. It looks large enough to get a wheelchair onto, if needed later on, and it would hold lots of groceries, and other things too.

Yes, you see how there is no roof over that corner so we definitely would have to have some extension to cover the lift. Not sure about a wheelchair, but I have my late father's wheelchair here that I could use for measurements to be sure it's large enough.

 

[MistyMountain]

Whew, all caught up, I think! We just got back from a 3 week road trip. No TV and very little internet service. From Virginia, we went north west to the Badlands and Mt. Rushmore in SD (Dh's Dad was with us on the trip and had never seen either, so we adjusted our route for him) before hitting our first stop on top of the mountain in the Bighorn National Forest. We spent 4 days there, hiking and relaxing. We drove north into MT to the Battle of Little Bighorn National Monument on the 4th of July. We've been to many Civil War battlefields here in the south, but wow. Major feels in this place. We then went to Cody, WY and the Cowgirl in me got to come out when we watched the Nite Rodeo. Yellowstone was next and we added in a day at the Grand Tetons. We then headed north and stopped by Big Hole Battlefield before stopping at Glacier NP. After Glacier, we had two nights on the road East along HWY 2 to visit my family in WI for 3 nights. Finally home. Those Rocky Mountains are beautiful, but oh boy do we love our Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains! And the mosquitoes!! Yuck!

This thread has been busy! Gender guesses and new chicks, oh my!! I came home to three broodies myself. Three of my 6 mottled javas are broody. How am I supposed to get more mottled javas this way???