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

[speckledhen]

@speckledhen
Good video.

Bad chicken. I hate it when the sweet ones get attacked.

Thanks! I hate that, too, especially the very old or the very young, though the very old rarely are picked on-they have, excuse the pun, seniority and others respect them or come to their rescue if some hen gets out of line and decides to be a snot.

 

[getaclue]

Maybe Zara could be put in a crate, or cage inside the coop/run, and MJ allowed the run of it for several days. I've done that with older bullies before, and had good results most of the time.

 

[Leahs Mom]

For the first time ever since starting with chickens, I processed one of the PULLETS this year. She was attacking some of the smaller girls and she had a lot of meat on her. It's a shame, but I didn't want to have to deal with trying to rehab her.

I also sent all my SFH (which I really like) to a new home for aggression toward the more docile buckeyes. I have to say that was extremely hard as I love their beautiful color varieties. But I just got tired of dealing with the dynamics.

It's been peaceful ever since. But I'm only left with 5 birds and 3 of them are five yo's!

Next spring.

 

[1muttsfan]

Apart from their good looks the SFH's I had did not impress - and my sweet Speckled Sussex, Freckles, and my last Basque hen (still mothering her 14 week old Arkansas Blue teenagers) provides me with all the Spangles I need.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Do the Speckled Sussex have feathered legs? I don't remember. (Don't want feathered legs or crests...looking for practical birds.)

@1muttsfan
Who did you get your SFH from? The ones from hatchery that I've seen aren't sfh. Not sure what they are. What didn't you like about them? I can name a few things I like and a few I don't....

 

[speckledhen]

@Leahs Mom the Speckled Sussex are clean legged. I had one, Nelda. Sweet girl, rather small and round, laid quite small eggs. She had some issue and got an impacted crop and died, sadly. Very pretty girl, never caused any trouble. I hatched her from a breeder who started with hatchery stock and tried to get more by twice buying sexed pullets from the Ideal shipment at a local, now closed feed store. Both had terrible issues and died very, very young, never made it to adulthood, so I gave up. Stay away from Ideal's SS from my experience. Well, just stay away from Ideal, period. Those were all my hens who died one by one from the reproductive malfunctions.

Trying to figure out SFH. I know Silver Spangled Hamburgs, but what is the "F"? Can't think this a.m.

I remember the breeder who sent me the Delaware eggs told me she processed one pullet for aggression-said she was a shoe-biter. Well, my Georgie has become a PITA in her old age (going on 9 yrs old). She'll run at your and bite your shoes or bite you if you don't pay attention, up to the point of an occasional flog. She's a really bad attention hound sometimes, but I just attibute it to the old age grouchies with her. And she is one hefty heifer, too! She sure reminds you of the Delaware's meat bird heritage! But, she wants to sit on your shoulder like an 8 lb parrot. Crazy old wench.

 

[1muttsfan]

Swedish Flower Hen.

Since my first birds, quite a few years ago now, I have only bought hatching eggs from breeders, or chicks from Sand Hill Preservation (their Delaware's are quite good, both as layers and personality wise). And only if I can confirm their birds are good quality. My SS have not been overwhelming layers, but they are super personable and sweet natured. And pretty. I always have at least one in my flock.

 

[speckledhen]

Swedish Flower Hen.

Since my first birds, quite a few years ago now, I have only bought hatching eggs from breeders, or chicks from Sand Hill Preservation (their Delaware's are quite good, both as layers and personality wise). And only if I can confirm their birds are good quality. My SS have not been overwhelming layers, but they are super personable and sweet natured. And pretty. I always have at least one in my flock.

In Georgie's defense, she's only been this way in the last couple of years. My Delawares were super sweet, excellent and early layers (as early as 17 weeks). Georgie is the consummate crotchety old lady. Isaac, as you know, was a total love, just like Bash is now.

I have my "speckle fix" met by my Mille Fleur Belgian D'Anvers, though they are completely useless other than for the hens being pocket pets. Aubrey is porcelain and handsome, but dumb as a box of rocks. His son with Mina, Spike, is spur-less and a tad smarter, but still, wouldn't pass an intelligence test. Laying? Well, forget it. Sissy laid her first year and quit entirely. Aimee has been the best layer of them all, and the best, standard-wise, as well. She lays a few eggs a year. Her daughter, Mina, Spike's mother, is hefty for a D'Anver and lays about the same time as her mother. But, Penny didn't lay after 2-3 years old. And of course, we lost Carly when she had what I felt was a stroke and brain damage from it. She laid at the beginning of the year, almost robin-egg size eggs. But she was only 17 ounces herself. I'm sure you saw one of the photos in the video of the Evolution of Our Homestead where DH was holding Aimee, Penny and Carly like an arm-chorus line. Sweet and beautiful tiny hens.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@speckledhen
It is SWEDISH FLOWER HEN

I get mine from breeders - both from the Sweden line and the German line. The birds I had from the German line had over-aggressive personalities.


The one pullet I processed was a Buckeye. They are usually very docile but this one would fly through the air and land on another bird and attack - kind of like a rooster. Since I'd never had a female act like that before, that was the end of her.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@speckledhe
Your last video reminded me of a story....

And...Here's the actual book.