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

[Leahs Mom]

I once had a hatchery rir girl hatch on New Year's eve. She raised those chicks during the coldest January and did well with them. There was no heat in the hen shed and she also would take them outside(!) Whenever they'd tell her they needed heat she'd drop wherever she was and warm them up, then out they'd come again.

It was amazing to watch.

I'm not advocating hatching at this time of year. Just noting that I had one do it and those were some very hardy chicks. I was totally surprised to see how long they were comfortable out in the 20's and below. Hatch day it was 19F. Amazing to watch them and taught me that chicks are way more hardy than we think if they have a good mamma taking care of them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I always read that chicks should be raised so they reach sexual maturity under decreasing daylight. Those raised out of season during increasing light I though would lay smaller and less eggs. This is what I have read in the older agricultural books. I think it has to do with they reaching sexual maturity too soon under increasing light as amount of light vs dark affects hormones and hormonal surges.

Now lots of folks brood all year round. I have always wondered if there was an actual difference. I personally prefer my chicks to have access to dry green grass, dry dirt and bugs, so I brood later than the average person. I generally get or hatch chicks in May-June. I'm in the minority as I don't want mine to start laying too soon, and I prefer for them to mature more. I add in scratch grains to their diet after 3 months of age to slow maturity.

In all my years of keeping chickens I have only had one prolapse, and never have I seen any with stuck eggs, which apparently happens a lot on this site.

I guess I'm chatty today. I need to get some fresh bunny pictures. They are fuzzy munchkins which are getting fully weaned today.

 

[speckledhen]

I always read that chicks should be raised so they reach sexual maturity under decreasing daylight. Those raised out of season during increasing light I though would lay smaller and less eggs. This is what I have read in the older agricultural books. I think it has to do with they reaching sexual maturity too soon under increasing light as amount of light vs dark affects hormones and hormonal surges.

Now lots of folks brood all year round. I have always wondered if there was an actual difference. I personally prefer my chicks to have access to dry green grass, dry dirt and bugs, so I brood later than the average person. I generally get or hatch chicks in May-June. I'm in the minority as I don't want mine to start laying too soon, and I prefer for them to mature more. I add in scratch grains to their diet after 3 months of age to slow maturity.

In all my years of keeping chickens I have only had one prolapse, and never have I seen any with stuck eggs, which apparently happens a lot on this site.

I guess I'm chatty today. I need to get some fresh bunny pictures. They are fuzzy munchkins which are getting fully weaned today.

I have hatched in winter, with and without broodies, though I don't really like to do that. I prefer that they can go outside when mama is ready to take them so I'd rather days get into the 50's when they are in their first week of life, but that's more for my own convenience, not wanting to be outside to supervise in cold weather. They almost always take the chicks out in cool weather as soon as their little legs are underneath them.

Lisa, I've not had any egg-binding other than on two occasions with my bantam Cochin when her eggs would be just a tad wider than her norm, but it was not too hard to lube a finger up and ease it out for her. And as far as prolapse, this last year, my old EE hen, June, has had issues with eggs collapsing in the tract and then, she'd strain so hard, she'd prolapse. Other than that and one time when a Delaware had an egg-within-an-egg and it dropped into her abdomen (maybe not technically egg binding), I have not had to deal with that, either. They say Vitamin E helps with keeping the tract lubed up and my grain mix has BOSS in it so they get it daily. Not sure what else it could be.

 

[1muttsfan]

I have also seen actual research that indicate chicks hatched outside of spring/summer produce less than chicks that hatch in it. And a hens' fluffy feathers hold heat in for eggs and chicks, so a frizzle may be less well-suited to hatching in cold weather.

Fortunately for us all, not being mammals chickens are not susceptible to mad cow disease

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We unfortunately have chronic wasting in our white tailed deer population in Wisconsin. It is slowly spreading north and all deer should be checked for it now as far as hunting goes.

My theory is that they continue to keep the wolf population low here. The wolves will weed out the weak, where humans like to take the biggest and strongest, thus weakening the species.

People continue to complain how the wolves eat all their deer. I find that ridiculous. Where has common sense gone?

 

[speckledhen]

Common sense is uncommon now. Sad, isn't it? The troll inspired another YouTube. I can't allow nutjobs to come on and spout lies and misinformation and myths and let it stand. So, trolls, be gone! I want to educate folks, not confuse them.

 

[speckledhen]

Just found Lizzie can barely walk. She acts like her left leg has been hyperextended, maybe Atlas jumped her and was too rough. I suspected he hurt Dottie almost two years ago, being so insistent. He's going on 4 years old and still is like his Delaware grandpa, needing more and younger hens than he has. I'll have to put more in with him or do what I don't want to do and sell him to someone with a big flock of hens, but there's that dwarf gene issue to deal with if I do that. Sigh. Liz is in the hospital pen. Why? Why? WHY?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Just found Lizzie can barely walk. She acts like her left leg has been hyperextended, maybe Atlas jumped her and was too rough. I suspected he hurt Dottie almost two years ago, being so insistent. He's going on 4 years old and still is like his Delaware grandpa, needing more and younger hens than he has. I'll have to put more in with him or do what I don't want to do and sell him to someone with a big flock of hens, but there's that dwarf gene issue to deal with if I do that. Sigh. Liz is in the hospital pen. Why? Why? WHY?

Sorry, that's terrible. I like big roosters too but they can be clods sometimes. Hopefully she feels better soon.

 

[1muttsfan]

 

[speckledhen]

Sorry, that's terrible. I like big roosters too but they can be clods sometimes. Hopefully she feels better soon.

Just when I sell off eight of my ten extra Brahma youngsters, I have to deal with an injury. I made up some oatmeal and put an egg and a crushed aspirin, avian vitamins, plus a lot of ginger and gave that to Liz on the off chance it may help. I'll let her rest. Maybe just being away from the big guy for a couple of days will help, but I know that leg injuries can lead to worse things, like internal infections.
DH was remarking how Zara was stalking MaryJo, that no matter where MJ went, Zara made a point of seeking her out to pummel. So, I grabbed troublemaker Zara and threw her in with Atlas to keep the pressure off poor Dru and Wynette. Already, Dru acts like he hurts her. Could be her hock joints are stiff from age a bit and his attentions do hurt.