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

[getaclue]

Hmmmmm, I've got a rooster going on 5 years. He's eaten layer feed for years, and is fine. Another two are 4, and they're fine too. I raise LF (large fowl), so their roosts are no more than a foot off the ground.

 

[1muttsfan]

After the young birds have reached maturity, and the pullets are laying, I switch everybody over to layer feed. I have never actually had a rooster with arthritis, but I have had a few hens with it. I seldom keep my rooster for more than a few years though, replacing them with younger birds.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, Atlas almost had a clash with Bash this morning. Atlas was outside the barn door with his girls while I was in Bash's pen de-pooping from the night. I heard the door squeak, turned and saw Bash and his hens pushing their way out. I yelled and shot out after him just in time. Atlas had seen him and was on his way in to whip his tail feathers. I literally yanked Bash back by those tail feathers, then had to go rescue the Brahma hens from Atlas before he could do anything to them, mate or flog, whatever he had in mind. Bash is big, but his spurs are only an inch long and not very thick. Atlas has experience and big spurs and he knows this is his barnyard, or so he thinks. Spike thinks the barnyard is his, as you can see in this short clip.

 

[1muttsfan]

Lovely, so nice to see bare ground. Makes me think Spring is coming after all.

We rode the sleds over the ice to Mackinac Island yesterday, I have to go over on Thursday so we wanted to check out the trail. One big pressure crack, but otherwise the ice looks good - it's 3 1/2 miles straight east across the ice to the closest part of the Island. Quite beautiful, but still kind of scary too - water is over 300 feet deep in the middle!

 

[speckledhen]

I watch my husband drag through every day with the chicken chores and managing these boneheaded roosters trying to get at each other, becoming frustrated and not wanting to be there at all some days, and I think I have pretty much resolved my dilemma about the future of our flocks; i.e., keeping one breed alone, keeping separate pure breeding pens as we do now, or just going back to the beginning days with a flock of layers of various breeds, pure or crosses, maybe with one rooster or two that gets along (probably raised together, or a couple of bantam Cochins like our Xander).

It won't be changed overnight, of course. And I'm not sure what rooster I'd have over the flock. He can't be a large one Sebastian, or he'll be too large for the smaller hens. And I'm also not going to rehome sweet Atlas at his age, especially with his hock issues. I feel that the right way to go is to work toward the mixed flock of layers with one or two roosters to watch out for them on range, maybe take down a wall or two in the barn eventually to make larger spaces for them to be together. I know my husband would enjoy that more like he did in the beginning, having pets that lay eggs, not breeds that have to be kept separated. I know I could just do it all by myself, but he won't let me. It's not in his nature to leave a job entirely to me, no matter how much he doesn't really want to do it. And it would not be enjoyable for me to do that alone anyway.

That leaves Hector in an odd position. Unless Atlas passes away and he takes over all the BR hens, he is sort of odd man out, with only Jill to breed from. Ro has not laid an egg since she bloated up that couple of times. Thea is wry-tailed, as you know. Athena and Zara are one or both dwarf gene carriers and for all I know, Tessa, Lizzie and MaryJo could be, all Atlas daughters. I'd rather not add that gene into the Hector pen if I can help it, so even with Atlas gone and Hector getting those hens, I still can't breed from them unless I want a whole bunch of dwarf gene carriers.

Wynette and Druscilla are almost 7 years old, not really nice to put them with Hector. Finding out after years that Atlas carries that gene really devastated my plans for him.

 

[1muttsfan]

That was a very sad thing.

 

[speckledhen]

That was a very sad thing.

You mean Piglet and Pooh? Yes, it really was. Pooh made it to 14 weeks old, but her little legs never grew while her body got wider and wider. I'm sure her heart just gave out. Poor, sweet little Pooh-bear. I'd hate to go through that too many times. So, really, it would be best if all Atlas's progeny was sold or relegated to layer-only status. Shame, they are so pretty and big. And it's worse because, unless you can genetically test the bird, there is zero way to know if it's a carrier.

 

[1muttsfan]

That was sad, too. But I meant the realization that Atlas is a carrier.

 

[speckledhen]

That was sad, too. But I meant the realization that Atlas is a carrier.

Yes, it sure was. With the hens he has, he produces some spectacular sons and daughters, even with his flaws. And he's such a great rooster, all-round. I have some eggs from Jill and am waiting for a broody. So far, no Brahma broodies, but surely there will be, or Lizzie or another BR will go over the edge. I hope for a daughter out of Jill so Hector could have another girl in with him.

 

[kitkat5505]

I love when you video the d’Anvers, they’re such cute little things and Spike and Aubrey’s little squeaky crows make me laugh. I’m jealous of your beautiful weather! I had to drive in Salt Lake valley in a snowstorm today. I don’t know if you remember driving here, but I-15 is terrible in good weather and a disaster in snow. I have to go back up into SLC tomorrow morning so I’m really hoping we don’t get more snow tonight.