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

[1muttsfan]

Such a pretty girl. And what a long and happy life.

 

[getaclue]

 

[speckledhen]

Her life wasn't nearly long enough for me. She could have lived to 20 and as long as she was healthy and on her feet like she was until just about three days ago, I would be happy to have her stay. Panda is going to grieve for her sister. She's the last one I have left out of my blue Ameraucana hen, Charlotte.

 

[Pyxis]

So sorry

 

[speckledhen]

Well, it had to happen eventually. But, I didn't want her to ever go. She was my heart among all the chickens I have.

I did some worming today. Maretta still has those big scabby places, but they don't smell bad now. Still have no idea what they are.

 

[speckledhen]

Last night, everything was off in Georgie's pen where Maretta lives. Maretta slept on top of the portable nest box near her head hen, June, who sleeps in a shallow coke crate like a queen on a throne up there. Maretta never, ever does that. She sleeps on a little separate bar in the middle of the room, usually by Wendy, even pushing Wendy off at times. And everyone else was even in different places int that pen last night, a "disturbance in the force", to coin a Star Wars phrase. And today, she is lethargic, sleepy, not competing for her morning scratch and bullying everybody away from it. The spots on her side have not appreciably changed, either, though they don't smell bad now-whatever infection was there was knocked out, apparently. They are not healing, still very scabby. My gut says it's some sort of cancer. She is 8 years old, so not a young girl by any means. So, on the heels of losing Gypsy, I'll probably be burying sweet little Maretta. She is 3rd in line in that pen.

Another thing that was off about Maretta is she started clucking like she was going broody. When she does that, she usually clucks for over a month and either goes full-on broody or just eventually peters out and quits. She quit abruptly about a week ago, didn't cluck for very long at all, unusual behavior for her.

 

[getaclue]

speckled, I don't know much about cancer(s) in chickens, so I don't have much to offer in that area. I guess the best you can do is keep her comfortable, which I know you will do anyway. Old chickens are a double edged sword. While they need to pass on to make room for younger stock, they've been around long enough to worm their way into your heart, so the loss is felt more.

 

[speckledhen]

speckled, I don't know much about cancer(s) in chickens, so I don't have much to offer in that area. I guess the best you can do is keep her comfortable, which I know you will do anyway. Old chickens are a double edged sword. While they need to pass on to make room for younger stock, they've been around long enough to worm their way into your heart, so the loss is felt more.

I second all of that. Now, Neela did something yesterday and last night that Gypsy was doing two weeks before she passed, going into a nest box when she hadn't laid in years. I never see Neela do that. She is so frail and crippled, but she still manages to do her chicken stuff and hang out with sister, Alice. Georgie was sitting next to the nest box on the floor near Neela, Maretta sleeping beside June's "throne". I rather expect to be digging a couple more holes before the end of the month, but they've made a fool out of me before so who knows? I have a big group of old gals who could go any minute.

I had to trim Atlas's spurs each about a half inch yesterday. They were about 3" long, one slightly curved upward and the other downward so that it almost touched the floor. He has enough trouble walking as it is. So, 1/2" off each gave him some better mobility and they didn't bleed much. I was afraid to cut off the almost 2" I could have. They are very hard and very thick, not like Bash's at all. You could rope 4 of Bash's thicknesses together to equal one of Atlas's spurs.

I just used dog clippers to blunt the point on one of Hector's. It's always a trial to hold him to do anything to him, such a goober! But, he has to be petted every morning and he makes sure to climb up the roost and get right in my face so I cannot forget to give him a chest rub and proper worship due The Little Tyrant.

 

[h2oratt]

RIP, beautiful Gypsy 2007-2019

So sorry.

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks, Julie

My husband saw his new doctor today, one that he can see in town since he's now on Medicare and has more choices. I still have to go to the one an hour away since I have to stay on the old program until Medicare myself, but at least, he can now stay here, no traveling except when he goes with me.

He was told that he has afib, given Eliquis samples to start on and has to see a cardiologist. He's never been told that once by any doctor, though they've treated him for HBP for years now. This guy said that if he had not been taking a particular drug he's on now, he would probably have already had a stroke. He is not pleased. He's always had a good heart, had EKGs done not that long ago, so maybe this irregular beat is a new thing, but why, I don't know. Another concern to deal with.

Today, we got a better TracPhone that actually can make a call from the house (imagine that!), and my new video camera arrived and it is awesome! Nice image stabilization and noise reduction and superior zoom. This time, I decided to go with a name brand, not some weirdly named off-brand.