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

[getaclue]

Thank you! I have it saved for future reference, if needed.

 

[getaclue]

I'm sorry MaryJo passed. It hurts to lose one. Even with the best of care, and you do provide the best of care, things still occasionally happen that are beyond our control. Again, I'm sorry you lost her.

 

[allosaurusrock]

I just found this thread but so sorry to hear this. Maybe you’ve got some coccidiosis? Poor things.

 

[speckledhen]

No, cocci has never happened in adult birds in my 14 years of having chickens. Mary Jo was over 2 years old. Coccidiosis is never a concern here except in chicks 4-8 weeks old here, and rarer still in broody-raised chicks.

 

[getaclue]

allosaurusrock, Welcome to the thread.

 

[allosaurusrock]

allosaurusrock, Welcome to the thread.

Thank you!

 

[h2oratt]

Sorry you lost Alice. Two was very young for your birds.

 

[getaclue]

2.5 is a baby, for her birds. It had to be something more along the lines of congenital. Heck, she's got the largest collection of the oldest chickens, in the lower half of the US. Some of her chickens are so old that should be qualifying for medicare any day now.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

2.5 is a baby, for her birds. It had to be something more along the lines of congenital. Heck, she's got the largest collection of the oldest chickens, in the lower half of the US. Some of her chickens are so old that should be qualifying for medicare any day now.

You have that right. I'm so impressed how long her birds live, and how long they lay for.

 

[speckledhen]

2.5 is a baby, for her birds. It had to be something more along the lines of congenital. Heck, she's got the largest collection of the oldest chickens, in the lower half of the US. Some of her chickens are so old that should be qualifying for medicare any day now.

I wish they got Medicare to pay for the feed those Brahmas eat! Wow, they are really chowing down this time of year, never saw them eat this much.
I agree that it had to be something congenital in MaryJo. And yeah, I have a great number of very elderly hens. Tiny, who will be 10 about February, is currently laying every two to three days, and so is Wendy, though by standards here, at not quite 6 years old, Wendy is barely middle-aged. Zara and Athena are also laying, but they're just 4 years old. Only two of the six Brahma hens are laying, neither of Hector's girls are laying. Finally, Jane and Maddie kicked back in and they are my youngest. MaryJo used to be one of my best layers. I am definitely depending on the middle age and older hens for eggs now. I hope that June's body has quit trying to produce....every time she did over the last couple of years, she prolapsed. Seems her body cannot make an intact shell. She is almost 12 years old now, same as Snow and Panda. Georgie hasn't laid in about three years. She's almost 11 now.
What I find crazy is that Amanda, who will be 13 in March, was laying this past April, even crippled and confined to a cage. Poor old gal, I adore her, spunky as she still is, but I wish she'd just quit and go on to that Great Roost in the Sky. She has sure earned it. I think my last original Marvin Stukel BR, Wynette, is winding down. She isn't acting like her normal bossy, spunky self, lays around a lot, doesn't show as much interest in food lately. Such a stunning hen, that one. She was recently laying, too, so it's just old age with her.
This is what happens with birds with good genetics and good care. It's good and not so good. They die of natural causes quite a bit, but not until they've been mostly non-productive for years, like Gypsy. I wouldn't have minded if that hen lived to 25. I miss her.

You have that right. I'm so impressed how long her birds live, and how long they lay for.

I hate for them to go after living so long, but I do look forward to the day my feed bill will be cut in half. I currently have 33 birds, 5 of them roosters and 3 of those roosters are old.