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

[getaclue]

I didn't get one this year. I'll order it next payday. I need to re-up my premium membership too. Had other expenses. We just put tires on my daughter's car.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, something is wrong with Wendy. She roosts alone on that shortie "princess roost" that we never removed from that pen and when I went in there this morning, she didn't jump off to get their morning scratch and seemed a little bit fluffed. So, I picked her up, which would generally get a loud protest, but nothing. Right into the hospital cage she went. And she shows zero interest in the "chicken crack", aka 13 way scratch. So, either Hector hurt her or there is something else going on. She is currently laying well, but she is Atlas's sister and may be a dwarf gene carrier; never bred from her to know. Atlas never liked her, which is why she is missing her entire comb now, and Hector doesn't like her any better. She was always a bully and I believe she is the one who hurt Alice.
Amanda, who will be 13 in March, is not eating well anymore. And she is skin and bones. I've been putting her in the hospital cage on warm days when the door is open and sun streams into that cage so she can watch outdoor TV and she seems to really love it and be interested in it, but she is ancient, of course, and I can't see her lasting through this winter. She will eat special food like scrambled eggs or crumbled cornbread, etc, so she still has a tiny spark, but this morning, she was so still, I thought she was gone and she fell asleep over her food bowl.

 

[seminolewind]

It's sad when they get old. My princess, who is 12 in Feb, still gets on her perch at night, eats well and laid one egg this year! She's keeping her weight -good thing.

Cynthia, people are so clueless when it comes to animals. Good thing my farmer is good to his cows. They are out in the cold but well fed and watched. I hate watching the news and listening to abuse stories.

My chickens even have several different types of heating depending on the weather, and Princess has her heat lamp full time.

 

[speckledhen]

I took Wendy some scrambled eggs. She won't eat them. Tom is finally home from his doctor's appt so I'll get him to come out with me and we can examine her more closely to look for wounds. Could be Hector grabbed her and in pulling away, she pulled something. I have seen him breed her so she has squatted for him, but not very willingly. She doesn't much appreciate having a man again, seems to me.

Karen, mine are so old and some have such stiff, painful joints, that it would be cruel not to provide a heat spot for those birds. Atlas has awful hock joints and now, I see his daughter, Athena, flexing her legs like he does. She and Zara are 4 years old.

 

[speckledhen]

Wendy has no visible wounds. She still won't eat and has no interest in leaving the hospital cage. So, not sure what tomorrow will bring for her. We did manage to get a few bites of scrambled eggs down her, plus 2 low dose aspirin.

 

[speckledhen]

Wendy seems fine today. Guess she was a little stressed or sore. So she's back with Hector.

On the other hand, my youngest Belgian D'Anver, Sissy, who is probably 4-5 years old and quit laying after she turned a year old, is weak and may not even make it until tomorrow, so that hospital cage never is empty for long. Aimee is her mother. She is also Mina's mother and Mina is Spike's mother. Aimee is a tough little gal, laid quite a few eggs during Dec-Jan. I think she'll be 10 years old in April, or is she 9? I have to recheck their ages. Whatever she and Penny are, that's how old Aubrey is. I think they'll be 9 years old. Seems that huge group of chicks was in the former bantam coop, the 8x12 that is now storage, in 2011.
ETA: Looking at my pics in 2010, Tiny and Emily are young there so they'll be 10 years old in April or so. I guess the original D'Anvers will be 9, not 10.

 

[1muttsfan]

Wow this is like a soap opera. As the Egg Turns. We need a digest to keep track of past episodes. Those chickens sure keep you on the edge of your seat!

 

[seminolewind]

I took Wendy some scrambled eggs. She won't eat them. Tom is finally home from his doctor's appt so I'll get him to come out with me and we can examine her more closely to look for wounds. Could be Hector grabbed her and in pulling away, she pulled something. I have seen him breed her so she has squatted for him, but not very willingly. She doesn't much appreciate having a man again, seems to me.

Karen, mine are so old and some have such stiff, painful joints, that it would be cruel not to provide a heat spot for those birds. Atlas has awful hock joints and now, I see his daughter, Athena, flexing her legs like he does. She and Zara are 4 years old.

You make your little ones happy. ATLAS???? I don't recall the last time I saw his name except in the title of the thread. What a gorgeous BR! (heritage, right?) Does he still "do his job?"

I have eggs again to grind up and cook for my crew. We are overloaded with eggs. And one broody Polish.

 

[seminolewind]

Wow this is like a soap opera. As the Egg Turns. We need a digest to keep track of past episodes. Those chickens sure keep you on the edge of your seat!

How about the Eggs of Night" I like yours .
What's been my soap opera lately is this Impeachment trial. It has become like a soap opera., LOL. It's got me LOL! It's kind of pitiful that this is my latest entertainment . Oh well. (I mean this trial as entertainment and not much more). My daily program used to be "Dennis" the weather person on channel 11 in Florida. In fact I have him on my facebook and he's quite funny. I should talk to him on Facebook to mention Kentuckiana, LOL

 

[seminolewind]

Well, something is wrong with Wendy. She roosts alone on that shortie "princess roost" that we never removed from that pen and when I went in there this morning, she didn't jump off to get their morning scratch and seemed a little bit fluffed. So, I picked her up, which would generally get a loud protest, but nothing. Right into the hospital cage she went. And she shows zero interest in the "chicken crack", aka 13 way scratch. So, either Hector hurt her or there is something else going on. She is currently laying well, but she is Atlas's sister and may be a dwarf gene carrier; never bred from her to know. Atlas never liked her, which is why she is missing her entire comb now, and Hector doesn't like her any better. She was always a bully and I believe she is the one who hurt Alice.
Amanda, who will be 13 in March, is not eating well anymore. And she is skin and bones. I've been putting her in the hospital cage on warm days when the door is open and sun streams into that cage so she can watch outdoor TV and she seems to really love it and be interested in it, but she is ancient, of course, and I can't see her lasting through this winter. She will eat special food like scrambled eggs or crumbled cornbread, etc, so she still has a tiny spark, but this morning, she was so still, I thought she was gone and she fell asleep over her food bowl.

Talk about not liking someone. In the beginning of my chicken years, I had a very handsome Polish rooster Ivan, his brother Eddy, and my 3 buff laced Polish. Also a few BJG's. Well I had Valerie too at this time. Valerie was so in love with Ivan and never left his side almost her whole life and he never even looked her way. She followed him everywhere. I felt so bad for her. Men!!!

My Princess looks like she has narcolepsy. She continually looks like she lowers her neck and falling asleep then suddenly wakes. I don't know if she's falling asleep or has problems holding her neck up. (she's my 12 yr old)