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

[seminolewind]

Me, who didn't cook for 14 years now has a new kitchen and do cook , let's say infrequently. But mostly special meals. I actually cooked Thanksgiving last year. So my endeavor for Tuesday is inviting DD and family over and making lamb shanks, Spaetzla (german noodles?) with pan fried onions, garlic, and butter, and a salad that is heavier on the cukes and tomatoes and less lettuce and actually lots of parsley chopped up. Then I have a dressing to make that's olive oil, vinegar, lemon, and something called pomegranate molasses. So should be good. I never thought I'd like lamb but the recipe makes them yummy.

 

[1muttsfan]

Sounds Fabulous!

 

[getaclue]

Glad you are enjoying that nice kitchen!

 

[h2oratt]

I haven't even seen those, really, yet. Not sure what's really different. I used to keep up with all that, have the most posts by far of anyone on BYC, but after I began avoiding Emergencies and Random Ramblings, that dropped off dramatically. I post on my own threads or go to those where I'm tagged and that's about it. I'll have to discover the feature changes one by one, I suppose.

Remember awhile back when my son in S. Korea sent me a box of handmade bath bombs? I was almost finished with the box and I happened to tell him how much I was enjoying them, how marvelous the bathroom smelled for hours afterward. Out of the blue, he sent me a second one. They really are nice. In fact, they truly are handmade.....here is what was floating in the tub after the Victorian Rose scented one:
View attachment 2003716

Note: so the Insert image at the top did not work. Had to Attach file.

What a sweet son. Those look awesome. A must get some to try them.

 

[speckledhen]

Sissy is dying. I have no idea why. She is eating, but moving in slow motion, no bloating, just lethargic and pale, no mites, probably just her time. Lucy was the same, just lethargic without explanation and passed away around 3-4 years old. Neither of them was producing eggs past
their first year.

And Alice's neck is getting more stiff, poor girl. She tried to grab some food and fell over onto her side this morning when she was at her stiffest. She can look forward with effort.

 

[1muttsfan]

Oh that's too bad just one thing after another

 

[speckledhen]

Oh that's too bad just one thing after another

Yeah. Those D'Anvers have had odd things happen and they= progeny never seemed as strong as the parents. Carly, who was one of the originals, but super tiny at just 17 oz, had those seizures and we had to euthanize her. My only porcelain hen had a huge oil gland tumor. One hen had a vertical leg fracture. Lucy died from nothing I could diagnose, just like Sissy is now.

 

[seminolewind]

Sorry to hear about Sissy. I think there's poor genetic lines maybe by over breeding or breeding birds with problems way before you get them. I had 4 Creveceours (?) and each died of something different but they did all die. I am very happy with the Houdans. I have my 2nd batch. They are large, fluffy and very docile. Not great egg layers but I don't care. I have 4 that want to be held all the time and one from a past hatch who is the only left of 3 sisters. One met death by racoon, and the other just Poof! disappeared. The one left is my Psycho who bites but likes being held at times .
Cynthia, you would probably know if she's got the internal laying problem. The only thing I can think of if all else fails is Apergillosis. Fungus that grows anywhere starting with the lungs and virtually no symptoms.

 

[speckledhen]

Sissy hasn't laid for at least 3 years, same as most of the line does. Only Aimee has been a fair layer in this breed, with Mina second best, which isn't saying much. I think they're just not strong birds, generally. Today, Aubrey was hopping in a weird way when I herded them back to their barn pen and I trapped him in the corner to see what the heck was wrong. He got a string around both feet somehow and was stressing out trying to walk while hogtied. I always try to pick up all feed bag strings, but one got away from us. He is not easily caught, that one, but I think this time he was relieved to have me catch him, as much as he can be, not being one to like a human touch in the least.

 

[speckledhen]

Sissy was gone this morning as I expected. Yesterday was so warm, that she got to snooze on Tom's chest on the hammock in the sunshine her last day. That is a squeaky little voice I'll miss. She was useless and pretty low IQ compared to the other hens in there, but she was my silly squeaky Sissy and it will be very quiet in there from now on.