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

[speckledhen]

I did that on Ebay, found several offerings of zip ties. I left Amazon years ago, would rather not go back, but Ebay is a great place to find stuff like that.

 

[1muttsfan]

The smallest ones you can get are fine for chicks. And you monitor your chicks so closely that I don't think there's any risk of the bands getting too tight. When they start looking too tight, you just snip them off and put new ones on.
I have put small plastic baskets in my incubator to hatch separate eggs in. You can put the baskets upside down, and they should be as tall as possible for your incubator. Otherwise the little devils just jump from one to the other.

 

[1muttsfan]

As far as toe punching, it is really punching a hole in the webbing between the toes. They make little tools that do that. It is very permanent when done properly, but does not necessarily replace leg bands to identify individual birds.

If you didn't want to do toe punches you could use the temporary zip ties until they were old enough to put a regular band on. I like the one that are little plastic coils, they come in many sizes and colors.

 

[speckledhen]

Jamie does the toe punch and I've seen it done, just never did it and don't have the tool.
Here is the email I just got from Jamie. I had no idea what "BT" is, figured prob a pen designation same as white and green he mentions and that's what it is. He has sent eggs from 3 pens, apparently.

I was able to send you 15 eggs. I marked them with the pens so you can toe punch them.

Pen 7 is my BT male over my green pullets
Pen 1 is my #3 white male over my BT pullets
Pen 3 is my #1 white male over my Green hens

Make sure when you un wrap them, set them pointy end down for a day or so in a cool dark place to let the yolks settle.
You're welcome to call anytime to chat.

That looks like a big box for 15 eggs, so lots of packing material.

These are the leg bands I have on hand, but I don't like them. They are different sizes, of course, different colors. I used to see the flat spiral ones all the time, but those seem to be less common now.

 

[1muttsfan]

 

[speckledhen]

Will be on the way to the P.O. to pick up my package in a few. Arrived a day earlier than the tracking indicated. Will candle all to see if there are any cracks, hopefully none broken the way he packs them.
I got an email from Jamie saying to call the P.O. that they were close-never had a breeder do that. He seems to really want my hatch to go well and I like that.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Good luck with your hatch. I used the colored zip ties without any problems. Just put on a bit loosely and cut off the extra. I would change them as the chicks got bigger. If you have a harbor freight near you, it's a good place to get them.

 

[speckledhen]

I have some on the way from Ebay and that's just what I planned to do, Laura. Seems easy enough and cost-effective as well.

They are here, candled to make sure there are no cracks, sitting in the trays until tomorrow morning to let the air cells settle. The box was treated well, it seems no one got the urge to play kickball with it. Two or three are quite porous, others are fine. Packed to perfection just the way I always did it and have found works beautifully. Jamie seems as excited for my hatch as I am! And he sent me a bonus, a little Barred Plymouth Rock breeding tips booklet he's written, how nice!
They'll be due March 27. I am going to start a new thread entitled "Omega Rocks" meaning last and/or ultimate. This is what I plan to breed from now on, providing this hatch gives me enough to start.

Some of these pics will be repeated in the new thread so I can chronicle their incubation and hatch.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

I just saw the video of the rocks you posted and they are beautiful. I sure miss the ones I used to have. If all goes well with my foray back into the chicken world I may eventually try to get some heritage barred rocks.

 

[speckledhen]

You should get some one day, Laura. I love my BRs.
Someone on a recent video of mine commented this and I was flabbergasted. Small hens? Maybe she was looking at Jill on the other roost bar when I was talking about Zara and Athena. Jill is not as large as they are, but she's still no slouch.

I hate to question you, but are you positive those are Barred Rocks?? I have both BPR and Dominiques-and your girls' combs look too small to be Barred. And, their stripes are jagged like a Dominique

That is a first...they have too small combs? Never heard that one. And small birds, seriously? I told her that hatchery hens tend to have way too large combs, that these have smaller combs because they are well-bred Rocks. But, I did say that Athena's comb was shrunken and not good color and her feathers were ruffled up because she is dying. Big old Zara was right beside her and her barring is perfection. Likely she has only experience with hatchery stock. It was very weird to see someone ask if they are even Barred Rocks when their lineage is what it is, though!
I linked my video about heritage BRs vs Hatchery BRs for her to see.