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

[speckledhen]

This post belongs here, without a doubt. I am witnessing the beginning of the decline of our Zara, Athena's sister, both Atlas's daughters. They were hatched together and were inseparable until Athena's recent death.
Zara is not coming off the roost right away in the mornings now. She sits and sits until I lift her down to the floor. Her comb is turning a darker purplish color. So, another hen will pass from plain old age soon. And they were my very last link to Atlas, that line of Stukel Rocks, and the Delawares, too, since Isaac was Atlas's paternal grandsire.
Naturally, I still have Maddie (still broody) and her mother Jill (broody when it suits her) from the Jill Burk Rocks, but they are unrelated to Atlas and they are both elderly as well. Makes me so sad because Zara is a huge baby with my husband. She'll tug his pants leg until he picks her up and then, she'll snuggle into his chest. And she is quite talkative. No idea how long this will take, but Athena lasted two or three weeks past when I noticed she was off. And sadly, poor Mace will lose a 2nd hen from his four hen flock of Rocks.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

So sorry Cynthia. The heat probably isn't helping any. You always give your birds a great life. It's so sad they can't live longer.

 

[1muttsfan]

Yes, your birds live very long and happy lives.

 

[speckledhen]

So sorry Cynthia. The heat probably isn't helping any. You always give your birds a great life. It's so sad they can't live longer.

I comfort myself with the fact that you can't wish a better life for a chicken than to be given the best food and care, a safe place to live and to die of old age after being spoiled your entire life. Zara is going on 10 years old now, was several months old when Hector & Bash hatched.

Yes, your birds live very long and happy lives.

I try to give them the best care. At least, it's old age, not injury or illness or predation.

 

[1muttsfan]

May we all wish for the same

 

[speckledhen]

Zara is still with us, but there has been a weird development in that small flock. Jill, Hector's only remaining hen, has always been the boss of everyone in that group. She's always bossy as heck, but now, her daughter, Maddie, who sat next to her 9 yr old mother on the floor the entire time she and Jill were both broody, has apparently decided that Jill has committed some terrible indicretion. It's either that or Maddie, being the most spry hen in there now, has decided to take over the head hen spot. She is hell on wheels, attacking Jill, flogging her and coming away with feathers in her mouth. She is fighting Zara, too. Jill now sleeps on the separate bar next to Mace and sits on the roost all day long unless they go outside. Then, she avoids Maddie because Maddie will chase her away from the food. She's molting heavily because of her 2 month broody spell and looks and acts pathetic at the moment.

I am so close to throwing Maddie into the pen with the Omega Rocks, but that is taking one Mace's only three hens from him and I don't want to punish him. But, what on earth has gotten into Maddie? Maybe she's feeing the effects of the heat like we all are and is just in a mood. She always ran from her mother the entire 7 years of her life and now, Jill is the one running. I mean, I used to call Jill "Jill the Pill" because she was grumpy and overbearing, but Maddie is now Maddie the Monster, sheesh.

 

[1muttsfan]

Maybe she needs a few days time out in a separate cage so that she has time to think about and appreciate how lucky she is

 

[speckledhen]

She may just have to get a time-out. I guess we'll see if she calms down soon. I feel so sorry for Jill.