Iowa Blues Chicken Club (IBCC) - Breed Standard Discussion / Club Discussion

[thombaker]

Hi, Jake. You are undoubtedly right about the likelihood that there were no Marans in Iowa at the time of the creation of the IB. The breed was nearly gone though, and some new blood from other breeds was infused. That's what I'm talking about. The birchen color had to come from somewhere, and from a rare color of a sturdy breed like the Marans, who could really trace it? There is lots in common with the French breed that I haven't mentioned. For instance, take a look at the crests in both breeds. Color and contour are really close. Take in the angle of the tail. Sure, you see a high tail like that on a pheasant in mating condition, and we all like the story but...

Off to PA.

Thom

P.S. Yes, it is lovely here.

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Tom,

We (the members on the Standard Committee) have confirmation that the Birchen pattern began to appear in the early 2000's as the result of Black Leghorn being added into the breed by Ideal Hatchery. In the ealry 1990's Glenn Drowns from Sandhill Preservation Center began to breed in Silver Penciled x Campine/Fayoumi crosses into his very limited Iowa Blue flock. At the time he had one of the last remaining flocks left in the nation. When you cross a SP Rock with a Fayoumi, a few of the offspring come out Birchen in color. Ideal Hatchery bought some of these crosses from Glenn (which contained a few Birchens) and due to no standard being in place, Ideal choose to breed these crosses to Black Leghorn to solidify the Birchen pattern while at the same time trying to improve egg production.
If you read through the historical archive section on the Iowa Blue Chicken Club, you'll find all the information that has been put together, plus much more on the history! I think you'll enjoy what you find.

Curt

 

[Auntie Moose]

I don't know how active this group still is, but can anyone hazard a guess on the sex of this Iowa Blue of mine? Just over seven weeks.