Iowa Blues

[Tiramisu]

I just got 4 chicks yesterday, they are the same as what FlashPointFarm got. They are from Privett and Ideal hatchery.

I didn't have long to be with them, I had to leave them at my moms, I will get better pics later on. Their feathers are a bit messy from being in a crate for a few days.

 

[karimw]

I've got 15 now. 3 pullets and a roo hatched on September 1 and 11 more about 2 weeks younger. I know there is no breed standard, but I guess if we are the breeders we need to set the standard.

So it seems to me we need to come together on what we are breeding for? I believe all are agreed we need to improve the silver heads on the females. Mine are young, but most are nearly all black. I've noticed some have a white or partial white feather or two in their wings. Has anyone else seen this? Is this acceptable? I have also heard that the original IA Blues had dark eyes, but some have light eyes. Do we work to eliminate the light eyed trait?

Thanks for starting the thread, by the way, we needed to have one.

 

[Tiramisu]

Quote:
Did you buy the older birds that were in the sale area? I wanted to get some of those, but we went Sunday thinking they'd still have stuff set up but everything was gone. I think Trish talked to the guy selling them and found that out...or someone did. I think we should breed for darker eyes, I have not looked at mine enough yet to see the color of the eyes. I did notice the white on the wings, only two birds have like 1 feather on 1 wing with white though. I don't think that's good.
I did notice the brown-ish coloring on the wings too, didn't know they had that. You can kind of see the white on the wing in the first pic.

I was wondering where others planned to get birds later on to help with breeding. Seems you already have some different stock to help with that though lol

I was thinking I might order some from sandhill unless we find a breeder or someone to get some from.

 

[lildinkem]

Bruno is a great hawk fighter.
Maybe he is an Iowan? He seems to fit the description of Iowa Blues better then many I see coming out of the hatcheries.
maybe I need to farm him out? lololol

 

[karimw]

Quote:
Bruno DOES look like an IA Blue! Where did you find him?

 

[karimw]

Quote:
The guy with the IA Blues in the sale coop is from Cedar Rapids. (I have his number if anyone is interested) He bought his original stock from Ideal and the chicks he had for sale are the offspring of those. So really I guess they are the same as what we have. I do think Sandhill is a good bet. From what I have heard they supplied Ideal and Privett with their stock. Dark Egg is another hatchery that carried them at one time. I would like to get some from Sandhill too.

 

[lildinkem]

Quote:
Bruno DOES look like an IA Blue! Where did you find him?

I love Bruno. I bought him from Betty Jo Aldrich here in Nashville IN about 3 years ago. He is suppose to be a Marans. I think he has a future in an Iowa project.

 

[Tiramisu]

Quote:
The guy with the IA Blues in the sale coop is from Cedar Rapids. (I have his number if anyone is interested) He bought his original stock from Ideal and the chicks he had for sale are the offspring of those. So really I guess they are the same as what we have. I do think Sandhill is a good bet. From what I have heard they supplied Ideal and Privett with their stock. Dark Egg is another hatchery that carried them at one time. I would like to get some from Sandhill too.

Ooh, thought his birds might have been from somewhere different. I read to about Sandhill supplying the birds to Ideal and some hatcheries..but that ideal and other hatcheries probably crossed them with something. I can get a small order from Sandhill if I want, since I live about 45mins from them. I had emailed them about 2 years ago about picking up a few of them and they said I could.

 

[karimw]

Here are some pictures of mine.

6 -7 weeks olds - Ideal and Privett stock

This is one af a little pullet just before she attacked the cat. She does it any time they come near!

9 week olds - Raised by a breeder in Cedar Rapids

 

[karimw]

Ok here are some updated picks of myIowa Blues! The older roo and 3 of the pullets are 18 weeks and the others are 2-3 weeks younger. I thought my count was 4 roos and 11 pullets, but recently another roo matured. He is gaining more color quickly and fighting with the others even though he is half their size

The flock

A couple of the younger pullets

3 roos - the big one on the left is the oldest

Older roo - I see I better get that zip tie off him!

Older roo and young roo

They are a pretty rowdy bunch, but at least they get along with their neighbors! I love the shape of this pullet. She is more mature than the others and showing some red in her comb. Maybe I better get the nest boxes ready! Does anyone know when they start laying?