BLUE ISBARS - Pictures and discussion

[dfdesigns]

I'm still getting good egg production, and have a dozen ready to roll if desired.

I have two gorgeous blue roos over splash, blue and a lone black hen. (I've yet to ever hatch a black myself.)

 

[lawatt]

I'm still getting good egg production, and have a dozen ready to roll if desired.

I have two gorgeous blue roos over splash, blue and a lone black hen. (I've yet to ever hatch a black myself.)

and I will add that your eggs have beautifully colored shells! i'd love to get some more at some point, although have a bunch of Mary's isbar eggs in the incubator right now, hopefully hatching this weekend...

 

[Nomibear]

Please share pics of your babies for those of us who are still Isbar deprived

 

[dfdesigns]

Quote:
Awww... thanks, Laura!

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

I have heard that although the Isbars are an auto-sexing breed, the blues are difficult to discern sex at hatch. Please give your opinions to this newbie...thanks! Does it make any difference what the parent birds' colors are (BBS options) as far as autosexing clarity?

 

[lonnyandrinda]

I have not been able to sex a single Isbar at hatch. My understanding is that the man who created the breed died before he could "finish" it and make it autosexing. He intended it to be though. However, they are pretty easy to sex by 4-6 weeks old based on comb size and color.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

What are the challenges with this breed? Do extra cockerels make decent dressed fryers, and at what age?

 

[lonnyandrinda]

My biggest challenge- chick viability is very low. I've been fighting e coli infection being passed from hens to eggs that is killing 90% + of my chicks. Finally got them treated just in time to lose my rooster to a dog and the hens stopped laying for the year, so I won't know for several months if I've fixed the problem or not. BUT I hear this same problem from many breeders, just not as high percentage as mine.

The roosters are not huge, but decent size for what they are. I would think you would need to grow them out to 5-6 months before they would be worth eating.

 

[familypendragon]

My biggest challenge- chick viability is very low.  I've been fighting e coli infection being passed from hens to eggs that is killing 90% + of my chicks.  Finally got them treated just in time to lose my rooster to a dog and the hens stopped laying for the year, so I won't know for several months if I've fixed the problem or not.  BUT I hear this same problem from many breeders, just not as high percentage as mine.

The roosters are not huge, but decent size for what they are.  I would think you would need to grow them out to 5-6 months before they would be worth eating.

I still don't know what we are plagued with here but it has been killing nearly all my isbar chicks too. I think the LS 50 I just got may be doing the trick though

 

[lonnyandrinda]

I still don't know what we are plagued with here but it has been killing nearly all my isbar chicks too. I think the LS 50 I just got may be doing the trick though

Had to look it up- sounds like a good place to start.