IA here

[mrandmrschicken]

Steph, are your pullets squatting yet when you reach for them or when a roo walks by? Is anyones?

 

[Tiramisu]

Quote:
The cockerel is trying to control his harem.



Had another inquiry, via postcard, for bantam Buttercup eggs or chicks. He lives in MN and comes to Okobji to visit his brother. I think I am going to have to go to SD and get a trio again to supply folks needs. They should be getting close to POL, so it's possible he could be uh... ready?

Lol. i wish the eggs we had put in were good, idk if the one we have now and the others we will get will be any good though :\\ we need to start a new pen for them.

as for the pullets sqautting - since being put in the pen where they are mostly alone besides the pen with the buttercups, they run like hell when you walk near them

 

[pbjmaker]

No my pullets are nowhere near squatting. Their combs have no color yet. I wonder if they are slow to mature. I was looking at my Storey's again last night and my roo doesn't look to bad compared to the one in there. He is longer legged and his comb is a bit taller. Those pullets though are nowhere near the look of the Iowa Blue hen.

We have a lot of work cut out for us when it comes to the hens.

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Quote:
I don't understand what you mean by "Storey's". They could be slow growers, I know the Orloffs are.

Tira, I never had an issue with fertility with the Buttercups. Are you or have you set more?

 

[karimw]

Quote:
My younger IA Blues ones from your group are just starting to show color in their combs, but they run like crazy from the roos. ALL the roos are in hormone overload. My DH was laughing at their squawks.. er crows... I think he hurt their feelings

I did put nest boxes in for the older ones. I think the cats are getting more use of them though

At 21 weeks they have been "active" with the roos for a while now and have very red combs. I guess we'll see!

 

[karimw]

Quote:
There seems to be a wide range of development. Of the ones I have from Eric's lot some look quite mature. Two of the roos have good spike feathers in their tails but one looks barely more than a pullet so far except for his red comb. He usually hides out among the girls so Boss roo won't notice him. The other two can't do that, and in any case they are harassing the pullets as bad as the Boss.

I re-read my Story's (Illustrated Guide to Chicken Breeds) too. I have a couple of pullets that look like the one in the picture, but most are black so far. I'm not convinced that is what they are supposed to look like. All the old illustrations show black bodies on the hens. Somehow we have to get all the breeders together on this. There are 3 or 4 different threads on BYC

 

[pbjmaker]

Right Kari - these pullets are nowhere close to that picture. Looking closely at it - that hen actually looks "blue". Eric - I can scan and download the pictures if you don't have that book. Actually I will do it anyway for others that might not have that book.

Sorry the hen is upside down - I couldn't get a clear scan any other way.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

hmmm, that hen in the picture is penciled. I thought they were supposed to be birchen???

I don't know if I'd go by Story's guide for breeding.

These Iowa Blues are all over the place with rate of growth, color, etc.

I am planning on breeding quite a few, culling very hard, then breeding quite a few more to try to get them leveled out. Where I am going with the breeding, still thinking on that. Mine are all pretty small, about the size of my Minorca's, maybe a little bigger. So no worries there. I think they are supposed to be more the size of Game's, anyway, right?

I generally like to breed for a larger size, but with the Iowa Blue's, I think I'm going to try to keep them on the small side. If their egg size is still robust, then it will be a good thing. Especially with the feed bill I have. Getting my bin filled with another TON of feed today. I'm really going through feed lately with the cold weather we're having. Last fill I got was $380 and it was just 5 weeks ago. Sigh.

Quote:

 

[pbjmaker]

Trish - my pullets are tiny - bigger than a game bird but about 1/2 the size of my maran hens. The roo on the other hand is taller than the marans but a slimmer build. He has a lot of leg length. Yeah - in the picture the hen is penciled and BLUE. I'm with you - going to hatch a lot then cull a lot. I really like the roo I have- he is nice looking and two of the 4 hens have the silver necks. The other two are mostly black. Does anyone else see coppering in the feathers also?

 

[pbjmaker]

Well here's hoping the weather holds - my daughter is driving to Mall of America for her work. They are opening a new store and she has to take over the old store for the next several days.

It took her forever to get her rental car because she is not 21 yet and they had to get special permission from Avis corporate for her to take possession. I think she is frustrated with that AND the weather.