IA here

[Gryphon]

Frostbite is usually caused not so much by cold alone, but cold and humidity combined. One thing to check is if your coop is airtight. Chickens put off a lot of humidity with their resperation so even if it's really cold, they need air vents to release the excess humidity. Sometimes it's not the coop though, and is just the area you're in. Waterloo has a river going through it, right? If it's not fozen over, it might be kicking out excess humidity and there's not much to do about that except smear vaseline on combs and wattles and hope this freaking winter finally goes away.

 

[karimw]

Hello Fellow Iowans!
I am searching for some birds for a couple of 4-H kids to show. Anyone around Iowa City that breeds /sells show quality birds?

Keep in mind most 4-H shows are in the summer. If you get chicks now, they likely won't be old enough to show in June or July. You might check with the Eastern Iowa Poultry Association, and they may be able to help point you in the right direction.

 

[Kramer Farms]

K &L Alternative Livestock and Bird Auction
Yates Center, KS

March 1st and 2nd

Sale schedule - Consignments (as they come in) - All sale info can be found on the website: www.kramerlivestockfarm.com Go to the livestock sale page.

The largest animal auction of its kind in the area. Come and check it out.

 

[urbanfarmer101]

Thank you so much everyone! I appreciate all the info and offers.

 

[5chicks1roo]

Speaking of County Line Hatchery, if you have bought their birds, what was your experience? Their website states " We offer some higher end stock that would be suitable for showing, as well as production stock with that necessary "hybrid vigor."". Anyone know what their higher end stock consists of? I'm wanting to add Silver Laced Wyandottes, Barred Rock, Ameraucana, and Black Copper Marans to my flock.

We've picked up chickens from her on a couple occasions (and the friendliest milking goat you will ever meet). Love Liz! Our Buff Orp roo is huge and just gorgeous. His crow is my favorite lol. She's also shipped us silkie eggs once too - great hatch rate and the babies were beautiful. Our Ameraucanas lay the prettiest blue eggs. The bantam cochins and silkies we got from her are the sweetest little things - total lap chickens. I don't know if she still has BCM - when I first called last spring she was no longer breeding them. I don't know if she's started breeding them again.

 

[karimw]

My understanding is County Line started off with several lines of show quality stock, but selection since then has been for quantity not quality. (Buff orps were not show stock - I had some and they had some serious disqualifying traits) I do have some BBS Ameraucanas from the same line as theirs and they are pretty nice. Might not compete in an APA show, but should be OK for 4H.

 

[erdman818]

Hi Iowans!! I am in north central Iowa in the teeny town of Whittemore! I am a newbie at all of this, we have our coop all planned out and the materials ready, hoping to build this coming weekend! The problem I am running into is the minimum orders that a lot of the websites mentioned on here for ordering chicks, I am planning for a maximum of 10-12 chicks total-ideally I would like broiler-types to use for meat, and the other half I would looove to find some really good layers to keep through the winters. I tend to buy everything locally to support around here, but its looking like that's maybe not an option! Are there any good suggestions out there as to what I should look into? Websites, hatcheries, local farmers-any suggestions welcome!! Thanks all!!

 

[ottbjumper06]

What breeds are you looking to have? Are you wanting quality birds or does it matter? Bantam or LF?

 

[ottbjumper06]

I will pm you.

 

[Gryphon]

While I haven't ordered chickens from them, I've gotten seeds from Sandhill Preservation and it's located in Iowa. Unfortunately they do have a minimum order of 25 chicks but if you find someone to split them with they'd be doable, and I've heard decent things about their birds. http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/ I've also had good luck with ottjumper. (My pullets are doing great, and the Marans looks like she's thinking of laying)