Icelandic Chickens

[NotAFarm]

Mary, I like the new website. Transfering all those pictures has to be majorly time-comsuming!
How big do you think the two little cuties will get? Are the Legbars very big?

 

[The Sheriff]

Mary thanks for the compliment on the website. I just passed it on to hubby who has spent the day rebuilding the store after it crashed. I am excited about it. Blogging is a way to share my life's joys and it suits my limitations health wise.

I think the little freaks will stay little. The cream legbars are medium sized and Phyllis is very tiny. I can't keep any boys since I don't have a separate coop. Little Phyllis has no friends and roosts alone on the kick board that keeps they shavings from falling out the door. I am trying to hatch a friend for her. Diabolical, I know but she was laying everyday and is definitely being mated so I had to try.

 

[BostonBryce]

I've been getting 6-7 eggs a day from my 9 Icelandic hens... nice to see them still laying strong. Pretty sure one of them just started laying, been getting some of the tinest bullet eggs.

Question about Broody Hens... is there a certain time I should seperate the Broody Ice from her 9 chicks? they are about 5 weeks old now, And I still have them isolated in a small brooder area.
Should I pull the mom and put her back in with the other hens without her chicks? or should I put all of them in the coop with the rest.. I will add an additional heat lamp in the coops for the smaller chicks, as our lows are about 16-25 degrees each night, but not sure if I am jumping the gun.
-Boston

 

[tazcat70]

Phyllis is a cutie! Poor girl needs a friend or two.

 

[NotAFarm]

The poor little thing.....she definitely needs some small company!

Krystal, the Java pullet, was really trying my patience.....I gave in and gave her 6 eggs.....how does she thank me.....by getting back into the wrong nest...cold eggs....I moved her back on them.......the next morning after getting off for treats.....she gets back in the wrong nest again. When I found her, the eggs were cold for the second time so I took them. I set up the broody coop last night and put 4 golf balls in the nest. She can't get on the wrong nest now...there is only one in the broody coop. She was glued on those golf balls when I checked on her this afternoon so tonight I gave her 6 fresh (still warm) eggs.....temps are suppose to be in the upper teens at night.......I did put a heat lamp in the broody coop just in case she needs it...we'll see what happens now............

 

[Mahonri]

Boston you could probably put all of them in the coop together now.

Watch them. If the small ones get picked on then you may have to separate them, but hopefully, Mama will protect them.... or Dexter or Blau.

 

[NotAFarm]

I've been getting 6-7 eggs a day from my 9 Icelandic hens... nice to see them still laying strong. Pretty sure one of them just started laying, been getting some of the tinest bullet eggs.

Question about Broody Hens... is there a certain time I should seperate the Broody Ice from her 9 chicks? they are about 5 weeks old now, And I still have them isolated in a small brooder area.
Should I pull the mom and put her back in with the other hens without her chicks? or should I put all of them in the coop with the rest.. I will add an additional heat lamp in the coops for the smaller chicks, as our lows are about 16-25 degrees each night, but not sure if I am jumping the gun.
-Boston

Boston, One of my hens "weaned" her first brood at 6 weeks by herself. She was in with the whole flock at the time. She would bring them to the low perches by the nest boxes when they were smaller and eventually to the "middle" roost. Some went up into the rafter roosts without her while she was still down in the "middle" with others. If you have other young cockerels, you will need to keep a close eye on the young pullets to prevent them from getting hurt. I learned the hard way last summer that a bachelor pen was needed to put the cockerels in as soon as they started to show signs of maturity. I keep my broody hens separate with their chicks for about a week and then gradually let them out to free range with every one else, usually near the end of the day when the others are thinking about going to the roost. This gives the hen a chance to teach the chicks without all the commotion of the rest of the flock.

Anna with chicks in one of my outside broody coops:



Anna with brood inside the main coop nest boxes:



Anna with brood on "middle" perch and half wall: (and see that blue bum right under her, between the white bum and the cockerel face...that's Dreki!!)



Notice how little mottling Anna had just this past year........then she brooded two groups of chicks and now, after her molt.....

....maybe the offspring do cause "graying"!!!

 

[Farmerboy16]

Nice pictures NotAFarm!

 

[BostonBryce]

Thanks guys.... I will introduce them to the "real" world sometime this week.. When i'm not watching the kids so much.
My wife coaches basketball, and has alot of games, tournaments and practices this week.

 

[NotAFarm]

Thanks Daron! How's the hatch going?

Boston, I hope your wife's team does well in their tournament!

....and your momma and chicks adjust to the flock!