Icelandic Chickens

[Happy Chooks]

call ducks...........I saw you're Addicted to Silver Appleyards. I want them so bad, but my DH will probably send me to the looney bin if I get started on ducks too. (don't tell him I also want turkeys)

 

[Happy Chooks]

Any early arrivals to the party Kathy?

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Still waiting....

 

[The Sheriff]

It is with fear and trepidation that I make the announcement that we have decided to allow our Icelandic chickens to free range. After reading Johanna's article in Aviculture and her comments about the breed not being suited to confinement, I have had much debate within my own head about it. I know from raising Icelandics that they do love their freedom and foraging. I thought by moving onto this property we could let them have more freedom, but fear of hawks and dogs forced us to fence them in and cover their run with netting. The result is overcrowding and not being able to have as many chickens as we wanted. We have again discussed allowing them to free range and have decided to give it a try. We spent the day putting up fencing to keep them off the deck and out of the road. They will have access to about 2 or 3 acres of grass in a fenced pasture which will have now dubbed Little Iceland. There is a seasonal creek (swale) that runs through the area so fresh drinking water will be available. The barn we built has a separate room which was initially intended for keeping chickens. To use it, all we have to do is add roosts and a pop door. There is electricity and water at the door. There are many granite outcroppings and berry vines for hiding. We will also plant low growing bushes for additional areas to run under if there is an aerial attack. We are hoping that the fencing will be sufficient to keep the neighborhood dogs out. It won't be the Fort Knox they are in now, but it should provide a reasonable measure of safety. Much of the time they will share a pasture with our donkeys who will help with the predator issues. They chase coyotes.

So after the storm due in tonight passes, we will finish preparations and then make the big move. The plan is to move all the Icelandics to the barn and the free-range pasture. The babies and juveniles will stay in the baby coop until it is safe for them to join the Viking flock. I will try the deep litter method and put in a a large bulk feeder and auto-waterer to reduce chores. I am hoping that broodies can hatch and raise their babies without my assistance. I plan to keep all the Icelandics I have right now and not sell any at the Stockton show. Today I made arrangements to sell eating eggs to the local feedstore which will in turn re-sell them to their customers. They have people looking for white eating eggs but do not have a steady supply. I won't get rich but at $2.20 per dozen I should cover my feed bill.

We will use the existing coop and covered yard for our seven layers and older hens as well as the bantam cochins I hope to hatch on New Years. I am sure the laying hens will appreciate the extra space and freedom from the roosters. If I get any bantam cochin roos the girls will just have to tolerate them.

I am really excited about this new project and the thought of be able to use the land as we had hoped. Mass casualties due to predators will certainly end the experiment and everyone will be returned to the safety of Fort Knox. I am hoping they live well and prosper and I can look out my window in two weeks and see hens and roos scattered about the barn enjoying the freedom of Little Iceland. Wish us luck!

 

[kathyinmo]

Wonderful, Mary! That is just fabulous news!

You are giving me ideas here, too.....

 

[cherylcohen]

It is scary but they will absolutely love it...

 

[Happy Chooks]

That's great news Mary! I hope everything works out for you!

 

[kathyinmo]

I have 18 eggs in the hatcher.
6 or 7 are Icelandics, the others are Delawares.

I have 2 pips, both are Icelandics.... one from Mary's and one from mine.

 

[The Sheriff]

Thanks you guys! This is a big step for a nervous chicken mama. At the last house we had lots of heavy tree canopy so it was easier to let them roam. I am nervous but determined to try. Johanna's article states that the Viking chickens are the oldest known breed in the world. In Iceland they are free to roam all over the farm during the day and return to the shelter at night. If they have lived this way in Iceland since the tenth century, who am I to coop them up in Auburn, CA over one thousand years later?

I am going to need more hand-holding than Mahonri on New Year's Eve to get through this experiment in free ranging my beloved Icelandics! Stay with me.

 

[cherylcohen]

Mary how many roos and hens do you have, the roos should help protect the girls right?