Icelandic Chickens

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NotAFarm said:
I just got in from evening chores and guess what?  I found three eggs   :celebrate  in the pullet pen!!
I looked at Grima earlier when giving corn treats and said to her "Your comb is looking awfully red!  You're not laying already are you?" and then did the math in my head........five months old on Sept 12........too early right?  I thought I'd better look just to make sure......and there were three pullet size eggs.  Two are very similar and one is a bit different so maybe her hatchmate, Gjoska, has also started.  I'll keep any eye out every day now.  There are two nest boxes in that coop but I haven't checked them since I didn't think there was anything to look for (there is a golf ball and a white plastic egg in one of the two nests).  I will put some fresh hay in there tomorrow morning since some of the pullets sleep in the nests.  It is always exciting to find someone new is laying!  :D
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That's impressive, such early laying!!
 
When do new pullets normally start laying? I have some that will be 6 months old the end of November.

On a different note, I beginning to understand why so many people like their Icelandics so much.
 
My two original hens were hatched the first week of May and began laying the middle of November at just over 6 months old. They were shipped to me at 6 weeks old. Elska (will be 2 years old on the 21st of this month) is the daughter of one of my original hens and laid her first egg at 5 months 1 week old. Grima and Gjoska were hatched April 12 and just turned 5 months old on September 12 and started laying sometime In the last week. Neither of these pullets are daughters of my original hens or Elska. The sire of them is a son of one of my original hens. Perhaps my original hens were slowed in their development due to the stress of shipping from CA and the result was a later starting date. It seems that 5-6 months is average for pullets born here. Remember each Icelandic is an individual and there are many factors that could affect their first egg date. If yours were born at your place, you could have eggs by the beginning of November!
 
I have two hens that are sisters, and both started laying at about the 5 month mark. My third hen, who's from a different bloodline, didn't start until she was at least 8 months old.
 
RedIII said:
Well, I finally did it. I wrote a review for the Icelandic breed. Hopefully that helps more people that are looking into getting some of these.
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Wrote the review where ?

Today we took all the non-Icelandic LF roosters to be processed. I'm finally able to start to build the Icelandic flock. I can hardly wait for spring.
 
Good review! I added a comment also.

Re laying age, mine have been in the 5-6 mos range. Lean towards the later ifnot free ranged. Otoh, if free ranged you usually get the joy of nest hunting !

On temperament, if other distractions arenot present mine come to me, my older ones, Isi and his girls come and eat out of my hands. Chicks have to learn from older ones that I am not a danger, lacking that they are wary, to wild, if I dont spend time with them. What is needed for a chicken to survive if free ranged where there are predators. A year ago I watched Isi and another rooster and several hens gang up on a large garter snake in their run. It is to date the lagest garter snake I have ever seen , it was no match for these viking survivors. I was dutifully impressed, as they killed it and called all of the flock to join in the feeding on it.

Right now my oldest chicks have 3 turkeys in with them that they have shared space with since they were all a few days old, so far so good, the turkeys go out to their own pen this week. I have some younger started chicks that go to the outside brooder this week too, with a heat lamp in it, we have had a number of 35 degree nights here. After a month or so the two groups will be together, also with a heat lamp.

Next week God willing and the creeks dont rise I will gain some of Marys beautiful Icelandics, their quarters await them ! And the week after some of the older roosters go to freezer camp.

Life goes on. I have at least 3 roosters in the older chicks and I am sure will have some in the young ones. Two at least of the older ones are getting Blue on their wheaten , the biggest one is an Isi look alike. No surprise there !

Life is good, and better with Icelandics !
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