Icelandic Chickens

[coldupnorth]

I don't mind winter when it is above 0* and you can go out and play in the snow. It is -17*F with a windchill at around -35* right now. That is not the type of winter that is enjoyable. My poor chickens are sick of it already and if this winter goes like last years it will be here till May (we had 2 feet of snow the very end of April). Don't think we'll be seeing 0* today at all. I know - I chose to live in Minnesota, but winters are generally not this brutal this early. I hope warmer weather comes for all of us soon!

Sebrightsrock - Love your Icelandics!

 

[mlm Mike]

coldupnorth, that is way to cold, and too much late season snow. I hope this winter is shorter for you.

 

[tommysgirl]

Welcome back tommysgirl! Icelandics do have a tendency to grow on you...so much to love....they are such an incredible breed.

Thanks...I am really starting to enjoy them. They love to be out and I love watching them be out.

 

[Nickeyo]

How do other dosage feral or free range birds

 

[Happy Chooks]

Oh my, you guys are FRIGID! I would surely be an ice cube. We had temps down in the teens for a week and it was awful. Of course it was combined with this white stuff, then the ice that followed.



We've thankfully thawed out now, and were in the low 50's today.

 

[RedIII]

Brrr! Sounds like some of you are definitely in cold weather! Hope everyone stays warm. We're in the mid 20's here right now, which is a lot warmer than it has been at night for the past week or so. I'll bet it has to do with the inversion...............bleck. We sure get it bad in the winter. See what I mean: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=28...ou-look-out-at-it-says-doctor-about-inversion

Laurie, this young roo that hatched from your flock's eggs is sure gorgeous. I was holding him and watching him scoot around in the garage for a minute tonight, and I just love him. I can see some of his sire peeking out in his features. He's a little more flighty, like my SC roo, but he still lets me pick him up and pet him and love him. He's started scouting for treats and making his sweet little calls to the ladies, too.

 

[drumstick diva]

REDIII sounds like another lady's man in the making!!

 

[Nickeyo]

How do icelandic chickens do with free range and foraging

 

[mlm Mike]

How do icelandic chickens do with free range and foraging

They do very well free range and are excellent foragers.

 

[NotAFarm]

Hello Nickeyo!

My flock of Icelandics is happiest when they are able to be out finding their own food. They are voracious eaters of Japanese Beetles (for which I am sooo thankful) and just about any other bug, grub, worm, etc they can find. They will jump up to eat berries that are out of their normal reach and will spy-out under my bird feeders to find whatever the song birds may have left. I have hickory trees and when the nuts fall on the gravel driveway, the vehicles crush them and the chickens can be seen out there eating them. They will also rob the barn cats' dish if they aren't there to guard it. They are very wary and the cocks alert the flocks to danger and the hens will run for cover at their alarm call. The hens are fierce protectors of the young and teach them early about finding food. This is not to say that they are never caught unawares. I lost a hen to a hawk that was weaning chicks and out away from the main flock, so it does happen. If you are looking for a flock that is great at finding most of its own food (this is only if you have sufficient area and weather permits for them to range), Icelandics would be a great choice....if you have a nice garden...you may have to fence them out of it if they do not have other ample spots to find food.