Icelandic Chickens

[mlm Mike]

Sounds like this is hatching central! Mary, I love the picture of all your eggs. So many shades of white! And your broodies are beautiful. Who was Gola's mother? Forsaela?

I'm still getting settled in at my new home. I have most of my chickens out here, and it's so nice to be able to leave the roosters in the yard all the time. No more garage hotels for them! I did find out that we've got cougars roaming here, though, so I'm going to have to build a fortress out there. I've already had a few birds escape and have to be thrown back in the run

Hope everyone is well.

Nice to hear from you and things are going well. Cougars

, I hope they leave you alone.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Ditto!

 

[coldupnorth]

Red - I'm glad that the move went well and I am sure your roosters (and hens) are enjoying their new found freedom!

 

[RedIII]

Thanks all

Oh jolly, jolly day. I just got to slither through the top of the fence behind us to retrieve one of my pullets. Reika is living up to her name :l so now I have dirty water all down the front of me and a Charlie horse in my leg, and Reika is in the timeout pen until I get her wings clipped. Never a dull day with Icelandics.

 

[NotAFarm]

Red, yep, they keep us challenged with their antics!!

I just got back from a quick trip to Kentucky to see my two sons and two grandsons...

....managed to meet BYCer KYTinpusher on the way back north and get four Icelandic pullets/hens that she hatched last spring. One is from Laurie"s (coldupnorth) flock and the other three are from the Icelandics that Jim Heinz got from me two years ago (the group included Kella and Dreki). She hatched the pullets but no cockerels and is downsizing to focus on fewer breeds so I was happy to take them. I will post some pictures after they settle in. Right now they are in the egg mobile away from the main coop. There were three eggs in the bottom of the box when I transferred them this evening so egg quantities are up!

I know I've missed the "7 day candle" but will candle tomorrow night and see how many will be transferred out to the broodies.......still have three.....I hope they were just waiting for me to get back before they start.....

Off to see how far behind I am on the Hatchalong thread........

 

[mlm Mike]

Red, yep, they keep us challenged with their antics!!

I just got back from a quick trip to Kentucky to see my two sons and two grandsons...

....managed to meet BYCer KYTinpusher on the way back north and get four Icelandic pullets/hens that she hatched last spring. One is from Laurie"s (coldupnorth) flock and the other three are from the Icelandics that Jim Heinz got from me two years ago (the group included Kella and Dreki). She hatched the pullets but no cockerels and is downsizing to focus on fewer breeds so I was happy to take them. I will post some pictures after they settle in. Right now they are in the egg mobile away from the main coop. There were three eggs in the bottom of the box when I transferred them this evening so egg quantities are up!

I know I've missed the "7 day candle" but will candle tomorrow night and see how many will be transferred out to the broodies.......still have three.....I hope they were just waiting for me to get back before they start.....

Off to see how far behind I am on the Hatchalong thread........

Welcome back! I'm glad you had a nice trip, and you are probably a few posts behind in the Hatchalong thread.

 

[mlm Mike]

@NotAFarm what is your broody count at ? I'm at two!

I have 11 eggs in the incubator I could switch for their eggs, I've never swapped like that before, do I wait until closer to hatch time, or does it matter?

 

[NotAFarm]

Mike, I still have the three.....no one else seems interested at this point. I think letting the hens have them with at least a week to go is best. Move them after dark. I heat a towel in the dryer, put the towel in a box/basket, put the eggs I want an individual hen to have on the towel and cover them with the warm towel. I remove the golf balls/fake eggs from under the hen and place the warm eggs under her. Providing them at least a week gives the chicks a chance to orient themselves, especially if you have incubated them upright. Mine will be moved tomorrow night....didn't get things done in the barn to do it tonight or I would have moved them already.....you know how those Icelandics like to show up early to the party!

 

[mlm Mike]

Mike, I still have the three.....no one else seems interested at this point. I think letting the hens have them with at least a week to go is best. Move them after dark. I heat a towel in the dryer, put the towel in a box/basket, put the eggs I want an individual hen to have on the towel and cover them with the warm towel. I remove the golf balls/fake eggs from under the hen and place the warm eggs under her. Providing them at least a week gives the chicks a chance to orient themselves, especially if you have incubated them upright. Mine will be moved tomorrow night....didn't get things done in the barn to do it tonight or I would have moved them already.....you know how those Icelandics like to show up early to the party!

Thanks! And hatch day is getting close, I'm not used to these 21 day hatches, my last few hatches last year were turkey's then peafowl.
My problem is they are sitting on real eggs of mutts I don't need. I first noticed they were under the hay feeder Sunday. I have another dozen eggs on the way.

I might warm those up and let them have them the whole time. You think It's too late to move them. (Don't tell anyone, but I have a little empty coop I could move them too.)

 

[NotAFarm]

on the 21 day hatches! When I had my Muscovies, it seemed like forever until hatch! I did the Cinco de Mayo turkey hatchalong in '12 and '13 but am skipping it this year.
How long have they been on the mutt eggs? I'd put the Easter Hatchalong eggs under them...you could have another broody by the time the next dozen arrives and warms up!

I think you could move them, they should stick if you've got a good quiet dark place for them.....a nice warm clutch of eggs is more than most could resist once they've been sitting a few days.