Icelandic Chickens

[LittleChickSpy]

Red, YES. I have one guy who has been going off between 10-12 the last few nights in row. Mine roost in the trees (yet to solve that one), as well, so it freaks me out every time I hear crowing at night.

 

[mlm Mike]

Red, YES. I have one guy who has been going off between 10-12 the last few nights in row. Mine roost in the trees (yet to solve that one), as well, so it freaks me out every time I hear crowing at night.

I'm having the tree roosting issue also. I had locked them in their coop for a while. I let them back out, they were going back into the coop at night, then the weather warmed up. Last evening they went back into the tree.

 

[NotAFarm]

I keep hearing everyone talk about them roosting in the trees. I've never had that problem and wonder if it is because my roosts are so high off the ground. How high is your highest roost, Mike and LCS?

 

[mlm Mike]

I keep hearing everyone talk about them roosting in the trees. I've never had that problem and wonder if it is because my roosts are so high off the ground. How high is your highest roost, Mike and LCS?

This is the first group I had that did this. It's 1 rooster and 4 hens. The highest roost is close to 6 feet. Last night the hens went into the coop and the rooster went in and got them out. Tonight the hens went in, when the rooster went in I ran out and closed the door.

 

[NotAFarm]

Sounds like he is trying to keep them to himself! Good move on catching them while in!

 

[mlm Mike]

They all went into the coop last night. Hopefully the other night they learned their lesson.

 

[deputychicken21]

Hey gang I have a breeding question.

I'm close separating my Icelandic's in to breeding groups. Does color matter in the pairs? Example - If I group a black female with a black male will the chicks be black or a variety of colors like the rest of the flock? I think Im correct in saying there are no dominate color genes with the Icelandic's. Any input would be appreciated. Thank you

 

[NotAFarm]

Chicken genetics work the same regardless of breed. Some genes are dominant to others and those will express themselves without regard to breed. Icelandics have a varied gene pool because they don't have a "standard" that people breed to. Characteristics have not been lost because they have never been bred out. For example, if you only kept rose comb birds of a certain color, eventually you would lose all the single, walnut, strawberry comb gemes and have rose comb genes only in your flock. Your flock would no longer have the ability to produce anything but rose combs. Same with color. That is how most APA breeds were developed. Someone took the time to "get rid of the undesirable traits" and bred only those traits that they wanted. If you are trying to develop your own line of black Icelandics, putting the blacks together would be the way to start. If you want to keep variety in the flock, you would want to pay more attention to the different bloodlines that you may have available and pair them accordingly.
JMHO

 

[deputychicken21]

Chicken genetics work the same regardless of breed. Some genes are dominant to others and those will express themselves without regard to breed. Icelandics have a varied gene pool because they don't have a "standard" that people breed to. Characteristics have not been lost because they have never been bred out. For example, if you only kept rose comb birds of a certain color, eventually you would lose all the single, walnut, strawberry comb gemes and have rose comb genes only in your flock. Your flock would no longer have the ability to produce anything but rose combs. Same with color. That is how most APA breeds were developed. Someone took the time to "get rid of the undesirable traits" and bred only those traits that they wanted. If you are trying to develop your own line of black Icelandics, putting the blacks together would be the way to start. If you want to keep variety in the flock, you would want to pay more attention to the different bloodlines that you may have available and pair them accordingly.
JMHO

Thanks for the info! Thats exactly what I needed to know. I want to make sure I keep the most diversity in my flock as possible. So far I haven't found any undeniable traits with the Icelandics. Only problem I have is that I don't have enough of them lol.

 

[NotAFarm]

How many is enough?!