Icelandic Chickens

[IcyLady]

I'm glad to hear you are going to talk with Jóhanna. There can't be a better mentor than someone who is actively involved in preserving them.

If there is a chance that any of your chicks is a crossbreed, you would not want to use him/her in a breeding program. A silkie in the flock could explain the feathered legs. Does that chick have 5 toes? Icelandics will have 4 toes (3 large "front facing" and one behind, and silkies have 5 toes, 3 and 2. Take a close look at the feet.

We need new pictures of your chicks!!!

I am totally looking forward to speaking to and hopefully meeting Johanna. I will be kind of close in her area July 6th and would love to be able to take home a couple hens then if it's possible!

I went out this morning to double check Mörgæs' toes and he only has 4, I have a photo too that I took the other day of his feet!

Pictures you say?
8 week photos included (took these on the 21st)

Rey:


Batman- Rooster with a "hairdo":




Ljómi (the mystery chicken):


Mörgæs and his feathery feet:

 

[Icies]

What a day!! I took 4 out of the 5 roosters to a livestock sale the local icelandic breeder told me about. She actually sold them for me. I'm very, very grateful. And thankfully they all have homes unlike the 3 other aggressors that unfortunately ended up on a dinner table. I swear that lady is a chicken whisperer she held one of my roosters & was rubbing its head & it literally fell asleep in her arms. I had to take a pic. It amazed me. I have a lot to learn about chickens!! I also got 3 of her month old chicks. She & I went through them & tried to pick out the girls. I feel pretty good about the choices right now... hopefully I still will next month. lol. And the icing on the cake...when I got home I had my first egg. Im sure that sounds corny, but I was happy.

 

[NotAFarm]

What a day!! I took 4 out of the 5 roosters to a livestock sale the local icelandic breeder told me about. She actually sold them for me. I'm very, very grateful. And thankfully they all have homes unlike the 3 other aggressors that unfortunately ended up on a dinner table. I swear that lady is a chicken whisperer

she held one of my roosters & was rubbing its head & it literally fell asleep in her arms. I had to take a pic. It amazed me. I have a lot to learn about chickens!! I also got 3 of her month old chicks. She & I went through them & tried to pick out the girls. I feel pretty good about the choices right now... hopefully I still will next month. lol. And the icing on the cake...when I got home I had my first egg. Im sure that sounds corny, but I was happy.

Sounds like a spectacular day!!

 

[snhchick]

I tried to get some closeups of the chicks, but I'm not sure that you'll be able to help me figure out if "Sid" is indeed a rooster. I have a closeup of Nancy (the lighter chick), so maybe you can see the difference between their combs. That's Nancy again on my son't arm (yes, his face looks like that every day when he gets home from camp).

Sid



Nancy


Jett (left) and Sid


And Nancy again.

She is definitely not camera shy. The chicks have completely settled into the coop and pen. It was in the low nineties today, but they seemed fine in the shaded pen. I did add a second waterer outside.

If the more prominent comb doesn't help determine if any of them are roosters, what else should I watch for? Thanks!

 

[yochickiemomma]

If anyone on here is in northern michigan and wants him you can have him. I have too many roosters for my small flock and need to get rid of some.

 

[arconfederate]

I tried to get some closeups of the chicks, but I'm not sure that you'll be able to help me figure out if "Sid" is indeed a rooster. I have a closeup of Nancy (the lighter chick), so maybe you can see the difference between their combs. That's Nancy again on my son't arm (yes, his face looks like that every day when he gets home from camp).

Sid



Nancy


Jett (left) and Sid


And Nancy again.

She is definitely not camera shy. The chicks have completely settled into the coop and pen. It was in the low nineties today, but they seemed fine in the shaded pen. I did add a second waterer outside.

If the more prominent comb doesn't help determine if any of them are roosters, what else should I watch for? Thanks!

I'm not an expert by any means but at that age, my young rooster's comb and waddle were red and quite a bit more prominent than what I'm seeing here. But your results may vary......

 

[snhchick]

I'm not an expert by any means but at that age, my young rooster's comb and waddle were red and quite a bit more prominent than what I'm seeing here. But your results may vary......

Wow, that would be great if I have 4 hens (although I do like the name Sid...)!

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote: Love the "rocker" names!! I knew a girl whose name was Sidney and went by Sid.....no problem with the name!!

I agree with @arconfederate , I'm not seeing anything in the photos of Jett, Sid and Nancy to make me think cockerel. Who is the fourth you speak of?

 

[mlm Mike]

What a day!! I took 4 out of the 5 roosters to a livestock sale the local icelandic breeder told me about. She actually sold them for me. I'm very, very grateful. And thankfully they all have homes unlike the 3 other aggressors that unfortunately ended up on a dinner table. I swear that lady is a chicken whisperer

she held one of my roosters & was rubbing its head & it literally fell asleep in her arms. I had to take a pic. It amazed me. I have a lot to learn about chickens!! I also got 3 of her month old chicks. She & I went through them & tried to pick out the girls. I feel pretty good about the choices right now... hopefully I still will next month. lol. And the icing on the cake...when I got home I had my first egg. Im sure that sounds corny, but I was happy.

Sounds like a wonderful day. I think most of us were rather excited when we got our first egg.

 

[RJSorensen]

Hello Icelandic members. This is one of our new pullets on a rock pile I am working of for them. Birds are coming along nicely and it ha been a lot of fun. I got one chick to hatch from a broody hen, my first and we named him Thor. A week later we had four more hatch from an incubator. I think I have eight due at the end of the week and another batch to follow that. So I have completed half of my challenge NAF. I am still stuck at about page 600 of the thread… but I will finish it sooner or later. Everyone's birds look so good and I am most happy to see folks here. Near 100 today here, I just finished burying a 55 gallon drum in a berm, today to see if the birds would perhaps use it to shade up, or as a hide. Too early to tell, but fun to try new things.



Best to all and Your birds,

RJ