Icelandic Chickens

[NotAFarm]

Here are the only new additions I've had since the first week of May.
They were hatched June 9/10.
Hæla with her two:

 

[RJSorensen]

Morning folks,

Love the pictures I see here, and the stories that punctuate them and the growth of the birds. The DW and I have never been happier with any bird, nor breed, than we are with the Icelandic's. I have not done a 'hard count' of my pullets/cockerels as of yet, but at twelve weeks now, that day will most likely happen this week. It looks as though we will end up with a 8/16 split with the male birds in the clear majority. In my reading… here and elsewhere, I figured that the normal for these birds is 40/60 and my sample of 33/66 percent would seem to echo this.

I won't complain nor seek solace online, we are happy to have what we have. I am seeing that raising and keeping these birds is more akin to a 'quest,' than just keeping some birds. So it would need be tougher, a proper challenge of sorts. However we need not sixteen additional roosters, and so a first sorting is eminent. Does color and or pattern matter? Does comb shape and style matter? Or are you as good off with one… as another. We have not the experience yet to really 'know' which road to follow, which fork to take.

I like the color/pattern comb style of some over others, but other than what pleases my eye, I am unsure of whom to select. I worry/wonder that they will continue to change/evolve in the coming months, enough so that I might well pass over the 'real' best bird in the house. We have an adult male bird, Loki, whom is the sire of the chicks I am hatching as we speak. He is a fine rooster in the classic style and we adore him. But for breeding 'safety' and wanting to keep a sample of the diversity we now enjoy, we are over a barrel with the choosing of a few cockerels to grow out.

On my new and current chicks, with Loki as sire, we are seeing feathers on the leg shanks. I have read of this, and so was not 'shocked' to find it in my own birds. The birds I have as adults, Loki, Summer and Autumn are from Mary "The Sheriff" and a member here, ColdUpNorth, via eggs. So right or wrong, I consider them as 'old stock' and somewhat different than my David Grote birds. I would like to merge these two parts, but not sure as to what would make the best birds going forward. I of course realize the none of you can 'solve' my problems, but I am seeking other thoughts and or suggestions to contemplate. What a wonderful condition to have. Nothing is more fun than this.



Summer and Loki, aka my Rock Dwellers.

Best to all and your birds,

RJ

 

[Icies]

RJ, I felt the same. I wanted to pick the "best" rooster, especially since I had so many to choose from. As happy as I was to get rid of the extras, I find my self second guessing if I did in fact keep the right one and the fact that they are gone and I didn't get a chance to see the "final product " is disheartening also...

This rooster I kept has challenged me a time or two & went after my niece the other day. Although in his defense she kept chasing him despite my yelling at her to leave him alone. And earlier she was making the baby chicks squawk by trying to pick them up which also seemed to agitate him. I am wondering if this is all normal or if I picked the wrong one. He ran @ her & pecked her. She laughed & never even stopped what she was doing (catching fireflies) & he just ran away.

I believe my hen has stopped laying after 5 eggs. Either that or they are hidden somewhere and I can't find them. I don't know if its the heat we have had lately or something else... it certainly is always an adventure.

 

[snhchick]

All four of my 8-week (or so) birds are now roosting on the roof of the coop rather than going inside. They are upset when I put them in the coop, flying around and trying to get out through the hardware cloth covered windows. I have a low roost in the coop. I could put something higher up for now, but it will be too close to the windows when the weather gets colder. I have read that you should lock new birds in the coop for 5 days when you first put them out so that they will go into the coop at night. It has been so hot here that I don't want to lock them in. Is the roosting at the highest possible spot (roof of the coop) just the behavior I have to expect from Icelandics? I'd love to leave them out overnight, but I only have the bottom half of the dog kennel reinforced with hardware cloth. They move onto my hand when I put it under them, so it's not too hard to move them inside. I just feel bad when I hear them flying around inside. I know they're not happy. Any advice?

 

[NotAFarm]

Went out tonight and two of my six week old chicks were happily roosting on the roof of the coop, more than 5 feet off the ground! I had read that they would roost in trees, but they are still babies. So cute!



Good thing there is chicken wire over the top of the run. You can see it just above them.

All four of my 8-week (or so) birds are now roosting on the roof of the coop rather than going inside. They are upset when I put them in the coop, flying around and trying to get out through the hardware cloth covered windows. I have a low roost in the coop. I could put something higher up for now, but it will be too close to the windows when the weather gets colder. I have read that you should lock new birds in the coop for 5 days when you first put them out so that they will go into the coop at night. It has been so hot here that I don't want to lock them in. Is the roosting at the highest possible spot (roof of the coop) just the behavior I have to expect from Icelandics? I'd love to leave them out overnight, but I only have the bottom half of the dog kennel reinforced with hardware cloth. They move onto my hand when I put it under them, so it's not too hard to move them inside. I just feel bad when I hear them flying around inside. I know they're not happy. Any advice?

Are they the only birds in the coop?
In the picture above, you have chicken wire above the coop. How far above the coop is it? If a raccoon was to walk on it, would it sag/sink down to the level of the chicks?

 

[snhchick]

Are they the only birds in the coop?
In the picture above, you have chicken wire above the coop. How far above the coop is it? If a raccoon was to walk on it, would it sag/sink down to the level of the chicks?

Yes, I just have the 4 chicks. One of the chicks (the last to be caught tonight) actually put her head through the chicken wire, which worried me. Definitely an animal on the chicken wire "roof" could trap the chicks. I'm wondering if I should try to predator proof the pen, but I know that is much more difficult than securing a coop.

 

[NotAFarm]

For their safety, I would put them in the coop each night, even if it means catching each one and putting it inside. It is not safe for them to be on the coop roof. I am assuming that your coop is predator proof as much as you are able to make it so. Put a high roost inside the coop. As high as you can, leaving only enough head room for them when they are adults. You don't say how big the coop is so it is hard to recommend more than basic info. If you are worried about a draft from the window in winter, you can tack a plastic painter drop cloth/clear vinyl show curtain/etc over the window once the weather gets cold. You will need ventilation in the coop even in the winter to avoid too much moisture from their respiration, which will cause frostbite. You can train them to go in by giving them a favorite treat inside the coop each evening...before the time that they are going up on the top of the coop. Once inside with their treat, close them in.

 

[yochickiemomma]

Great news I was able to rehome my extra rooster. Now he has his very own flock of ladies.

I also have a ? How old was everyone's pullets when they started to lay? Mine are going on 20 weeks thats why Im asking.

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

 

[NotAFarm]

In my flock, they are right around five months old when they start laying.
My Easter Hatchalong group will be four months old on the 26th. The cockerels are crowing and the dominant one is trying to court the hens.

They squawk and Audun comes over to see what the fuss is and the cockerel high-tails-it away from the hen.

 

[yochickiemomma]

Thank you Not A Farm. I put a nesting bucket in their coop last night hopefully theyll get curious and figure out what it's for when theyre ready.