Icelandic Chickens

[NotAFarm]

The humidity (why ventilation is so important) will most definitely make a huge difference. Was he bleeding from his comb? Have his wattles been affected?

 

[Icies]

The wattles looked fine although the blood was on his chest. To be honest I could not tell where the blood came from. It was splattered in the coop which is why I think the hens were pecking him. But on him I only saw it on his chest.

So you are thinking maybe just the excess humidity from the snow cover was enough to make a difference? I know a better coop design would help. The design of this 1 is somewhat limiting - it is so small that any more ventilation would be right at the roosts which isn't good either. I was hoping we would be ok for now and it was (maybe just barely) until last night. Poor boy.

 

[NotAFarm]

Without knowing your set-up, it is hard to tell what may have happened. Keeping him separate is a good idea. Is he the only male in the pen/coop?
If you have a metal feeder, a cockerel or rooster, with long wattles, can get their wattles wet when drinking and then their wattles could be frozen to the cold metal (think the movie "The Christmas Story" and the tongue frozen to the flag pole). When the bird moves, the wattles pull away and can cause injury and bleeding. My males that have gotten frostbite on their combs have never bled. The tips blacken but never have been open wounds. If you can, put some antibiotic ointment on the areas that are damaged.

 

[RJSorensen]

Afternoon kind folks~ and hello NAF…

A shot of this morning of my Icelandic's and a banty or two. Our first year has been good. Never as good as one might hope, but good for what that first training year is for. We ended up with seven hens, plus Summer and Autumn and two pullets from them. So eleven hens in the flock. We kept four roosters, mostly due to losing our 'starter' rooster, Loki. It is a bad feeling to have a flock of birds, and no way to make fertile eggs. Plus we wanted to keep a variety to just try out different things.

We are still free ranging everyday the snow allows us to do so. That is a foot of snow you can see, the rest I have cleared to give the birds a place to hang out in the sun on the south side of the wood shop. I think this year will see us go to all Icelandic birds, we do so enjoy them and their crazy ways. Still trying to read and learn all I can… enjoyable time spent. My goal I suppose, is to grow to thirty plus or minus five birds. I think that is close to what we have in mind, and we may split them into two flocks, splitting free range days.

But then who knows what will come of anyones best laid plans. The new season is on here for me. I am going to set as many eggs as I can collect to see what my birds produce. The wanting to know what is inside of those eggs is very strong, something I am sure some of you know. At any rate I thought it time to check in with you good folks.

 

[Icies]

RJ - that is a beautiful flock of birds!

NAF - he is the only male & feeders are all rubber. I think I might have figured it out - partly anyway. My coop is mobile & I live at the very top of a very windy hill. I was super worried in December and did everything I could think of to protect them including move them to a spot protected from the wind. As the weather improved I moved them around the yard as I had been the rest of the year and last week they happened to be at the top of the hill. Not facing into the wind but not nearly as protected either. Because I wasn't worried since I had been through a cold snap before it didn't even occur to me to move them. The blood was coming from his chest, I guess the girls sensed he was off & were trying to kill him?? I'm glad I checked on him again before I left for work and saw what was happening.

I got my hatching eggs the beginning of Feb last year. I second RJs comment about this being a first training year. I have certainly made some mistakes but I hope I am learning from them. And I do appreciate all the help I get from this group!

 

[RJSorensen]

Hello Icies! We are head over heals for this landrace. We do hope to improve with some experience, learned the hard way. It is good to have a sage or too on hand to help with all of this. We hope to expand this year, at least that is the plan.

 

[NotAFarm]

@RJSorensen , Hello!

It is great to see such a beautiful flock and I'm glad to hear you have plans to increase it this year.

 

[Redhenny]

Nice story you tell Icelandic chickens.

 

[snow5164]

I have a real problem

, with my teenage Icelandics, they're always gossiping !!

 

[snow5164]

Seriously though, I am amazed at the different combs my Icelandics have . I have 7 teens and one younger . Some have a single comb while some have what I call " salami head" a huge floppy comb and others have a rose comb.