Icelandic Chickens

[Barred Rocks forever]

have u found any way to sex these birds ? its awsome what your doing

 

[fancbrd4me02]

Thanks Mary! I have been running around making preparations all day. I have a broody cochin and I think I will let her set these eggs for me. She is determined, so I have no worries about her abandoning them. I am going to be on pins and needles for these next 3 weeks! - Heather

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
I can sex them when they start to look like this!

But not when they look like this!

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
I have two first time broodies. My little silkie, Blue Mama is sitting on one Icelandic egg that Lukka laid in her nest. My wheaton Americana, Skye, that I got from pipsnpeeps is broody but she is also crazy so I am waiting for her to settle down. Then I will move the two Icelandic eggs I took away from her and put in the incubator back under her. It's always something.

Mary

 

[bambi]

Congratulations Heather.Mary, what a wonderful idea you have. Thanks for sharing your journey with us. Heather, I'm looking forward and hoping you will share your new adventure and journey with your new arivals.

 

[Sigrid]

Suggestions to the lady in Florida about the heat tolerance of the Icelandic chickens and the new lucky winner in San Diego. We have learned through experience, and know for a fact, that all chickens can be in danger when the temperature is 90 and above. We have a large area and provide 4 large fans when it is that hot in the summer. Trees providing shade do wonders.

For the lady in San Diego with her chicken coop project which looks great, we suggest opaque corrugated plastic roof to reduce heat radiation. It took us some time to realize how much heat radiated from our metal roof. Our coop was like an oven on hot and sunny days here in So. California. One day I touched the roof and it was burning hot. We promtly replaced it with the opaque plastic material resulting in much less, or hardly any, heat radiation.

Best of luck to all of you. It is great to see your enthusiasm and care you all show. And thanks to you Mary for a job well done.

Sigrid

 

[The Sheriff]

Hi Sigrid! Great advice. I am installing a mister system over their favorite summer hangout. I also have two fans in the coop. Most of our yard is covered by a large canopy of oak trees luckily. We also have a fake stream running through the yard to carry the drainage from the upper level to the area behind our property. On hot days I let the hose trickle so water collects in a small shallow area of the creek. They love to stand in there and cool off. I also slice open a watermelon for them on very hot days.

Sigrid, did you see the pictures of my teenagers that I posted here https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=351052&p=2 ? They are getting so big and so brave! The cockerels are beginning to vie for top position so we have a lot of flared hackles and chest bumping. We let them out of the small run to be with the rest of the flock but they soon found areas where they could escape under the wrought iron fence, It is all I am allowed to have across the back of my property due to it being a flood zone for Cripple Creek. I have netting to keep them in but these little buggers found out how to slide under it. So yesterday we started installing a hardware cloth barrier across the bottom with an apron out behind our property line, staked into the ground. I am going to try to get it done today so they can get out for awhile. I think in that pen I have six males and six females. The little guys that I hatched from eggs I got through a breeder recommended by Cathy L. are three weeks old now. It doesn't look like there will be as many blues in that group but there are some interesting oranges coming out. Everyday they make me happy just looking at them.

Enjoy Iceland and thanks for the advice regarding heat and chickens. Good stuff.

Mary

 

[evonne]

mister systems are great....
we're going to put some up in out arena and our shicken area as soon as we get it all set....
and probly the people area too.. it does get hot out here.. lol....

 

[The Sheriff]

Eggs shipped out today to Heather and Josh. I am hoping the eggs arrive in good condition and they hatch some cute babies. My fingers are crossed!

 

[Schultz]

Beautiful birds!! Can't wait to see more pics!