Icelandic Chickens

[Mahonri]

Mary, I just loved your pics and captions. You should write a book. "Saving the Icelandics!"

We ought to get some folks from Spanish Fork, Utah involved raising Icelandics. There is a sizable population there of Icelandic decent.

 

[Cockadoodlezoo]

Wow love the pics. I wish I was hatching out some new babies right now. Had something get into the coop and it ate my quail

as well as scared all my hens into not laying anymore. *Sigh* Slowly they are coming back around...slowly. My poor girls! Anyway the babies are sweeeeeeeeet! *CHEEP CHEEP CHEEP!*

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Hahaha, wonderful pictures Mary!

I would take pictures, but hatching is still going on.

Had a fourth one hatch last night, but there was something wrong with it and it died during the night. It seems like, despite the fact it completely managed to zip, its yolk wasn't fully absorbed or something? It never got out of the egg, just sat in it with its little head poking out.

I haven't gotten a chance to examine it up close yet because there are two eggs zipping right now. Looks like I'm going to have five Icelandics if all goes well with the other two!

 

[CoopCrazy]

I have a very sad update for you all.. We had a predator get into our coop and kill both of my Icelandic birds... To the Warden I am so sorry that this has happened.. I truly thought I had a secure coop but the mink/weasel that got to them has proven otherwise.. I do want to thank you again for including my family and me in your Icelandic Project and am just sickened that this happened.. They were amazing and stunning birds and have most assuredly left a hole in our lives...

 

[kathyinmo]

I am soooo sorry for your loss.

I know things happen, it is just heart breaking.

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
Oh I am so sorry to hear this. When you get things secured and you want to try again, let me know. Maybe I can hook you up with some hatching eggs. I learn from every experience where someone loses birds and use that information to make sure I have done everything I can to protect mine. I still worry though.

 

[The Sheriff]

Now, on a lighter note, I am back bragging again. I have five babies that are three weeks old. I think there are 2 roos and 3 pullets. I say that because this is the difference.

I have two that are drop-dead gorgeous! This one has a blue crest forming. She is absolutely stunning!

Then my little red chick (first ever) looks like a girl as well. She has a great crest forming too.

As if that isn't enough, tomorrow is hatch day for my next batch. I went out to check the incubators this morning and found this! I had a mess to deal with because I had a staggered hatch in there and just split the difference in humidity and set it at 60% and I was hand turning the ones not on lockdown. I was expecting to candle the group in the other Brinsea today and remove the infertile ones and replace them with the not-ready-to hatch-yet eggs and leave the other Brinsea for the ones to hatch tomorrow. The best laid plans, right? So now I have these guys in the Brinsea Advance and in the ECO I have crammed all the others, probably 36 total. They are stacked on each other as they wouldn't fit in the spacers. I will hand turn them until the other incubator is available. I should have enough to keep myself busy for a couple of days.

Oops, I forgot to post the picture of the whole crew! Here they are!

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
Sorry you lost one. I can never figure those out and it seems like every time I "help" is turns out badly. I am just learning to love the ones that make it and try to figure out what happened so it doesn't happen again.

And, where are the pictures?

 

[Mahonri]

Oh, I hope your Icelandics are laying well the end of this month/first of Dec.. As I'd love some to put in on Dec. 11th for my New Years Day Hatch

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
You better want some! You are first on my list to ship for setting December 11th! I don't see any signs of them slowing down right now but as it gets into late Nov, early Dec, who knows?