Icelandic Chickens

[Happy Chooks]

Mary........You picked up 8 from me.

cheryl98117.........I currently have 2 different coops (well 3 if you count the small coop I brood chicks in) with different breeds in them. (not Icelandics) I free range them in shifts, welsummers usually in the AM when I'm home (they are super easy and go back into the run for scratch) and the others in the PM about 2 hours before dark. (cuz they are idiots and can't find their way back through the gate so it's a pain the the rear with them)

 

[greatergraceoffbg]

Cheryl98117, Listen, chickens are an addiction.... any AMENS! out there? And you can do things a lot of different ways. You presented some great ideas yourself in asking your questions. It really comes down to what works best for you within your goals and objectives. Your personal work schedule might effect whether it is practical or not to shuffle free ranging chickens, I just couldn't do it.
My primary goal is preservation and with Chickens that absolutely requires isolation of breeding stock. Anyone who is running chickens together, no matter what the age, is going to end up with an impure outcome. A rooster who doesn't crow until he is way into adulthood and has been getting by the owners notice, can still mate as effectively as one who crows all night and day. You will, or may already have, read of people buying hatching eggs that weren't what they paid for.... 99% of the time the seller will insist that they run hens together, but only with the rooster of the breed they are breeding for. The truth is that there is rooster of another breed lurking in the hen house. It sounds ridiculous but it is all too common.
If you have very small numbers of chickens such as trios or quads, you may build separate yard areas and housing. If you desire totally free range for all, either a good mix for fun and eggs or a flock of preservation birds is the best way to go. These are my thoughts about what is best, easiest, most practical, but certainly NOT the only way to do things. I think its most important that you enjoy your chickens!
One more thing, after all is said and done, you have your plans laid out, and your chickens bought and paid for, and then.......out of the blue......you see a chicken breed that you can't resist......know this, you are in good company, laugh with the rest of us because we all do it, and just keep enjoying the chickens!

 

[cheryl98117]

Quote:
Thank you, this makes sense. I have the bare basics down, and have gone through about 15 different breeds. I would like the Icelandics for preservation reasons, and the AM's I want to work on and show locally. I would also like to show locally with the Icelandics, just to spread the word and share them with others. I have all these ideas running through my head, but my main goal is for my own and my families enjoyment.

I am pretty sure that I could handle keeping two seperate flocks again. Ive got plenty of space to have another large pen, and still have room to allow free ranging time. I was planning on housing them seperately anyhow. With my personal goals it would be bad to mix iether of them together anyway. So NOT what I want to do!

All my plans are waiting on me getting an incubator. lol Once I have that, well then I'll be in trouble! lol

 

[greatergraceoffbg]

I have a Brinsea, it has been my favorite, I have my first incubator that I bought out of a Sears Catalog when I was 9 years old. It still works but I have to turn the eggs. I have two Hova Bators, they are ok, but when I hatch Marans they are a little difficult and need a humidity control factor that Brinsea offered. I have had the best hatches with that Brinsea. Anything man made can be faulty but overall I read a lot of great reports from folks using the Brinsea with the humidity regulator. The Icelandics have just done great in this Brinsea. I open and add eggs that are room temperature every couple of days and it doesn't hurt the hatch at all! More fun!

 

[greatergraceoffbg]

THERE! Now Ya'll can see me and put a face to Andy! It took me a while to figure that out but I got it!

 

[cheryl98117]

Quote:
Brinsea is what I am planning on purchasing. lol My DH asked me last night how long he has to purchase it for me... I gave him 1 more month, and then I'm buying it myself! I have waited patiently for 2 years for an incubator, and I rfuse to wait any longer! lol It will be a total trial, and I think I will start with the Ameraucana eggs. I would hate to put Icelandic eggs in for my very first run ever and have it fail on me... One more month and my plans can be put into the first stages!!!

 

[greatergraceoffbg]

Cheryl198117,

I HIGHLY recommend getting the Oct 20 with self turner and humidity regulator. its more money, but the outcome is more eggs hatched and if you buy eggs the savings is huge and the money you spend will come back to you!

Andy

 

[The Sheriff]

Good news! I set 15 eggs on the 17th and just candled. Ten are developing, making the fertility rate 66%. That's much better. One appears to have an early blood ring but I'll keep it a few more days to be sure, but at least it was fertile. I have collected a dozen more eggs and set them this morning. So if I get eight fertile out of this batch I will have 18 incubating for early February hatches. Hopefully I will get more girls than boys this time and get my pullet population up before Spring. I re-homed another roo this morning bringing my Icelandic population to 34 including 4 babies, a bunch of juveniles and a few more extra roos. I am moving the Thanksgiving babies down to the Icelandic coop tonight and bringing the New year's babies up to the grow out coop. The two olive eggers Kelly gave me are big ole bruisers. They better be girls!

 

[Happy Chooks]

for girls. With Moose as their daddy, there's just no way they weren't going to be BIG!

ETA: How are the rest of the babies doing? And the bantams?

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
Everybody is doing great! I'll have to go down and take some pictures. BTW, I knew I got 8 from you I was specifically asking about Icelandics! Wasn't it 3? I need to go do a head count in that brooder.

Everybody who:

a.) isn't a moose and

b.) has clean legs

Is an Icelandic!

I know I only hatched one Icelandic. The MF Cochins are about the cutest things I have ever seen. They are three weeks old and outgrowing their brooder in record time.