Icelandic Chickens

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
I am never gonna brag when we have nice weather again! Paybacks are a ...... a pain!

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Fertility is not an issue at all.
It is just that the young cockerels are just learning what and how to do it!

I have 100% fertility here currently.

 

[The Sheriff]

Ditto what Kathy said except for the 100% fertility. Mine is down due to several factors:

1.) Isi was my only roo and he went through a serious molt. I think he was too embarrassed to ask the girls out.

2.) Many of my eggs are from new pullets who have been under the roo radar.

3.) I had too many young roos and all they did was scuffle and kept Isi busy breaking it up.

4.) Some of my bigger girls weren't laying for several weeks.

5.) We moved and had them in deplorable conditions for a few weeks. Then moved them again.

6.) Oops, edited to add the most important reason. The young cockerals can get on but can't stay on because the girls immediately begin the beat down process.

Just a variety of issues I think.

What I see now that they are free ranging, is that they have broken up into clans. The clans are the groups they hatched with. Isi has his original girls and all the other larger pullets. From that point down, they find an area of the property and stay to themselves. The October babies are the rock dwellers and I think they have a couple of extra roos right now. The Thanksgiving babies hang out by the fence along the road and around some small trees. I have one bigger roo who runs around all day trying to get accepted into one of the groups but nobody wants him. He runs like a fool all day crowing. He may have to make a one-way trip to the feed store. My goal is to keep one roo from each clan and that's it. We'll see how this works out! I have no doubt that by Spring fertility will no longer be an issue.

 

[abChicken]

accidental post sorry

 

[kathyinmo]

OMG .... this global warming is obviously affecting my Icelandics. Suddenly they have all grown combs.

At least they all have pretty feathers!

 

[The Sheriff]

Looks like my October hatch Kathy! I think I had 14 roos and 3 pullets!

 

[kathyinmo]

I think I see 2 pullets, if I am lucky.

Maybe these two .....

6 chicks, 6 combs, 6 boys ......

 

[Camelot Farms]

Kathy....I love the colors that you are hatching!!

We so need to do some trading. If only Missouri werent so far away I would be in the car heading your way...lol

Cant wait to get a 2011 Icelandic hatch...

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Honestly, it is like a card collector ..... collect one of each!

Yes, we will have to do some trading!

 

[greatergraceoffbg]

Mary, is it possible to contact Sigrid and ask if she knows anything about the research papers that are supposed to have come out at the end of last month?

Andy