Icelandic Chickens

[The Sheriff]

But where's the chocolate??????

Tracking??????

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
I'm tracking that chocolate ...... oh yes, I am!

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[thebirdguy]

Quote:
Mary,

You need to pm me your address so I can send you your chocolate... or did you want to wait and see if Kathy likes hers first?

 

[Jake Levi]

Mary I love all those pics at random but the last one just before the emus is gorgeous !

I didnt know emus liked the water either, interesting critters !

I really want some broodies! I'd far prefer to have all my chicks raised that way. Saves me time and work and its a big breed preservation step.

Laree you're too much, but you sure brighten the day !

 

[Jake Levi]

Just curious, those of you who are doing Broodie hatching, what size clutch are you getting per hatch?

This is something that all too many breeds have had fall by the wayside, and its something that I NEVER want to see the Icelandic Breed lose.

Right now the shipping eggs and incubators is an extremely good way to get the breed sent across the country. Mary has established a special role for herself as the Icelandic Godmother in America.

And the rest of you who have joined in so selflessly in spreading the breed.

I hope next year to have a number of hens setting, just because that ensures the breed will survive no matter what.

Besides astounding good looks the Icelandic has so many excellent things going for it as a homestead chicken. Hardiness and ranging abilities, those alone say so much for it. Next winter I expect to find out how winter hardy they are, and the egg laying during the winter.

Its going to be a great experience learning more about them every day.

 

[Mahonri]

I guess Laree and I will be finding out how heat tolerant Icelandics are.

My bators are messed up. At the end of last hatch I couldn't get the temp in either one above 97.

I do have a broody sitting on 7 eggs. She started with 13, one egg broke on day two and got some of the others gunky, on day 10 I candled the remaining 12 and removed 5. They are due on the 21st of May.

Last broody hatched out 9 of 10. The one before that hatched out 4 of 7. I don't remember the one before that.

Vindur has been crowing non-stop since 4 AM.... I hope DW didn't notice like I did but he's just outside our south bedroom window. His two girls combs are really getting red. When should I expect eggs? They'll be 19 weeks old tomorrow.

 

[Jake Levi]

On hens raising the chicks I think that the biggest brood I have seen is 14, we did have a RIR hen when I was a kid, long long ago

that always raised 12 to 14 chicks. A very few from other hens. I am guessing right now that an average will be around 7-8 with older hens. But even one chick raised is a step in the right direction. Myself I will try to make sure that the hens that can raise larger clutches get as many of her pullets kept as I can. To me any hen like that is a keeper, even after she stops laying if she will raise chicks. Thats a big homestead chicken survival trait for me.

Lockdown today on Marys last eggs, got 3 from her first set and 3 from Kims 2nd set, I took the turner out and put the eggs into cartons, 16 of them , and thinking good thoughts at them and talking encouragingly to them

, rooting for you little guys

,

warm and humid, with occasional drops, we had a good rain earlier, lilac flower buds are swelling fast now !

 

[Greybear23]

Hey Kathy sent you a PM!!! Lynn

 

[The Sheriff]

Good luck on the hatch Jake!

I have determined that fertility is NOT the issue with my Icelandic eggs, even the pullet eggs. I just did a brief candle on the 47 eggs in the Brinseas without removing them, and almost all seem to be developing veins. There may be a few clears still too early to tell at Day 3. At this point it would seem to be a shipping issue or due to many of the eggs being pullet eggs and maybe not be viable for the long haul. It will be interesting to see how many make it. I will candle again on Sunday and toss any clears.

Regarding broody clutch size I have had broodies raise up to eleven chicks but in the last year it has only been one or two. The reason for that is my limiting the number of chicks due to having multiple broodies and not enough fertile eggs or not needing any chicks at that moment in time. I am sure Lukka would love about a dozen! I much prefer having broodies raise the babies naturally than in a brooder.

 

[AK Michelle]

I have been tooooo busy lately to keep up with this thread, so today I'm going to try my best to catch up and see how much fun I've been missing.