Icelandic Chickens

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
Got a video instead. You can watch this thing over and over and never get enough!

 

[kathyinmo]

hahahaha! Love it! Those crazy boys are so entertaining! Love seeing the goat doing well, too. He is just so sweet looking.

Heat index here is 104*. I went out to get a few pictures, but that didn't last long. I feel like I am in Arizona.

I am staying inside most of the day.

 

[The Sheriff]

It is only 80 degrees here today. I have still been lazy though!

 

[The Sheriff]

I candled the forty eggs in Kelly's Hovabotor. The fertility rate as of now is 75% but I think I might be a day early. I think if I check tomorrow it might improve. Some were "iffy." This may be the first sign of the rooster reduction done recently. One of my remaining boys is little and not very popular so it may just take time to improve. He's sure working at it!

 

[Mahonri]

106 here today. Three bait tubes filled with rat poison slathered in PB&H.

AC on in the coop. Sprinkler on for the little ones. The other two pens; they are staying in the shade near the waterers.

10 eggs today. 4 Marans, 1 Icelandic, 1 Leghorn, 3 WheatenAms, 1 EE.
Another 2 Wheatens are threatening broodiness...

Lilly, our Golden Retriever loves staying inside during these hot days. She needs a haircut as it shed time.

Still haven't taken a dip in the pool as after work, I just took a nap.

I'll see if I have the energy to walk up the mountain at 6PM.

DS#1 called to say he got a raise at his job. He needs a bigger raise or a better job. DS#5 got home from Scout Camp. DS#3 is still playing with friends in the north valley... he knows he has to STAY HOME when his mom is at 'girls camp' all next week. DS#4 is asking to go out on a double date with friends.... he doesn't know who to ask and his friend asked a girl that has a reputation,... if you know what I mean, and that scares me. Of course how can she ever get a good rep unless she goes out with good guys? DS#6 and DD had a friend over most of the morning... never a dull moment here.

Sorry for the "As the World Turn's" at Mahonri's house.

 

[Jake Levi]

Mahonri your version is far better and healthier then whats on the boob tube, stay your course.

Good luck on the rats, really donot like them, to put it mildly.


Cute video Mary, love the goats too, just not big enough! How are they going to carry a pack??? Other then a sandwich?

Re the fray gene, its been around a long time, seen it in other traditional breeds too, some of the APA judges call it a 'deleterious recessive'. And wont even allow them in a class if any show up.

All standards I am aware of name it a serious fault in feathering. So most APA breeders wouldnt even try to show them.

In other species of birds it hinders, at best, flying.

Can not in any way help a breed unless looking for freakish chickens. And freakish chickens arnt helping a breed.

I can remember my grandmothers disgust at a neighbors flock that had it. One of her comments was'' shouldnt even be allowed to have chickens''. She took breeding and stewardship of her flock of RC RIRs very seriously. I feel the same about the Icelandics. Many things are great, some should never be tolerated.

Sorry , sorta, to sound so blunt, but , dont allow any with it to breed.

Best candidates for chicken and dumplings.

 

[Jake Levi]

My suggesstion for an 'Icelandic Breeding Standard' is a consolidation of Kathy and my signature lines under our posts,

a free ranging homestead chicken that is hardy, constitutionally strong, free breeding, and productive for the homestead kitchen.

Anything that detracts from that is a fault .

 

[The Sheriff]

Second candling today to check results from yesterday on the 40 eggs set in Kelly's Hovabator. Only two of the eggs I thought were clear yesterday show veining today and one was Lukka's egg! So the final tally for fertility was 80%, down from 96% for the ones set a few days before. Sadly I had four with blood rings. I have to attribute those to temperature fluctuations while I was fiddling with the wafer thermostat. I thought it was all dialed in and got up yesterday morning to find it at 103.8. I don't know how long it was like that but of the four with blood rings, three have fairly thin shells. Maybe they didn't weather the temp spike as well. Here is a picture of one. You can see the beginning of the little embryo in the bottom.

But, the good news is 28 are still viable including one I saw Lukka lay for sure!

 

[kathyinmo]

I hope to have a brooder full of new chicks tomorrow.

 

[kathyinmo]

OH MY GOSH! As soon as I posted that I checked the humidity in the hatcher. I HAVE MY FIRST PIP!

I'M GONNA HAVE CRESTS! I'M GONNA HAVE CRESTS! I'M GONNA HAVE CRESTS!