Icelandic Chickens

[BostonBryce]

Quote:
Glad to hear the eggs made it to you, and are all fine. Hope they are all fertile and we get a good hatch rate.
all outdoor water containers were frozen solid, 7inches of ice!... so I added smaller water bins inside the coop, but those too froze about 1/2inch deep even with the 250watt heat lamps on all night.
Guess its time to order some more of the heated water buckets! I currently have 2, one for goats, the other for the Icelandics.
Oh today I got 4 FBCM eggs!! which means all 4 hens layed today. woohoo that was a first!
-Boston

Or you could make some. Check out the cookie tin water heaters https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=107951 I used some last year and they really work. I just made three more.

I looked into it one time, but didnt really care for those heaters, would rather just buy the bucket heaters, they are only $29 shipped for a 5gal heated water bucket. i just have to dig a hole to make it lower for the chickens no big deal though.

 

[The Sheriff]

Daron, we'd like to see your calf dressed up for the holidays too!

 

[tazcat70]

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I don't see any Icelandics in your sig?

It makes one curious . . .

It's this part of her signature>>>> I have zero chicken willpower.

I think it should say zero poultry willpower.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Quote:
Great idea!

Diana looks festive!

 

[The Sheriff]

I just wanted to say thanks to Kelly for calling at the perfect time. Tonight I made the difficult decision to euthanize a chick and Michael went outside to handle it for me. I was losing it in the house and the phone rang and it was Kelly. I so appreciated having someone to talk to who understood. I am relieved that it is done. I have worried and stressed over what to do. This chick hatched last week in that difficult group with low temp in the Brinsea. It had one wing sort of on backwards. It had splay legs bilaterally as well as curled toes, which the hobble and shoes corrected. It also had a deformity where the beak did not close completely across the nostrils. As the week went by, and it's wing feathers started coming in, it was having trouble getting around. The wing was dragging the ground backwards and it kept falling over and struggling to right itself. I held it today and considered amputating the wing but Kelly told me that it could be prone to chronic respiratory problems with the beak open like that. It was already making a clicking sound as it breathed in and out. I decided that the most humane thing to do would be to put it down now instead of later. I just couldn't do it myself. Michael was kind enough to do it for me and Kelly called just when I needed a friend. RIP little baby. Your short life taught me a lesson. NEVER trust the Brinsea. ALWAYS double check the temp. I have a second Spot Check on the way and I will never incubate in a Brinsea without one of those in place. Lesson learned the hard way again.

Mary

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Mary,

 

[kathyinmo]

You did the right thing, Mary.

 

[NotAFarm]

Mary

Michael sounds like such a good guy and we know how Kelly is always there when needed!

Diana the Diva is gorgeous in her holiday finery!

I'm consistently getting four Icelandic eggs each day. I've had as many as six in one day so I know more than four are laying but they aren't laying every day. I'm counting down for the days to turn the corner and start getting longer too! I can deal with the cold but hate the short daylight......I said I can deal with the cold, not that I like it, in fact, as each year passes I don't like it more and more! It doesn't seem to bother the Icelandics at all. Forecast is calling for a high of 20 and low of 8 on Friday. Brrrrr.......... good thing I'm off on Friday so I can check for eggs throughout the day!!

 

[The Sheriff]

Thanks everybody. Here's the six that are left and hopefully heading to Utah at the end of the week.

 

[Mahonri]

Wow Boston,

Whatever you are doing in that fancy new coop....it's working - to be getting so many eggs.

I guess the Icelandic's genetics favor cold climes like Heber, AZ. And congrats on the FBCMs we'll see if the roo is doing his thing.
When your Dad showed the pic of your coop to my chairside, she thought that huge coop, (from afar, covered in a foot of snow) was your house! Now she knows.

Next time I see your in-laws I'll thank them for being currier's for the hatching eggs... and your dad too!

Your flock of Icelandics will become one of the premier Icelandic flocks in the nation, thanks to the Mary's and Kathyinmo, and your hard work to preserve them.

Laree needs some more so we'll be giving her some of the chicks from your eggs.

Thanks!!!

4 more days to setting!