Icelandic Chickens

[Jake Levi]

Whoops, I meant the 'other; Mary.

It was warmer in here last night as I found I had one heater set higher then I usually do, when I went out to feed it said 5 on the outside thermometer. No wind thankfully. Today there will be another tarp against the divider to the goat section. Wont be total draft proof but should help some. I will be looking at combs closely when considering who to use this spring.

I know right now that I wont be using Isi, much as that hurts, I dont want to make more sons of his that will have frostbitten single combs like he had. Since I put up the other tarps he hasnt had any further frostbites, but we arnt into the really serious cold weather here yet. Here, and where I was in MI last winter we did have -20 F. It was actually warmer then up in Talkeetna and Willow AK that week.

Yes, the Iowa Blues also have big combs, I am seriously reconsidering all, right now I am thinking the only other two breeds to consider adding would be Chanteclers and Hedemoras.

 

[Farmerboy16]

I got my first Tomaru Longcrower egg this morning, but I think that it was laid yesterday, for the egg was stone cold. I cracked the egg in the bowl, and it had a bull's eye!!!

I had put all but 2 roos in two pens for the dominate roo was making few younger roos a bloody mess.

He just chase them all over the place, and when he corners a roo, he scalps them.

 

[NotAFarm]

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Jake, Lowest nighttime temp so far has been 8 F on Friday night. Today we are having a "heat wave" and it's currently 45 F!

Last winter we had quite a few below zero temps, especially at night. The two roosters that I got from The Sheriff were rose combs and the hens are one rose (Asta) and one single (Anna). I haven't had any frostbite problems with any of them. I had an Auburn Java rooster, with a large single comb, last winter and didn't have a problem with him. I have heard that it is the humidity in your coop that will cause the frostbite. The mositure settles and freezes causing the damage. Proper ventilation is the key. My coops are part of our "barn" (28 x 45 ft) which has a ridge vent running the length of it-with a 10 foot roll-up door on one end and a 6 foot wide double sliding door on the other end. It is by no means air tight. The coop(s) are at the end with the sliding doors. I have heated dog dishes that I use for water but will not be using any heat lamps for heat, unless I start to see a major problem, then I'll move whoever needs supplemental heat to one of the smaller coops with a lamp. Up to this point, I only have roosters with rose combs, albeit large rose combs compared to the SLW rooster I used to have. I would have kept AJ, who had a single comb, but the family I was helping start a flock wanted him, so I let him go. I don't get alot of single combs on the boys, seems to be more girls than boys with them but the majority of mine are rose combed, but then I would expect that since it's dominate. Okay, this is getting long!!
Seinna, The Other Mary

 

[NotAFarm]

H..E..L..L..OOOOO!! Anybody out there?! This thread was listed on the second page!!!

Here is the Kella pic of the week. It was a balmy 46 F today and everyone was out scratching around, finding what they could find. Here is Kella in amongst the Coral Bells and Sweet Spire shrub.

 

[stephanie1992]

Anyone here selling icelandic hatching eggs??? if soo PM me please

 

[The Sheriff]

I've been busy off loading Icelandic chicks all day! Beautiful pic of Kella.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

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Kella is beautiful!

 

[NotAFarm]

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Kella is beautiful!

Thanks Hillbilly Hen!

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Thanks Mary!!

Here is a pic of Bara, my lone pullet from you! Her breast coloration is so symetrical! She spends quite a bit of time with Dreki. Maybe Audun looks too much like her Dad!

 

[Farmerboy16]

No eggs today.

Hopefully there will be less stress with just two roos free ranging in the 20x60 coop with 3 hens, instead 11 roos. My sister-in-law gave me a CD that has the pictures that she took of my birds, but the CD is blank.

I will have to email her to let her know that the CD is blank.

 

[Farmerboy16]

Very nice pictures NotAFarm!!

I really like them. Jake said that I have some roos from your line, and 3 of the roos that I have are white with some coloring.