Icelandic Chickens

[Totalcolour]

Yep, mine weren't sickly or unhealthy in any way except they couldn't get to the roosts without a ladder to help them up. They could hop/fly about 18 inches but that's it. I thought they would be at a definite disadvantage where predators were concerned.
Totalcolour, Is your pullet laying?

Yes, not only is she laying, but I hatched my first one, and it was from her. Also, the flying thing, she seems able to fly but only for short distances. She is the first to the food, and seems to notice things a lot more quickly than the others, Maybe it's a survival thing?!?!?!

 

[Totalcolour]

I think it is interesting how hardy they seem. True fray babies have a tendency to die early . . . . They were always the first to the feed bowl, often getting completely in it while the others ate around them. They were plucky little things. Oops, maybe not a good word to use when describing a chicken.

I'm not sure what "fray" is. I have some ducks that have badly tattered feathers due to the bad winter we have had - I call that "frayed". Pala's feathers seem more like fur than feathers, but they don't seem "frayed" at all. Perhaps it's not the same. As soon as this deluge (that's been going on for months now) stops, I'll try and get some pics. Need to make sure that what I'm describing is the same thing as what everyone is talking about.

PLUCKY =

 

[Jake Levi]

An addendum to the post on the smallest rooster, I mentioned he seems immature so far, have to amend that a bit, when I picked up the eggs this afternoon he mounted a hen right in front of me ! So, safe to say he appears to be maturing.

So, he will be getting new quarters soon himself, along with his bigger white hatch mate. Looking at the white closely this afternoon he has nice tight feathering right down to his toes, so far all white, but hasnt molted yet so I am not going to call what he is going to be, the middle one is a nice darker back breasted red wing, RC and very nice feathering all over, the smallest one has nice splash coloring, red and gold on a white back ground, RC and a crest, if nothing else he will make a pretty pet, he is quite easy to handle.

 

[The Sheriff]

Good for the little guy Jake!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I have one pullet that has this feathering issue from eggs hatched from Mary prior to her getting rid of her rooster, Little Man. (hatched 6 weeks ago) It doesn't look like fray, she looks more "raggedy", like hens look when they are in need of a molt.

I'm not breeding my Icelandics (I'm not adding more coops, I'm not adding more coops.........unless it's a turkey coop) so I will be keeping her. It will be interesting to see how her adult plumage comes in and if she lays normally, etc.

 

[Mahonri]

I learn something new here everyday!

 

[joyous]

I finally have some broody hens, Should I put a few of my icelandic eggs under one of them that have been in my incubator for a week? Kind of hedge my bet against something happening again to my incubator.

I was thinking of just half a dozen maybe? Only thing is these are young unproven hens, but they are dorkings which are known to be good mothers.... These eggs are all so precious, I just want to make sure I get some chicks!!!! By the way the inci has been working perfectly so no concerns..but still....

 

[Totalcolour]

I finally have some broody hens, Should I put a few of my icelandic eggs under one of them that have been in my incubator for a week? Kind of hedge my bet against something happening again to my incubator.

I was thinking of just half a dozen maybe? Only thing is these are young unproven hens, . . .

I was in a similar situation last week - bad storms and worrying the power would go out in the night and we wouldn't know, but I didn't have any broodies.

You could try it, and then the power is okay, but the broody quits and you kick yourself, but you've only lost half, or you leave them in the 'bator and the power fails and you lose them all, or you put some in the bator, and they brody quits AND you lose power . . .

Murphy's LAW (or in England, Sod's law {oh sod it!})

 

[joyous]

I was in a similar situation last week - bad storms and worrying the power would go out in the night and we wouldn't know, but I didn't have any broodies.

You could try it, and then the power is okay, but the broody quits and you kick yourself, but you've only lost half, or you leave them in the 'bator and the power fails and you lose them all, or you put some in the bator, and they brody quits AND you lose power . . .

Murphy's LAW (or in England, Sod's law {oh sod it!})

Yep, my theory...what ever I do will be wrong! lol

 

[Totalcolour]

So, it's a big quandary.

This lady sent me a deposit on a dozen hatching eggs (Icees) but my birds went broody, so I sent an email to let her know I wouldn't cash her check, since I may not have any eggs. She never answered me.

Then they started laying again, so now I have a bunch of eggs and I wrote and told her. She wanted them for the Easter hatch, so would have picked them up tomorrow. But I still haven't heard from her. I only have an email address, no phone.

The thing is, someone else wants them too, also for an Easter hatch.

What is the proper thing to do?

(Maybe I should keep them all and hatch them myself!)