Icelandic Chickens

[Totalcolour]

Hey, how's them emus Kathy?

When will you know the sex of them?

 

[crystaldegallina]

Thank you all for your thoughts regarding the "fray" feather thing.

I had 2 Icelandics that showed some funky feathering. One was sparsely feathered with a definite "frayed" quality to the feathers themselves. That one was unable to fly and actually hung out with the lone silky hen I have towards the bottom roosts.

The second was quite lovely actually, kind of loose feathered with almost a "silky"ness to her. I had gone back and forth on keeping her or rehoming her(as a pet only). She was able to fly like the rest. Unfortunately she met an early demise, with a truck tire(my husband was very, very distraught about that accident

)

So do both "lines", Singrid and Behl, show this feathering issue or has it been primarily found in the Behl line?

 

[Happy Chooks]

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....

I would.

 

[The Sheriff]

I would too. I'd probably put them all under her because I don't like raisin' babies.

 

[joyous]

I would too. I'd probably put them all under her because I don't like raisin' babies.

How many eggs can you expect one broody to take care of??

 

[NotAFarm]

Thank you all for your thoughts regarding the "fray" feather thing.

I had 2 Icelandics that showed some funky feathering. One was sparsely feathered with a definite "frayed" quality to the feathers themselves. That one was unable to fly and actually hung out with the lone silky hen I have towards the bottom roosts.

The second was quite lovely actually, kind of loose feathered with almost a "silky"ness to her. I had gone back and forth on keeping her or rehoming her(as a pet only). She was able to fly like the rest. Unfortunately she met an early demise, with a truck tire(my husband was very, very distraught about that accident

)

So do both "lines", Singrid and Behl, show this feathering issue or has it been primarily found in the Behl line?

I can only give my experience. Of the three I had, rooster (only one exposed to the hens) was from Sigrid's line, both my hens (possible mothers) were from Lyle Behl's line from Marty Favre's flock from eggs The Sheriff acquired to hatch from Marty (at least, that is what my understanding of my flock lineage is). The odd feathering that I have experienced doesn't present itself in the first set of chick feathers but in subsequent sets. The longest I had one was five months. I can't speak to their condition after that. This year, I have a full brother and sisters of the odd feathered chicks in my flock. I will be reported here any other oddities and I hope anyone hatching my eggs or others would also post about theirs.

 

[NotAFarm]

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....

Hi Joy! My two Icelandic hens each raised two broods last year. The first for one was 5 and the second 11. The first for the other was 1 (I had given the only eggs I had from her to a friend with a broody that wanted to let her hatch some chicks but didn't have a rooster so it was the only egg available for her to sit on). The second brood was 10. It was in July so the weather wasn't a factor for keeping eggs or chicks warm. Dorkings are a bit larger (right?) and my SLW sat on 12 eggs and hatched 11 in March of last year but it was her third time. I would give your "potentials" each 8 "dummy" eggs and see how they are with them....if all goes well.....give them 8 started Icelandic eggs. You have plenty and you know where you can get more!! If they can raise them for you, I'd go for it!!

 

[Mahonri]

If there are Icelandic eggs available to be hatched... MAKE SURE SOMEONE DOES IT FOR EASTER!!!!!

Put them in a bator tomorrow!

 

[NotAFarm]

If there are Icelandic eggs available to be hatched... MAKE SURE SOMEONE DOES IT FOR EASTER!!!!!

Put them in a bator tomorrow!

Dar, Because of your post, I decided to see what I have here so I could figure out how many I would have if I was to put all of them in the 'bator. Right now I have 36 eggs (plus any layed tomorrow morning) that could go in. Then I thought, how many are others setting? Joyous now has 44 from me (set a week early because others were getting eggs this week for the Hatchalong), you have 16, Debs_Flock has 12 and karimw has 24. That's 96 eggs from my flock without me setting one!!!

 

[joyous]

I have a hen setting on fake eggs right now, and if she still is tomorrow, I will give her some! Her sister is setting on 10 dorking eggs and doing well so lets hope! I also have one more dorking girl who just started thinking about getting broody today.....I am running out of room, as I have them all separated.....cleaning out the other shed tomorrow!

Hi Joy! My two Icelandic hens each raised two broods last year. The first for one was 5 and the second 11. The first for the other was 1 (I had given the only eggs I had from her to a friend with a broody that wanted to let her hatch some chicks but didn't have a rooster so it was the only egg available for her to sit on). The second brood was 10. It was in July so the weather wasn't a factor for keeping eggs or chicks warm. Dorkings are a bit larger (right?) and my SLW sat on 12 eggs and hatched 11 in March of last year but it was her third time. I would give your "potentials" each 8 "dummy" eggs and see how they are with them....if all goes well.....give them 8 started Icelandic eggs. You have plenty and you know where you can get more!! If they can raise them for you, I'd go for it!!