Icelandic Chickens

[Mahonri]

I HAVE A BROODY!!!!

I hope she'll take chicks on Saturday!!!

 

[Happy Chooks]

for the broody Mahonri! Couldn't be better timing!


Kathy - adorable momma and babies!

Off to check Mary's blog.

 

[The Sheriff]

Look at the attitude on this little runt! So cute! probably a boy, nevermind Kathy. You can keep him.

Kelly, did you miss the weather report? It is supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow.

If my Brinsea doesn't get here soon I am gonna need a Xanax. Shut up drumstick diva.

I am just posting a recipe Kelly. Come back later.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Sure, shoot me down now - don't let me think positive. At least we've dried out some.

 

[kathyinmo]

x

 

[Ohioann]

Hi All,
I've been a member for some time but mostly a lurker. Have had chickens for years, mostly breeds on the ALBC Conservation List. For the past several years have had mostly Buckeyes and Welsummers as breeding flocks with a mixed flock of laying hens (Orphington, Jersey Giants, Australorps) Also Miniature White Turkeys. Last year I added Scots Dumpys and as a surprise Glen Drowns of Sandhill sent me some Icelandics as fillers. I've gotten chicks from Glenn for years after meeting him at an ALBC event. At first I though "Oh No, I don't need another breed" but decided to raise the Icelandics to see what they were like. WELL...we love them. My husband is especially taken with them. We have 3 roosters and 4 hens. When my 4 year old granddaughter saw the white pullet eggs she called them itty-bitty eggs (She was used to orphington eggs) and she calls the Icelandics the itty-bitty chickens even tho we've told her that they are regular size chickens. She wanted to take some home but since they live in a duplex in the city we told her the chickens had to live on Grandpa's place.
I have a sportsman incubator and right now have Icelandic, Welsummer and turkey eggs in it. First batch of chicks should hatch around the 14th.I need to get my Dumpies in their own pen. They are in the egg ladies pen and the only roosters in that pen are Dumpies but the eggs are so similar I need to get the Dumpies separate. My only Buckeye rooster died this winter so those girls joined the egg ladies until I get Buckeye chicks from Glen later this spring. Also have 24 mixed breed eggs from a friend in the sportsman. The friends were supposed to have moved their Javas to a separate pen but they "didn't get it done" so asked me to hatch these mixed eggs. Oh well, I don't have to raise them!!
I would love to hear the comments of those of you who have Icelandics regarding culling. Obviously one culls birds that have major physical problems (legs, crossed beaks, etc) but how do you cull birds especially roosters if they are physically ok? Since there is no standard is it personal opinion, body type, color pattern, etc.? Since the male is 50% of the genetic makeup of the entire flock I have always been stricter about culling males than females. We send alot of our young males to the sale barn or raise them till they are ready to go to freezer camp. I'm not sure I want to take my reject Icelandic males to the sale barn as there is a dealer there that might take advantage of the situation. I'd rather eat them then let poor examples get into the sales stream.
Sorry to be so wordy but now that I'm out of lurk mode have lots of questions/comments. Ohioann in eastern Ohio

 

[The Sheriff]

Hi Ohioan! I don't cull mine except for physical problems. Those that I don't want to keep go to a local farmer as "mixed breed" chickens.

 

[tazcat70]

Welcome Ohioan! Glad you found the thread!

Are you asking which rooster to keep for breeding? If so, most people choose one based on what they want to add to the flock. I know attitude towards humans and the flock, and how serious they take their roosterly duties, such as warning the girls, care of chicks, breaking up fights, telling girls if there are trea rate very high, after that it is pretty much looks. Do you want crests, leg fethering, a larger roo, how colorful, etc.

Now, I don't have any Icelandics, yet. But I have read the entire thread and been a member for quite a bit. But maybe some of the others will tell you what they look for when choosing a rooster to keep.

 

[NotAFarm]

Hi All,
I've been a member for some time but mostly a lurker. Have had chickens for years, mostly breeds on the ALBC Conservation List. For the past several years have had mostly Buckeyes and Welsummers as breeding flocks with a mixed flock of laying hens (Orphington, Jersey Giants, Australorps) Also Miniature White Turkeys. Last year I added Scots Dumpys and as a surprise Glen Drowns of Sandhill sent me some Icelandics as fillers. I've gotten chicks from Glenn for years after meeting him at an ALBC event. At first I though "Oh No, I don't need another breed" but decided to raise the Icelandics to see what they were like. WELL...we love them. My husband is especially taken with them. We have 3 roosters and 4 hens. When my 4 year old granddaughter saw the white pullet eggs she called them itty-bitty eggs (She was used to orphington eggs) and she calls the Icelandics the itty-bitty chickens even tho we've told her that they are regular size chickens. She wanted to take some home but since they live in a duplex in the city we told her the chickens had to live on Grandpa's place.
I have a sportsman incubator and right now have Icelandic, Welsummer and turkey eggs in it. First batch of chicks should hatch around the 14th.I need to get my Dumpies in their own pen. They are in the egg ladies pen and the only roosters in that pen are Dumpies but the eggs are so similar I need to get the Dumpies separate. My only Buckeye rooster died this winter so those girls joined the egg ladies until I get Buckeye chicks from Glen later this spring. Also have 24 mixed breed eggs from a friend in the sportsman. The friends were supposed to have moved their Javas to a separate pen but they "didn't get it done" so asked me to hatch these mixed eggs. Oh well, I don't have to raise them!!
I would love to hear the comments of those of you who have Icelandics regarding culling. Obviously one culls birds that have major physical problems (legs, crossed beaks, etc) but how do you cull birds especially roosters if they are physically ok? Since there is no standard is it personal opinion, body type, color pattern, etc.? Since the male is 50% of the genetic makeup of the entire flock I have always been stricter about culling males than females. We send alot of our young males to the sale barn or raise them till they are ready to go to freezer camp. I'm not sure I want to take my reject Icelandic males to the sale barn as there is a dealer there that might take advantage of the situation. I'd rather eat them then let poor examples get into the sales stream.
Sorry to be so wordy but now that I'm out of lurk mode have lots of questions/comments. Ohioann in eastern Ohio

Welcome Ohioann!! You are the second (first was joyous) that got an Icelandic from Sandhill Preservation and has joined us.

I'll just say, as I have before, that what makes an Icelandic the unique treasure that it is, is it's genes, once mixed in any way and you do not have an Icelandic and never can "breed back" to once again have one. Keeping them pure is my number one goal, and I hope is the goal of others that obtain birds/eggs from me.

Culling........temperament will get a bird culled here....males are culled based on how they act around me and the flock.....there are so many gorgeous cockerels but I can only have so many. (I wish I could have a rooster sanctuary where I could put all the extras and see how they mature and be able to pick and choose when they were 1-2 years olds but..........I don't) I have sold some cockerels locally as mixed breeds at an auction. I would never sell them as Icelandics at an auction,

 

[zeely]

how many icelandic eggs can safely fit under a silkie?