Iowa Blue Chickens - Understanding The Traditional Type

[Bill Matthews]

TO IowaBlueCurt...Thanks for the thread creation and great discussion...Question: Are there NO surviving individuals from the the ORIGINAL Iowa Blues that ARE NOT crossed with other breeds since their re- discovery?.....I read somewhere about 20 years ago that someone found birds in a backyard in Iowa.....I want to say Decorah, and in the Poultry Press...May be wrong...Good Luck Always.

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Bill - unfortunately, in all of my investigative work, which has taken me all over the US either in person or via phone coversations, I have yet to turn up any birds that do not trace back to Glenn's flock after the addition of the outside blood. The flock that you are referencing from Decorah around 20 years ago, is to my best guess, the flock of Ransome Bolson, and it was around 30 years now. But Ransome's flock has been gone for quite a while now and none of his children know what happened to the flock.

We do have an option on our website (put together by the talented Connie Hurley) to send an email to the club in the event someone locates or is raising any birds that did not have outside blood. So far this hasn't turned up any leads, but maybe someday........

It does seem very unlikely that a strain still exists without the outside blood.

What is neat about this breed, is that all the components of the original stock is still with us and are still being expressed. We as a club are in the works of figuring out what should and shouldn't be here.......every month seems to bring us new information which brings us closer to restoring the type and color of the original lines.

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

I want to send a quick shout out to Iowa Blue Chicken Club and the awesome weekend we had for the Iowa Blue at the Mason City show. I had a great conversation with both Connie and Kari about how the show went, the judges perception/advice, and the club meeting. It sounds (and looks from the pics that I've seen) that it was a great learning experience for everyone and it helped to solidify a unified goal within the Standard and breed promotion/identity.

Excellent job to everyone who showed, was acitve if setting up the display, and participated in the club meeting!

 

[Dandelion56]

First time I have seen this breed....they were very nice looking birds Congrats to the winners!

 

[Bill Matthews]

TO: IowaCurtBlue...Thank you very much for your thoughtful comment...I am getting older now and could't remember the name, but it now comes back to me now...You guys are doing a great thing with this and I certainly admire your efforts....My interest is mainly historical and appreciate your courtesy even though I have nothing really important to offer....Take Care Always...

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Bill- History-buffs always welcome!

If you want to learn more, check out our website and main Iowa Blue thread. There's a lot there to satisfy one's curiosity for history there as well!

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

This fella turned 4 months old on the 22nd of this month. Yesterday (the 23rd), I weighed him and he weighed 4.5 lbs! He's coming along nicely. His brother of the same age weighed 4.24 lbs, unfortunately he is a birchen and so I will not be keeping him (this guy's brother) for future breeding. I may keep him a little longer to measure weights out of curiosity....don't know yet.

 

[ottbjumper06]

Ok I have weights for my pullets: 2lb 15 oz, 3lb 4oz, 3 lb 5oz, and 3lb 6oz. These girls are 3.5 months old.

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Thanks for sharing those weights Emily. Those are coming along nicely. Do you have any more pics of them?

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Here are some pics of an off type that we see quite commonly within the Iowa Blue. My strong hunch is that this sort of melanization is the result of the Fayoumi blood that was added in by Glenn. Fayoumi's have an altered ER called ER-Fayoumi and it throws some crazy melanization when crossed with other breeds. Anyway, in this particular off type, we see pullets and cockerels that are "mostly" silver, but with black heads and an overall darkness across the body. We see this in the Birchen birds from Ideal as well, and I think the Ideal birds got it from these off types from Glenn. Below are pics of two chicks around 1.5 months old.




Compare the above pics to the next two pics of a correctly marked pullet of the same age.....notice her nice silvery white head, her overall soft grey coloration (this continues to lighten up over the whole body with every molt. In the pics you see the soft grey on her breast and her abdomen fluff). Also take note of the unique pattern on her breast (it's a very soft grey) and her lower hackle "white marbling" (which is more like a quasi barring/autosomal barring/spangling thing. It's just easier to call it marbling.

).