Iowa Blue Chickens!

[Jake Levi]

Thanks for the updates, I am very interested in adding them, it looks like a lot of numbers have to happen as well as a lot of culling.

By spring I would like to get eggs or chicks to begin a flock with.

Good luck on your breedings this fall.

You are both in the east?

I am in Wa.

 

[Jake Levi]

Okay, I see now that you are both in Iowa.

I am in foggy NE Wa,

deep snow not long away so no more coop and runs building this fall.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

I have yet to catalog my Iowa Blues, but will post here when I get the number. I've only completely finished my Ameraucana's.

 

[Jake Levi]

I'll be looking forward to seeing it.

I would like a small flock, 8-10 hens and a couple roos, and then tight selection on them over time. I am also looking at another preservation breed besides the Icelandics. I believe I can do justice to two small other flocks.

One other thought that I forgot to mention early, has anyone noticed a greater inclination or drive in the IB to range? And also to broodiness?

Two traits that I believe are necessary in successful homestead chicken breeds.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

Absolutely!

Quote:

 

[Jake Levi]

My thoughts on what is reported on their history anyhow, it has to be. I am much interested in the heritage breeds which the OB certainly is.

I am going to order the 15 from Sandhill, and 25 from Ideal, and see how many pullets I can raise up and keep the 3 best roos. They will have opportunity to free range, except at night, way too many predators here to stay outside overnight. The culled roos will be for the freezer.

I am wondering what to include with the Sandhill order to get the 25 for shipping. A heritage breed but mulling it, maybe the Buckeye.

 

[karimw]

How did we end up on this thread? I usually post to the "breed thread and discussion" page. I have quite a few, though I did just lose 6 to some mystery illness. The odd part is I only lost Iowa Blues and no other breed! One morning they were fine, by evening weak and not on the roost, the next day dead.

Honestly, better to lose them early if they have a weakness I guess.

I finally have some pictures to post, but it will be on the other thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=7394606#p7394606

 

[Jake Levi]

How old were they?

 

[LiLRedCV]

When I bought my Iowa Blues this past spring (9 total IB's out of 25 chicks purchased) the only ones to come down with pasty butt where the IB's... and ALL 9 of them had it! Put ACV in their water after cleaning them up and the pasty butt stayed away - until I forgot to add the ACV in their water a couple of different times and both times the pasty butt came back in just the IB's. I don't know why that is, but they seem to be very robust as adults and most definitely better foragers than the other's in my flock!

 

[bufforpingtonfan]

from decorah iowa you can get some at Ideal poultry