Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[karimw]

Wow. What nice looking rooster.

Thank you! Now that we have the Standard of Perfection finalized, there is a lot I'd change, but even so he's still eye candy

 

[karimw]

When I collected eggs in Rex's pen Friday, I found this:


There are four 1 year old hens, one 2 year old that lays a bone colored egg (not present), and 6 pullets from the NYD hatch. I wonder which one laid the little egg?

 

[Hurley]

Oh cool. My pair from NYD (yes, pair. Expletive predator got one of the hens, ripped open the wire and pulled her through.) are looking mature all of a sudden. The male is now head rooster and he's a bit of a show off.

I moved the pair into the main pen along with the other 5 that are a bit younger (4 pullets, 1 cockerel) and a nicely patterned silver birchen pullet. I will probably move the weird SP pullet out eventually, but for now she stays. She looks kind of intermediate between SP and birchen.

Some photos:
The NYD Iowa Blue Pair. Would not be surprised to bet getting an egg soon from her.







Photo shy birchen pullet, the only one I'll probably hold back.






Current SP cockerel - growing up another that has darker legs/darker eyes, we'll see how he matures. I would like more lacing in the front, hoping #2 gains it, too soon to tell. This guy, though, is big, great breeder, nice looking in general, has a correct medium length tail, and is whitening up nicely.



Closer pic of the the pullet at the top.

 

[karimw]

I got another 2 little eggs today

LOVE the birchen pullet, just beautiful!

 

[karimw]

Sorry about the loss of your pullet though

 

[Hurley]

Some pics for comparison to chick appearance (the red, orange, yellow, green, & blue crew). These guys are getting bigger!

Most recent pics were taken as I was removing their leg bands and moving them to new homes, day was hot today, so they look stressed, but it's the only way I could get individual pics of them.

Red: Pullet, the weird chick that looked almost calico, showing some black extension modifiers over silver pencilling








Orange: Pullet










Yellow: Pullet




Green: The cockerel of the group





Blue: Pullet

 

[Hurley]

I got another 2 little eggs today

LOVE the birchen pullet, just beautiful!

Yes, she's particularly awesome as she is out of my dark/gold pullets and a gold leakage male, all of which weren't particularly well laced. Amazing what isolating the silver will do for you, and lucked out with her. Want to move her forward as the birchen link to my original flock, certainly the leaps and bounds better than her ancestors.

Yes, particularly bummed about the pullet, just wrecked my Saturday I'll tell you.

 

[Jake Levi]

What will you breed her to??

A SP? Or back to the gold?

 

[Hurley]

I'll breed her to an SP. If she carries SP (which I doubt), she'd produce half birchens, if not - all birchens het SP.

 

[Jake Levi]

These are all eye candy for sure. If the Birchen pullet was mine she'd be a keeper. And always bred to a SP rooster.

I am anxiously waiting on the mail today for the eggs from Kari, PO says today is the day. A 3 day sending from Iowa to MI.

But, it will be. We have winds and rain today from the storm that has washed the midwest for the past week. But, it IS spring now, lilac flowers are opening and the Hummingbirds are at the feeder. I enjoy the change of seasons here but I am REALLY ready for this change. May and June are my favorite months.

Tonight my incubator should be full to the max, with Iowa Blues, Icelandics and Delawares.

Life is good !