Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[karimw]

Quote:
Welcome! What a great job for them. Maybe I need a vineyard!

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

One unfortunate thing Glenn shared with me was that when he got started with his flock he kept his Iowa Blue flock at around 20-30 hens and 5+ roosters, but he would go for years at a time without a single person ordering any chicks. He couldn't afford to feel such a large flock with everything else he had going on so he decided to scale back to about 5 hens and a couple roosters. Just think of all those SP Iowa Blue eggs that went unhatched!!!!! What we'd give to have those back today! Oh well, it is what it is.

And yes Kari. I'm glad you didn't get stock from him at the start. You have been able to breed a new line of SP Iowa Blues and this is one of the greatest things to happen to this breed in decades. I'm excited to do a little crossing of the two lines and see how things develop. I'm planning on developing three breeding groups from your line Kari, 2-3 lines from Glenn's line. And a line (maybe two if I'm really feeling eager) of a cross between the two lines. Boy, we'll see if we get there! That's a lot of work............

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Oh and Welcome AxisofBeagles! This thread is quite long. But if you're up for a good read and lots of valuable information about the breed and it's recent developments, than this thread will definately meet your expectations. Especially the work that has been going on since the middle of last year to the present. So, grab some food and a drink, cuddle up and enjoy a good read!!

 

[Jake Levi]

Wow Curt ! Thats a lot of lines to develop !

But, it sounds like a good idea. For now I am watching the eggs from Kari through the incubator window and counting them closely to insure none got out overnight !

I am treasuring them as karis' SPs, and will keep two roosters along with all of the pullets and working up to 10-12 hens with the 2 roosters. And then maybe looking for some of another line to keep. I think two lines will be plenty for me. First is this one.

Its a great thread, and something to learn about them every day.

I give a LOT of thanks, and respect to Glenn and Hurley for all of their work in saving them. And to all of you others who have worked with them.

Its appreciated.

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Jake-

We'll see if we get there. Slow and steady wins the race

We've got a lot of space as well as extra pens that are sitting empty, so we should be able to make these lines work.

Good news to share with everyone........ I had three SP chicks hatch from my last set of eggs from Kari (5-2-13) and I am pleased to share that I have 1 cockerel and 2 pullets!!!

Now THAT's how I what to see those cockerel/pullet ratios! Keep'm coming like that Kari! hahahaha

 

[Jake Levi]

You are right Curt, slow and steady gets it done.

And with a standard and now a growing understanding of the genetics of the breed we will make a lot more progress !

Congrats on your 3 ! Thats a flock for some of us !

I hope my KariHatch works as well !

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Well, my flock isn't much bigger than that at the present. I'm only raising the Silver Penciled Iowa Blues at the moment and I've got 5 nearly 3 month old birds (3 cockerels/2 pullets), my little trio that I just posted about above, and 11 chicks from Sandhill. I've got another hatch from Kari due next Thursday. 12 eggs there, so if things go well I should be able to add to my SP flock a little more there.

One thing I'm really enjoying with my SH chicks is the great diversity of chick down color. Interestingly enough, even though they all look so different, their wings are growing in a brown stippled pattern. Quite enjoyable to see then looking so different and yet developing similar feather growth.......I'm going to see what I can do to preserve, promote, and expand that chick down diversity within the lines I create out of the SH stock.

 

[debs_flock]

One thing I'm really enjoying with my SH chicks is the great diversity of chick down color. Interestingly enough, even though they all look so different, their wings are growing in a brown stippled pattern.

Mine too.

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Deb- did you obtain any new chicks from Glenn this year? I know that you had some troubles with his chicks in the past....didn't know if you had any more? Or are you getting some chick down diversity by crossing your rooster from him with your hens from Jim/Ideal?

 

[debs_flock]

No, SH sent me seven more chicks this year to finish out last year's order, along with a few box fillers of other stuff.

I hatched 10 out of 10 eggs that Jim sent to me this year and a few eggs from my own flock. My own flock currently consists of a roo from Jim and the roo from SH. They are covering four hens from Jim. The four hens are one SP & three birchen.

My girls are steadily laying four eggs per day. I'll probably hatch some more, roo specific once my number of chicks decreases a bit (currently have 150+, along with poults, ducklings and a bunch more juveniles).