Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[karimw]

I have a few pictures to post for now, but I did take some new ones this past weekend. I'm pretty happy with my flock though I did lose some I will miss.
From the black chicks I have at least a dozen good pullets with the comon black coloring and good silvering:

This isn't a good picture, but I love how the brown chicks turned out:
Pullet in the middle ground - I have 3 of these

Cockerel right foreground - heavy silver (too bad I lost this one):

My Iowa Blue/Ameraucana crosses are pretty neat too. The pullets are solid blue and black like their mothers, but the roos show a lot of variety:

A collection of pure and part bred a bit younger - these were all broody raised:

This guy in the fore ground has turned out pretty nice - I'll post a better picture of him soon.

 

[Jake Levi]

Thats a beautiful flock!!

How many purebreds?

I would say that from here on out selecting the right roos will make your flock for you, those pullets look very nice.

I am looking forward to hearing more from others.

Where did most of your birds come from?

I hope to get a start from Sandhill for mine, maybe some from Ideal, if so I will try and keep them separate while they grow out. Hoping to get an eventual flock of 18-20 hens.

 

[mrheinz77]

I got my flock from Kari who got her flock from a guy in Illinois after she lost her original flock to predator, I believe. Of her replacement flock, I bought 6 of her 8 hens (1 went to Trish and she kept one) and I got one of her roosters (Trish got one and I got the next best.) She did keep 2 I believe. I need to get better pictures of mine to post, but here is a recent picture.

Besides the mossiness, the biggest problem I am seeing in the hens is their comb. Some are good, some are twisted, some only have 3 points. Hopefully with careful breeding and culling we all will end up with GREAT flocks.

My issue, where Kari said she just lost several, is with chicks. I have a hard time keeping Iowa Blues and Speckled Sussex alive from the 1-3 week range. Does anybody have any suggestions?

I also have an auction going right now that ends in a few hours for 6+ Iowa Blue eggs. I already have 6 collected from Saturday and Sunday and I will include any that are laid today. The only egg that I didn't put in the auction eggs is one with a funny shape egg/coarse shell. I'm afraid the shell will break in shipping do I put it in my incubator. I have been getting both color chicks. I sent some eggs to La and the guy got one black and one brown chick from his 6 eggs.

I have 1 pullet that I can't wait to add to the breeding pen. She is from eggs I got off ebay. The cockerel in the ad had squirrel tail, bit this is the pullet that I have hatched with the most silver. This is an old picture and not the best quality, but you may get the idea.

Jim

 

[Jake Levi]

Hi Jim

I have found that with the breeds noted for free ranging that higher protein starter feed works very well, last year for my Icelandics I used 26% turkey starter and had great results with them,

I have had similar with several other free ranging homestead breeds, the chicks with broody hens free ranging do the best, they are getting more protein. And it really shows a difference in the well muscled breeds.

All my chicks this year will start on turkey starter, at least for the first 8 weeks. Its well worth the extra cost for what it does.

Thats a very nice flock that you have Jim, and you know where the improvements need to be, wish that I was as far along.

I plan on getting chicks from Sandhill, maybe also from Ideal along with any hatching eggs, I'd like to wind up with about 20 hens and 3-4 roos. I do like multi sire flocks, with very heavy selection on the roos. Thats what I am doing with my Icelandics. I think that right now body type will count more with me then combs as long as its not too far off, I will forgive a little with a pullet but not a roo.

A roo to not make freezer camp has got to be good, period.

So how many IBs do you folks think that there are right now??

 

[LiLRedCV]

My Iowa Blue roo puffing out his chest (spring 2011 hatch - bought @ local feed store who reportedly bought it from Privett Hatchery)

One of my 8 Iowa Blue hens (also spring 2011 hatch - bought @ local feed store who reportedly bought it from Privett Hatchery)

 

[Jake Levi]

Very nice looking birds, the first that I have seen from Privett. I am going to try some from Sandhill and Ideal and go from there after growing them out and culling the roos strictly. I like what I have seen so far of the 2011 hatch.

 

[karimw]

My original flock was purchased from Privett and Ideal, though they got their stock from Sandhill. From what I understand Sandhill rescued the last remaining flock(s) originally developed in Decorah and all our birds come from those. I tried to order from Sandhill this year, but their hens quit laying so they returned my money. If you want some, best order very early!

 

[karimw]

OK, more pictures - these are more recent ones of my May and June hatches:

Early hatch pullet and a lovely Buff Orp from County Line Hatchery

The rooster on the right is my remaining original rooster from the Privett/Ideal hatch in 2010. He survived the dogs, the sales and is pretty nice to have around. Except for some of the mixed breeds running around I never used him for breeding because of the gold gene though

Could be he's the daddy of the one on the left;

This is one of my favorite IaB/Ameraucana crosses out of a pure AM black hen

Another IaCauna roo

The IaCauna pullets all have lovely muffs. I didn't get a picture of a blue one I guess. It will be interesting to see what they lay

Here's a shot of some free rangers coming to meet me with my new pen in the back ground. I used an old car port frame to hold up the netting. The roosters are now in the freezer so I'll be putting my good breeders in there soon. I should have an accurate head count when thats done!

 

[LiLRedCV]

I just called Privett this morning in regards to their IB stock. I was told that they breed/raise them on site at their hatchery - no subcontracting out to places such as Sandhill to acquire them. I was also told they have them in stock and when I inquired about ordering 25, was told they could get them all out to me by tomorrow (Wednesday) or even next week (Wednesday) and have them delivered by Friday of this week or next. So, if you're looking for Iowa Blue chicks NOW - call Privett!!

IB chicks are about $2.29 each straight run for under 25 birds and if you wanted them vaccinated their website says that's 0.12-cents more per bird.

Office Hours
Monday thru Friday 8 AM - 5 PM Mountain Time

Mail
PO Box 176 Portales, NM 88130

Phone
Tel: 575-356-6425
Toll Free: 1-877-PRIVETT

E-Mail
[email protected]

 

[mrheinz77]

It would be interesting to see where they got their original flock from.

Nice looking birds, Kari.