Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[IowaBlueCurt]

Emily,

Personally, I like the looks of this fella. I imagine in person he stands up a little taller than this as my Johnson line birds seem to "squat" when I'm taking their pictures. I especially like the looks of all that white on him. His hackle, back, and saddle. His saddle is starting to hang down low and covers his secondaries. One of the things that a few of our historical accounts share with us is that the saddle of the males was long and flowing. That the white "mane" (which is their hackles) was full and long and it draped down their backs and flowed into the long saddle, looking almost like one continual flow. He is starting to develop a similar style which is nice. I also see his breast has white spangles, I suspect the Standard Committee will be adjusting the laced breast to a white spangled breast as this pattern seems consistant with the Silver males and the laced breast with the Charcoal males. Also, look to him developing a longer tail as he matures. His father has long sickle feathers. This isn't necessarily "bad", the club will have to determine what they want the tail to look like on the males......

Obviously his wing needs a little "pick me up"...... Hopefully this will self correct as this fella has some depth and a real solid structure.

 

[Candy442]

Here is a recent photo of Gandalf. He has settled down a bit and has become pretty close to my EE cockerel TwoTone (who is standing right next to him in the photo's below.

They just finished an oatmeal treat. You can see Sweetie on the perch, Betty and Boop in the foreground of the pictures.

What feedback can all of you give on Gandalf's pictures below? I think his eyes are too light, his legs are showing more a dark willow, but he has that long flowing hackles and saddle feathers that are desirable and a spangled chest? He has that darn "expression" tail too, not always straight, but sometimes it is...

Would it be worth seeing what his babies look like?

Also, please feel free to comment on the SP pullet and the two Birchen ones if you can?

 

[karimw]

I definitely would. I started my flock with birds not nearly that nice! I would leave him with that black EE/AM hen you have there too. the Iowacana is a great cross!

 

[ottbjumper06]

Setting 2 dozen eggs today in the incubator today and another couple under a first time broody . You weren't kidding Kari, they haven't been laying 10 days yet and one of them is already broody, LOL.

Connie- I picked up a porcelain silkie pullet to set on some eggs... well I caught the fluffy bug and am going back to pick up a porcelain cockerel and on the waiting list for a trio of partridge silkies. This all happened in the course of 3 days mind you!

Curt- How are your girls coming along? Are they laying yet? I enjoyed seeing yours pictures the other day, keep them comimg!

 

[Candy442]

I definitely would. I started my flock with birds not nearly that nice! I would leave him with that black EE/AM hen you have there too. the Iowacana is a great cross!

Thanks Kari

That darn Ameraucana has not laid a single egg to date. I got her as a four month old in September from another BYC member near our home (so Jet is about 8/9 months now). None of that ladies 8 black Ameraucana pullets (all from the same breeder) have laid an egg either! About a month ago, I noticed Jet was looking at the nest boxes and even tried sitting in one while our wonderful IaB Sweetie sang to her for encouragement. Nada happened! I can't wait to see a baby blue egg...so I hope she is just waiting for the spring.

As you can see, all the birds are now in one coop. Stinker Gandalf started to roost in the big coop one day, we moved him to the girls who obediently went to the IaB/Delaware digs. About three days later, Gandalf talked Birchen Betty to relocate to the big coop. Well...we just figured with the cold coming on we may as well let them all mingle and stay warm together

.

the moral of the story? IF and that is a big "if" at this point, little Jet does decide to lay eggs then she most likely will be having one by Gandalf

. I sure hope someone goes "broody" so we can hatch some little ones. I will not be using an incubator any time soon and letting nature take it's course for now.
I sure will need all of your advice on the breeding part though

 

[karimw]

My Ameraucanas take a long time to lay and I believe the higher show quality they are, the longer it takes

They don't lay in the winter either. However, my basket gets filled each day now with lovely green eggs from my Iowacanas and brown from my Iowa Blues.
This girl is out of a black AM hen and silver rooster. You can see she has all they IaB attitude when I try to take pictures of her chicks in the background. Those chicks are sired by a Buff Orp rooster. I just collected a nice khaki colored egg from a lovely gold girl with puffy cheeks. I think I'll put it in the incubator. The white cockerels got pretty good size and look great in my freezer.



A sister:

 

[Candy442]

I like the crosses between the Iowa and Ameraucana The way Gandalf was behaving, all of my birds will have his influence

 

[ottbjumper06]

Remind me, didn't we talk about changing the standard at the Mason City show to target feet with white soles? One of my pullets is displaying this feature so was wondering if this had been changed yet.

 

[karimw]

Yes, it hasn't been changed officially, but I do think most of us prefer it. I only have one or two with true slate legs, but they do stand out. I think both types existed originally.

 

[ottbjumper06]

Yes, it hasn't been changed officially, but I do think most of us prefer it. I only have one or two with true slate legs, but they do stand out. I think both types existed originally.

Thanks Kari