Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[Jake Levi]

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This is what Hurley came up with and I think that it is an excellent start for a proposed standard.

 

[LiLRedCV]

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I have 8 Iowa Blue hens and 1 Iowa Blue rooster... so 9 altogether and all Privett Hatchery stock.

 

[Jake Levi]

Thats a great start for a flock, and for a census to begin,

how many others are out there?

 

[karimw]

I have 14 females and I think 8 males. Just separated out the hens/pullets, but haven't decided on the cockerels to keep. The old sire from mrandmrschicken's brood has so much gold on him I won't use him but I'm keeping him for comparison. I have a few almost black pullets that I'll keep in the layer flock "just in case" but I'm not planning to breed them either.

I won't be breeding these guys either!

Wry tail on the left, squirrel tail on the right

 

[mrheinz77]

I just thought I would post a picture of my Cock bird from Kari.

 

[Jake Levi]

Beautiful bird !

Kari your post shows why we need numbers, selection is harder if we each have only a few birds. I envy you having enough to choose from.

Does anyone have a handle on which of the 3 hatcherys has the better Iowa Blues : Sandhill, Privett or Ideal??

I can see where I will be buying more chicks this spring to wind up with enough pullets to develop a flock from and to chose roos from. Also going to need a good sized freezer for those that make the wrong cut. It has to be.

 

[karimw]

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He does have a nice comb and the silver looks pretty dominant.

You can see the gold on my old guy (on the left) from Privett/Ideal. Not sure which hatchery he came from - they were all mixed together when I got them froom mrandmrschicken.

 

[karimw]

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I learned a lot this past year, one of which was to make sure I protect my breeding birds. I've had some stupid losses that could have been avoided had they been protected better. It is a shame to see my best free range birds confined to a pen, but that's what it's going to take. I'm hoping my May and June hatched birds start laying yet this fall. It will be my priority to hatch a bunch of them. I didn't really want to hatch over the winter, but I've got a brooder full of Halloween chicks that popped a day early. Icelandics, BCM and some funny looking Langshans(?)

 

[mrheinz77]

Mine looked kind of like that until recently. I wasn't sure if it was the sun or not. He looks really silver. I like his comb. Now the hens' combs are not that good. Now were the ones I got from you from the Ideal/Privett batch or the ones you got from Illinois?

Thanks,
Jim

I like this guy's penciling. Are they supposed to have this?

 

[Jake Levi]

Very nice looking birds !!

Is there one of the hatcherys that you know shipped some off birds??

Thinking of the proposed standard it seems that type should receive the most consideration, to me anyhow, color and comb can be worked with, both once known can be adjusted in a couple generations with the right dominant cockeral.

What other combs have you seen, if any from the hatcherys?

The gold or silver is a matter of choosing only the silver to clean up a flock using a silver roo and not keeping any gold carrier roos. Freezer camp, I would consider keeping a pullet with some gold showing if she was special in other traits.

Kari, if you do produce any IBs this winter I'd be interest in a trio of started ones.

Who did you get your Icelandics from? Most of mine are from Mary O'Brian in Ca. Maybe we could do some trading next year, I hope to have at least 30 hatch. If I get broodys I will hatch some at the same time and slip them under the broody.

I am with you on the predator problems, not a lot of stray dogs around here, but we do have coons, and weasels and have had both Mtn Lions and Black Bears in the immediate neighborhood. When I take my goats out I am carrying my .45, has to be. My answer to stray dogs is SSS. Always. Unless I know the dog, and right now none of my near neighbors even has a dog.