Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[Jake Levi]

Verizon was down yesterday so I was offline, couldnt follow through on the Lady in Texas but will today.

Winter is about here , here in Wa, snow thursday and 20s every night, tis the season.

I am working on the new goat and chicken shed, and will start several others soon if the weather holds off, ifnot then in the springtime.

I do plan on an IB order from both Sandhill and Ideal, and hope to raise out 18 pullets and a couple of roos beyond those that go in the freezer. I am going to be looking at pullets hard on type, the roos the same and very hard on their color.

Whats others plans for them?

 

[mrheinz77]

My plan is to swap some eggs with others whenever they are ready. I'm hoping if I hatch this winter they will be laying/breeding this coming summer. I also will put my cock bird in with his daughters and now that I have a young cockerel he will go in with my hens (as long as he meets my expectations) when he is old enough. I have pullets that look a lot more silver than their mothers.

 

[Jake Levi]

I would like to be hatching this winter but am afraid of shipping eggs now, was 16 here this morning, not much warmer now, I am getting 3 started Icelandics the week after Thanksgiving, all with feathered legs, a trait that I dont have in mine yet, but will have.

At the moment, as I said I am ordering chicks from both Ideal and Sandhill this spring, and will start there, and be culling them very heavy, down to about 3 roos and 18 or so pullets.

Sounds like you have your flock off to a very good start, I am hopeful that 2012 is going to be a very good year for Iowa Blues .

 

[mrheinz77]

Quote:
I was just wondering if there was a reason that you were starting with hatchery stock instead of getting eggs from somebody that has done that and started culling already? There is nothing wrong with the idea. I had thought about getting a few chicks to see what they were like, but decided to stick with my plan of eggs from others as well as using my own flock.

I'm just curious. I'm not saying one way is right or wrong.

Jim

 

[Jake Levi]

Its strictly a temperature thing til spring, I would love to get some eggs from a flock that is further along from the hatchery start, I expect those to need some time to grow out and cull. I seriously expect to be culling at least half of the hatchery Iowa Blues. But they will be a start, then find out who has a good farm flock started and add some from them or eggs, but right now I wouldnt dare to ship eggs, not til at least april. Maybe May.

 

[mrheinz77]

I came across this web site tonight. Is the one hen too light?

http://www.ellsonsacre.com/blues.htm

 

[karimw]

Quote:
Based on the illustrations we have seen, I guess so

The three bottom birds are what you get from the chicks born brown. Roosters often have a lot of solid red/brown on their wings and back too. I like the hens this color and have 3 I intend to keep in my breeding flock. The roosters I cull.

 

[Jake Levi]

I agree with Kari, keep the hens, cull the roosters, on color, cull both on type.

Overal the flock looks nice to me, a good start.

 

[Jake Levi]

I should have added that I wish that they were mine !

Some nice looking type in there.

 

[oldiabird]

Quote:
I'm going to be culling some of mine down from 39 to probably about 6 to 8, if you want to come take alook at what will be left, otherwise possibly going to Osceola to the auction on Sunday!!! I have to cut back to the best with feed costs what they are, and the weather due to turn worse, so the free-ranging will probably be cut short soon. I have found that these Ib's are probably the best, as they almost keep up with the guineas, I have seen them further away from the chicken house than any other breed that I have had, and yes they do return to the chicken house at nite to be closed up, and they run out of the coop in the morning like they are going to miss out on something if they don't get out NOW!