Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[Jake Levi]

I am serious !!!

although you might have to mince the oysters

Whatever it takes, the more on the ground the better.

 

[Jake Levi]

Seems like this is going to be a long, slow winter. We had 4" of snow yesterday morn, and more forcast for today, as of right now I have 24" on top of my new chicken and goat shed roof ! Yup, we got more. This weekend we also are expected to have temps in low teens or single digits, this is a great place to illustrate that Iowa Blues are a cold clime heritage bird ! But alas and alack I have none yet. It will be.

I hope you all are as ready for the spring hatching as I am.

 

[karimw]

It will be a long winter, but I'm hoping the farmers are right and there won't be too much snow

I have 3 laying in the Ia Blue coop! I ate them for breakfast this weekend, so I know the eggs are fertile, but my broody Cochin finally gave up after 2 months

Hopefully I will have some to set for the NYD hatch. Anyone have some good ideas about how to keep the eggs from freezing while I'm at work?

 

[Jake Levi]

Hi Kari

I have 2' + here and more coming, Tis the season !

The only ways I can think of keeping the eggs from freezing is either in an above freezing place or lightbulbs over the nestboxes.

Its a given that my Icelandic eggs will freeze here. Not much I can do about it other then bringing the hens inside.

 

[karimw]

So here is what you get when you cross an Iowa Blue Rooster with an Ameraucana hen:

This is my collection from the IaB pen last night - the blue-green one is from the blue mix hen the picture looks more green than it is on my screen. It really is almost blue. I'm getting several of these from my layer flock now too, so I think it's pretty consistent with this cross. I do enjoy my EEs!

 

[Jake Levi]

Very nice size !! Is that regularly now?

45F here now and rain, tomorrow is rain and snow mix but we have had a LOT of our snow melt the past couple of days.So this has been a welcome relief, real winter will be back all too soon enough.

 

[loganisle]

This mag have been asked before, but how does this northern developed breed do with the heat and humidity oc the southern states?

 

[karimw]

Quote:
Yes, 2-4 eggs a day from the older girls and some of the others are starting to look interested. We've had fog and now wind here, supposedly it will hit 60 today!

 

[karimw]

Quote:
We had some pretty hot humid weather this past summer and my Iowa Blues at least handled it just fine. Lost 3 out of 4 Barred Rock hens though

I don't know how they would do if they had to deal with it more than a week at a time though.

 

[Jake Levi]

I suspect that they can do as well as most other American breeds with shelter from the sun and plenty of water.

My concern is how they will do in our colder winters here in the northern states but I am expecting that developing through the Iowa winters will have given them the ability to survive further north.