Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[Dirt Farmer]

I'm going to fire up the incubator tomorrow and start collecting eggs. I only have my pair of charcoals, but I'm planning on keeping the incubator running until the end of Oct and will set whatever is laid over the next 4 weeks. (I could triple my flock.) My pullet, now 46 weeks, is laying a 1 5/8 ounce egg, and it has been stable for quite some time at that size. Hit 100 degrees today so I could get delayed if I can't keep my incubator cool enough in the garage. These birds will be looking forward to winter.

 

[karimw]

YIkes! My birds don't even lay when it gets that hot!

 

[bigmrg74]

lost one of my Iowa's today. was just leaving for work and I look out to the pen to see the flock all panicky up against the pen fence. Look a little more and I guess that's when Toruk saw me and opted to take off flying away. I run over to check and yep, that red tail had one of the Iowa's freshly dead, probably not even 5 minutes before, inside of my walk in chicken tractor. checked the rest of the flock and was only coming up with seven until I checked the nest boxes, saw Candy's reject hen just cowering in pure terror. Pulled the body out of the coop, and rounded the flock up into the coop to lock em up for the day. Really hoping that the hen he took out was the one that was laying the really little eggs I've been getting. And I think I am going to turn that door to the coop into a Dutch door so that I can keep the top closed to let the flock come and go from the coop while offering more safety from hawks.

 

[Dirt Farmer]

Sorry about your chicken (and sorry you have to work on the weekend). I've had good success using that beige colored sunscreen cloth as a deterrent. I tacked a couple sheets over a 10 x 15 outdoor pen and it nearly eliminated any wild birds from entering. One day I was in the pen with the birds when a red tailed hark landed on one of the posts literally 6 inches above my head and 3 to 4 feet away. I walked past him undetected, popped out the door and gave him a shout out up close and personal. I've never seen him back. There must be something about the woven fabric that creates a visual field their bird brains can't process. That's my theory. Good luck.

 

[karimw]

That's a bummer. I think I've lost some ducklings to a hawk this year, but I did see my dog chase one away. I've never had one that bold!

 

[bigmrg74]

Yeah, really wish Mom would have let me keep that Iowa cockerel that I got. Figure he would done something about that hawk. Thing is she was worried about him getting mean towards Miss Belle, who's all of nine pounds of Mini Aussie herding instinct. Now she's worried about that hawk snatching her up.

 

[karimw]

My Iowa Blues are pretty good with my cats, not mean just firm about not hassling the hens But usually it's the hens that put them in their place!

 

[Candy442]

Yeah, really wish Mom would have let me keep that Iowa cockerel that I got. Figure he would done something about that hawk. Thing is she was worried about him getting mean towards Miss Belle, who's all of nine pounds of Mini Aussie herding instinct. Now she's worried about that hawk snatching her up.

Oh we could have told her that our Iowa boys never pay Teddy bear any mind at all! He is only 7lbs and never bothered. At the very least the Iowa boy would have warned them all. Or he would have probably become the hawks dinner instead since they tend to sacrifice themselves or fight off the predator best they can.

You should worry. Hawks will most definitely take small dogs like Belle and Teddybear. We always walk with him outside and never leave him alone out there just for that reason.

 

[bigmrg74]

Oh we could have told her that our Iowa boys never pay Teddy bear any mind at all! He is only 7lbs and never bothered. At the very least the Iowa boy would have warned them all. Or he would have probably become the hawks dinner instead since they tend to sacrifice themselves or fight off the predator best they can.

You should worry. Hawks will most definitely take small dogs like Belle and Teddybear. We always walk with him outside and never leave him alone out there just for that reason.

yeah, we're keeping a close eye on her when she goes outside.

 

[Candy442]

Our broody Iowa hatched two babies last Tuesday. JB is the dad, not sure which hens these are from, think they both are charcoals?



and .....eight out of the eight developing Iowa eggs from @IowaBlueCurt hatched yesterday with the last this morning Here are seven of them, the last to hatch is dark and was under the brooder plate . Ok Curt, what do you think? Only one of the nine was clear. What do you think of the patterns from this "Jamaca" line?