Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[trailrider330]

Congratulations Candy! I look forward to hearing, and seeing, how your new chicks do as time goes on!

 

[Candy442]

Congratulations Candy! I look forward to hearing, and seeing, how your new chicks do as time goes on!

Thank you Tricia! Lets keep our fingers crossed that there are many many girls out of the eight

 

[Dirt Farmer]

Well I fired up the incubator and my IB pullet hasn't laid an egg since. Its been nine days. I think she's done for the year. To make matters worse I left a door open today and a Dorking cockerel wandered in. Oddly the Iowa cockerel didn't chase him all over the place like he's done in the past. I guess that issue has been settled. It will probably be spring now before I hatch any IB. The current setting will be well started after I achieve 5 or 6 weeks of isolation for the IB to make sure I'm not hatching crosses.

 

[Candy442]

Well I fired up the incubator and my IB pullet hasn't laid an egg since. Its been nine days. I think she's done for the year. To make matters worse I left a door open today and a Dorking cockerel wandered in. Oddly the Iowa cockerel didn't chase him all over the place like he's done in the past. I guess that issue has been settled. It will probably be spring now before I hatch any IB. The current setting will be well started after I achieve 5 or 6 weeks of isolation for the IB to make sure I'm not hatching crosses.

She may be entering her molt? My Iowas of all ages lay year round. We don't get more than 5 eggs per hen or laying pullet a week, in the winter it usually drops to 3 a week. They completely stop when they molt or IF they get broody of course.
My Iowa Rooster is the yard boss. He is very protective of "his" girls. However, he chases but never attacks/fights the other roosters and they all respect him. Iowa roosters can coexist as long as they understand their boy pecking order

How many eggs are in the incubator? Or you fired it up to put some in and she stopped laying? I hope that's not what you meant ?

 

[Dirt Farmer]

She may be entering her molt? My Iowas of all ages lay year round. We don't get more than 5 eggs per hen or laying pullet a week, in the winter it usually drops to 3 a week. They completely stop when they molt or IF they get broody of course.
My Iowa Rooster is the yard boss. He is very protective of "his" girls. However, he chases but never attacks/fights the other roosters and they all respect him. Iowa roosters can coexist as long as they understand their boy pecking order

How many eggs are in the incubator? Or you fired it up to put some in and she stopped laying? I hope that's not what you meant ?

You're probably right. The IB cockerel has obviously lost tail and neck feathers. The pullet looks pretty good but is missing a tail feather or two, and generally her feathering just doesn't look as "tight". This particular pullet has never been a good layer.

Unfortunately the above latter is true. I set up the incubator, but never collected an egg. Not all was lost. I did put some Dorking eggs in, and will continue until the end of the month.

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Candy and Brett,

Congratulations on your hatch! You've got a nice little group there. You were wanting some more silvers Candy, so now you've got them! Keep me posted on how they finish out for you.

Now, I really like the chick on the left! Go figure, right????? Who can resist that color?

 

[Dirt Farmer]

Another outstanding IBCC Newsletter in the inbox today. Consistently the best of any chicken club I've ever joined. Sorry to read that Curt is stepping down but doing it for all the right reasons.
After giving the Newsletter a fast read, my thoughts are that the IBCC may be the best guardian of the breed, vs other organizations which are not as single purposed. I think keeping the IB a landrace rather than an official breed makes some sense. It allows the breed to be defined in non traditional as well as traditional ways. (You won't read about hawk fighting and popping in the SOP.) And it may foster cooperation over competition. I know people who show will probably miss the ability to do so. Issues to be hammered out in the future.
Thanks Curt.

 

[Candy442]

Another outstanding IBCC Newsletter in the inbox today. Consistently the best of any chicken club I've ever joined. Sorry to read that Curt is stepping down but doing it for all the right reasons.
After giving the Newsletter a fast read, my thoughts are that the IBCC may be the best guardian of the breed, vs other organizations which are not as single purposed. I think keeping the IB a landrace rather than an official breed makes some sense. It allows the breed to be defined in non traditional as well as traditional ways. (You won't read about hawk fighting and popping in the SOP.) And it may foster cooperation over competition. I know people who show will probably miss the ability to do so. Issues to be hammered out in the future.
Thanks Curt.

X2 Another excellent publication by Curt! I like that the club can work towards a standard and should try to exhibit as much as possible. It will take many years of work as a club to get APA certification, however, we at Fivewire Farm wish to keep the most desirable characteristics possible. We just love this line of birds, they are quite the inquisitive, smart chicks to pop out of the shells Love the club and the people too!

 

[bigmrg74]

My Iowa chick sitting on top of the chicken TV chair.

 

[Dirt Farmer]

If any IB breeders are interested The Livestock Breed Conservancy is taking a chicken census. The census form includes the IB. You do not have to be a member to fill out the form.

Edit: You can fill it out online at the website.