Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[Jake Levi]

I have been drooling over these pics !

I appreciate the closeups of the developing wing coloring.

Kari those SPs from the New Years Day hatch are a dream flock ! I am really looking forward to hatching more of the same.

Winter is hanging on here, fresh ice and snow to replace what we finally got melted off during the week. April in MI.

But, spring IS coming.

 

[Hurley]

I dunno. I think spring is just going to get skipped entirely and move straight on to summer.

Cold cold here today and windy! However, we're lucky, we were below the snow line of this latest round. Supposed to be 30 tomorrow and raining.

Hoping to get my juvie building split up to multiple brooders/runs, but don't know if I'll get it all accomplished this weekend.

 

[Jake Levi]

I would like to get over one of these days and see your flock. Maybe bring some home.

My building project the next couple of months is building coops with attached runs, up off the ground. When those are done will start on two chicken houses which will free the coops/brooders up for chicks. Its going to be on a tight schedule but will work.

Moderate out now, 34, going up to 37. Beats a blizzard which has happened in April.

This is why I want hardy homestead breeds. They need to be.

 

[karimw]

Just went to the butcher yesterday and cleaned out my bachelor pad. I culled all but one of my Icelandic roosters and most of the others. I am going to release most of the New Years Day cockerels into the flock so they can do their free range thing. All i have left in the big flock is my old Boss Iowa Blue, Lavender AM, frizzle EE, and Max, the SPPR Rooster.I have him caged actually, I though I might show him. I'll have to read up on my SOP and evaluate him. Not sure his legs are straight enough.

I think Trish said something about that too.

Sold 5 chicks to a super nice 4H girl and her father this morning. It sure is nice to know the Iowa Blues are getting noticed!

 

[Hurley]

Just got back from biking the dogs, got pelted with little ice balls the whole time...however, I suppose at this temp it's better than the wet stuff!

Project for today is to get these raptors out of my house and into the juvie building, which means the silver trio from Kari and a couple of brichen pullets for him move up to a small coop by the main pen.

I am seriously jealous of you guys with barns. I don't have big buildings on my property, just free standing coop/pens and the little juvie shed. Small hobby operation, but I love my IBs!

Looks like the majority of the silvers in my last hatch from Kari are going to be cockerels. Blegh. Hehhe, at least one pullet and one maybe, though, plus the birchens.



It is nice to see the breed getting noticed. I've been getting inquiries as well for birds. Can't wait until I've got the Silvers up and running!

 

[Hurley]

Ahh. Got the new little breeding coop finished, trio of Silvers moved in and happy. 3 new pullets added to the main birchen pen, much more lacing than my current girls, so will be moving some of the older gals out as the new ones mature. Babies are all happy in the juvie building, door all spritzed up and working well, indoor brooders all cleaned, steriled, freshly bedded, chickie dishes all sterilized, reset for the next round.

Had a shipment make it to a very nice gentleman in good shape today, air cells intact, very happy. They were a resend from a partially failed first attempt. The first box I tried to send him sat 6 days in the USPS system and they must have put the box on a paint can shaker or something. Shipped in foam, bubble wrapped, double boxed, well padded and they broke 5 eggs! I don't even know how that's possible, did they ship with a piano or something? Told him to set the survivors and I'd ship him a new dozen. Those were my first broken/cracked eggs. Man, they did a number on them.

Off to get warmed up now, think I've got a very nice wind burn, as there's no sun out there. LOL

 

[StelleKitten]

eta ooooops wrong thread.....

 

[spartacus_63]

22 IB eggs in the bator.

 

[Hurley]

Cool,

I've got 29 staggered in the incubator right now, 28 growing out at various stages currently. Going to have to retire last year's birds when these guys are up to snuff.


Really enjoying growing out these guys this year, can't wait for the NYD birds to start laying!

 

[spartacus_63]

I hear ya...I don't normally hatch through the winter, but I think I will this year to get a jump on the next generation.