Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[IowaBlueCurt]

Dan,
I agree with Connie, I would continue to use her as she's your only silver pullet. Other than her comb, she's looking quite well. The comb may or may not "shake out" as she matures. I'd say overall, your birds are looking very comparable to what I have in my pens, and what I'm seeing in Kari's pens. Of course, this should be expected considering our stock came from her. They appear to be strong and healthy.

So far out of my first hatch from Kari, I have 2 silver pullets and 4 silver cockerels. One is very white and will not be used. This fall I plan on using each of the males on the two silver pullets to produce three seperate "lines" if you will. This will allow me to maximize and expand my genetic diversity (so to speak). So, you may be interested in doing something like that yourself Dan. Just a thought.

I also had a hatch come out this past tuesday! I was able to get 4 silver chicks out of that hatch. I'm pretty excited about that! There were 9 birchens in that hatch as well.

 

[karimw]

Curt have you got pictures? I'd like to see your "white" one.

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Kari-
I have been totally slacking on the picture taking!!!!

I will not be able to get pics tonight, but I will do my best to get some pics either tomorrow or this weekend! The weather sounds like it's going to be great, so I should have NO excuse!! hahaha

At the present, all of his breast and front side feathers are coming in solid white. I'll be curious to see how he'll finish out.

 

[karimw]

One of my birchen chicks was starting to feather out like that, but it died for some reason.

Everyone else has been healthy. I never did get a picture of it. It was born black with some white mottling on it's head kind of like the SP chicks. And no Curt, no beard or muff. This one was pure.

 

[WVDan44]

Dan,
I agree with Connie, I would continue to use her as she's your only silver pullet. Other than her comb, she's looking quite well. The comb may or may not "shake out" as she matures. I'd say overall, your birds are looking very comparable to what I have in my pens, and what I'm seeing in Kari's pens. Of course, this should be expected considering our stock came from her. They appear to be strong and healthy.

So far out of my first hatch from Kari, I have 2 silver pullets and 4 silver cockerels. One is very white and will not be used. This fall I plan on using each of the males on the two silver pullets to produce three seperate "lines" if you will. This will allow me to maximize and expand my genetic diversity (so to speak). So, you may be interested in doing something like that yourself Dan. Just a thought.

I also had a hatch come out this past tuesday! I was able to get 4 silver chicks out of that hatch. I'm pretty excited about that! There were 9 birchens in that hatch as well.

Right you are - we don't have a lot of diversity and our IBs are probably out of the same stock. I have my next three generations planned out and ready to proceed when they are old enough.

As far as my SP's comb is concerned, I plan on using her regardless but I thought I'd just ask the question to see if anyone could see anything that might be a major problem.

 

[spartacus_63]

One of my Sand Hill Iowa Blue. 5 weeks. This one was a chipmunk at hatch. Can still see remnents around the eyes. They are very active and growing rapidly. Went outside today and in the greatest Iowa Blue tradition, started looking for bugs.

 

[spartacus_63]

This one was also a chipmunk at hatch. Did not want to have his picture taken.

 

[spartacus_63]

This was a black chick at hatch.

 

[spartacus_63]

Another chipmunk.

 

[spartacus_63]

This one looked like a pheasant chick at hatch.