Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[debs_flock]

Your bird looks to be blue on my monitor, Iowa Blues aren't actually blue.

Pretty bird though.

 

[elmtree]

Your bird looks to be blue on my monitor, Iowa Blues aren't actually blue.

Pretty bird though.

She's not blue, she is a greyish with silver penciling and a few very light auburn spots on her wings mostly. Thanks! We think she is beautiful. She is one of our first chickens.

 

[elmtree]

She's not blue, she is a greyish with silver penciling and a few very light auburn spots on her wings mostly. Thanks! We think she is beautiful. She is one of our first chickens.

I correct that to a very dark grey. She was a black chick.

 

[Jake Levi]

She is for sure NOT a Java. Disappointing on that hatchery. Good production birds but forget about any pure breeds from them. Sad. Years ago I got some Blue Andalusians from them that were real.

Anyhow, thats a beautiful pullet, you will have a real honest look after she has had her first molt. I suspect we'll never know what she really is but I am sure that if you get an Iowa Blue rooster from someone here that you will get some very nice chicks to start an IB flock, of course if your rooster comes with several pullets you'll be well on the way.

I have 3 of Karis' SPs, doing very well, all three were of the last hatched from the doomed egg set. Got nine survivors, one large Delaware , the first and one later one, , four Icelandics, and the three Iowa Blues. The earliest ones share a tote now with four turkey polts, a Bourbon Red and 3 Spanish Blacks. My first experience with the Spanish, fast growing already, black with white faces, they will be all black. I wanted some Narraganset, might find some yet, we will see.I like them.

So, I am now building the Iowa Blue pen, but all the chicks will share brooders til well feathered out. Life goes on.

I am really looking forward to the next Iowa Blue eggs, I set a dozen yesterday of the Icelandics and Delawares. I am hoping to get some of the new line from Kathyinmo this year too.

This coming Sat, the 22nd is Chickenstock, at a park in Lansing, I am going even though its a long drive, its a great nonshow poultry event, I missed it last year. Hopefully next year I will have some SP Iowa Blues to exhibit, and some printed info to hand out . I think the Iowa Blue has a bright future ahead thanks to the folks here.

BYC is a great resource, and I really appreciate it.

 

[Hurley]

First two little pullet eggs out of my new flock. One is a very pretty birchen, the other is one of my SPs from Kari. Woot. Will have to check fertility, but at least they are now laying!

 

[elmtree]

Thanks so much for everyone's help with my Java that turned out to be a Blue lol. After a lot more research I am convinced that she is a Blue. I would love to get a pure bred Roo to mate her with but I have a production red roo and a Silver Sebright roo that would throw a fit lol. Maybe someday. Ok so I have two more girls that were supposed to be "Javas" but have the same type of neck coloring as Penelope but not the "all over" penciling she does.

in the second photo she is on the right and Penelope is in the left.

 

[Jake Levi]

I dont now, maybe the 'old stock' Iowa Blues??

They need someone much more up on the strains then I am. But I am wondering, dark birchen??

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

These pullets definately look like what one would expect from Ideal's Iowa Blue line. You are fortunate to have a pullet as silver as what you have. If you would get a nice Silver Penciled cock to put over these girls you'd be on your way to a very nice flock. It would appear that they messed up their chicks! Although a Birchen Iowa Blue chick would certainly look alot alike to a Java chick.........

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Good morning all

I am going to "try" to get an Iowa Blue Flock started down in Georgia at my FILs place this Fall (going to get eggs from Deb, so pray for a good hatch)

I see a lot of conversation regarding birchen and silver penciled. I am very familiar with Silver Penciled in LF Rocks as well as Brahmas (dark brahmas)....is the Iowa Blue "silver penciled" the same? Or does it look different?

Just curious more than anything and if someone has pix of both that they could point out I would appreciate it

Thanks yall

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

The silver penciling is in the same "family" so to speak, but it is very different in how the pattern manifests. On a sp rock/wyandotte the lacing is VERY defined. On an IB there will be lacing on the breast and the lacing will slowly blend into a stippling of black,gray, and white by the tail end of the hen. This stippling creates a blue gray color when the hen is viewed from a distance and hence the name Iowa Blue. Her underfluff as well as her abdomen fluff should be a rich blue gray color as well, which only adds to the overall "blue" color. Her head should be a silvery white with the black appearing at the hackle end. This also differs from a sp rock as they permit more black within the hackle. You will also notice the lacing on the breast will appear different than the typical lacing on the breast of a sp rock. The males and females should also exhibit a blueish sheen as opposed to a green sheen. This has been lost in many flocks but is starting to make a great comeback as breeders are selecting for the sheen color. Hope this sets you off into the right direction. Kari has a few great pics of her sp Iowa Blues and Connie has an amazing birchen pullet at the moment. Maybe Kari and Connie could repost a couple pics for us?