Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[mrandmrschicken]

All of my eggs that I used for breakfast this am were fertile! I opened two RSL's, one from Delaware, and one from an Iowa. Now I just need a broody

The two broody girls I have are very busy. One Serama mother, I keep shoving eggs under and as they hatch, they go to the brooder. She is in a box with a slick bottom that I can't put anything in cause she tears it up, scratches it up, so the chick don't get good footing. but she seems happy with this arrangement, she eats well and drinks so she is not over doing herself. The other is an Orpington hen that has been very steadfast in her nest box. The other nest box has no eggs, so I think the 3 other girls are laying in her box with her. I need to mark the eggs or put a dummy in the other side, to encourage them to lay in there but, I don't want the broody to move to sit on one egg. I may have to isolate her. Would love to have a coop cam, to keep track of whats happening.

 

[karimw]

If I had a coop cam, I'd never get anything done!

 

[Candy442]

she seems happy with this arrangement, she eats well and drinks so she is not over doing herself. The other is an Orpington hen that has been very steadfast in her nest box. The other nest box has no eggs, so I think the 3 other girls are laying in her box with her. I need to mark the eggs or put a dummy in the other side, to encourage them to lay in there but, I don't want the broody to move to sit on one egg. I may have to isolate her. Would love to have a coop cam, to keep track of whats happening.

It's strange, but there are three nests in the coop for 11 ladies and up until the last few days, they have been found in all three..usually two in each. For the last few days, we have found five or six eggs in the middle nest, but no hen sitting on them. They clearly do not have any favorites, it seems like they just change every week! confusing....

I look for down in the nests and even had Boop in there (birchen IaB) two days ago flattening out and sitting for awhile, but she always is on the perch for shut down

.

If we are not seeing any sitters by March, then I guess we will have to get an incubator....darn!

 

[karimw]

I find they prefer to lay in a box that has an egg already in it. People use fake eggs to encourage hens to use nests. I use laundry baskets for my turkeys, but the hens use them too so it gets a little crowded sometimes.

 

[mrandmrschicken]

That's exactly right Kari. agood way to get them laying in different boxes is to put fake eggs in them. No one wants to be first!

 

[mrandmrschicken]

It's strange, but there are three nests in the coop for 11 ladies and up until the last few days, they have been found in all three..usually two in each. For the last few days, we have found five or six eggs in the middle nest, but no hen sitting on them. They clearly do not have any favorites, it seems like they just change every week! confusing....

I look for down in the nests and even had Boop in there (birchen IaB) two days ago flattening out and sitting for awhile, but she always is on the perch for shut down

.

If we are not seeing any sitters by March, then I guess we will have to get an incubator....darn!

If they are sitting for a few hours at a time, and spreading out, they are on the verge of going broody. Another sign is, if they come out of the box and have a "bok, bok, bok", sound, when they are moving around, almost like a letting you know they mean business, is a sure sign.

 

[Candy442]

I find they prefer to lay in a box that has an egg already in it. People use fake eggs to encourage hens to use nests. I use laundry baskets for my turkeys, but the hens use them too so it gets a little crowded sometimes.

I have one plastic golf ball in one and that's all right now. I have regular golf balls I can use too, should I leave them just in one nest? We have been collecting the eggs daily.

I like the laundry basket idea, what sort of turkeys do you have? I am interested in having those too, but looking at Narraganset or Chocolate Turkeys...also think the White Hollands look nice. Only a few for the freezer although someone commented that it is difficult to have just a couple and then butcher them. They grow on you -they were saying...

That's exactly right Kari. agood way to get them laying in different boxes is to put fake eggs in them. No one wants to be first!

My girls seem to all want to be first, with the Reds seeming to be the earliest of layers and the Iowa's usually are more towards the afternoon...sometimes we will see two crowded in one of those nest bins with a third trying to wedge in too. But they all jump out and the eggs get cold.

Thanks to you both, I will used regular golf balls to hope encourage. I really would like them to hatch their own just so they know what it's like to be mommies

 

[karimw]

I have one plastic golf ball in one and that's all right now. I have regular golf balls I can use too, should I leave them just in one nest? We have been collecting the eggs daily.

I like the laundry basket idea, what sort of turkeys do you have? I am interested in having those too, but looking at Narraganset or Chocolate Turkeys...also think the White Hollands look nice. Only a few for the freezer although someone commented that it is difficult to have just a couple and then butcher them. They grow on you -they were saying...



Thanks to you both, I will used regular golf balls to hope encourage. I really would like them to hatch their own just so they know what it's like to be mommies

I usually use one in each nest so they don't feel like they have to crowd. I think they collaborate in order to build up a clutch and have someone else volunteer to incubate their eggs for them. Maybe if you put several in one nest they would think t's time to sit. It is pretty early for broodies. The problem is broody fever is quite contagious. Once one starts they will all think it's a good idea

This year I have young Sweetgrass and Tiger Bronze turkeys from Porters. I had a mix of Slate, Bronze, Narraganset and Royal Palm up until last fall, but I decided if I was going to raise them they should be pure. They are a lot of fun and I just love having them around. I try to keep an emotional distance from the ones destined for the table, but I get attached to some.
This is Lacey II, she is way to cuddly to eat

 

[Candy442]

This is Lacey II, she is way to cuddly to eat

awwww...no way I could give that sweetie up

 

[karimw]

Everyone else tastes great though! We butchered 14 this fall and we packaged 22 lbs of ground turkey in addition to the 4 we ate for thanksgiving (30+ people) and a couple others still in the freezer.