Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[Candy442]

Picture night for the brown chicks. I've been tagging photos of them with their id numbers to be able to look back on them at different stages. Just curious what colors/patterns turn into what.

SO CUTE Connie. I like Thomas's chick

are the browns considered "silver" chicks?

 

[Hurley]

Yes, the brown mottled/striped ones are Silvers.

 

[WVDan44]

Hi Connie

I saw some Ameraucana chicks yesterday that have the chipmunk pattern very similar to our IB sp chicks. Are they silver pencil as well? Can the Ameraucana chicks be sexed early on or must one wait for them to grow out. I believe you keep a few of this breed as I recall.

 

[Hurley]

Unless they are a sex-linked coloration, they aren't any easier to sex young than any other breed. I can pick out a good portion of them young, but there is crossover in appearance. I've never been 100% super young, don't even try anymore. Haven't attempted vent sexing.

The chipmunk appearance isn't specific to the Iowa Blue, that chick down color tends to go along with the eb locus (partridge), as far as I know,

The Ameraucanas I've had here have been Blue/Black/Splash and Lavender, which have hatched solid colored blue/black/yellow/silver respectively.

 

[Candy442]

We have 7 growing Iowas in the incubator. Lockdown is Sunday. Welcoming any advice on lockdown temps/humidity recommendations...? We have FI circulating air and auto turner. Room humidity 35% temps so far 99 to 100 consistant and humidity flucuations between 25 to 35 % inside the 'bator
Taking turner out on sunday with 18 total growing eggs..geat air sacs too
getting nervous now so hope all here will help me thru last few days !!! This is our very first hatch. The others are 5 Dela Blue eggs , 3RSL/Iowa cross and 2 EEs. One DelaBlue is too close to call if quitter so we left it in just in case since no smell to it

 

[karimw]

We have 7 growing Iowas in the incubator. Lockdown is Sunday. Welcoming any advice on lockdown temps/humidity recommendations...? We have FI circulating air and auto turner. Room humidity 35% temps so far 99 to 100 consistant and humidity flucuations between 25 to 35 % inside the 'bator
Taking turner out on sunday with 18 total growing eggs..geat air sacs too
getting nervous now so hope all here will help me thru last few days

!!! This is our very first hatch. The others are 5 Dela Blue eggs , 3RSL/Iowa cross and 2 EEs. One DelaBlue is too close to call if quitter so we left it in just in case since no smell to it

My Iowa Blues tend to hatch early, so I lock down on day 17. I keep the humidity at least 65 for hatching so they don't stick in the shell. My best advice is to let them be as much as possible. I usually pull out the chicks when it gets too crowded, but pening it up all the time when there are pips increases the chance of sticky chicks. I know it's hard not to intervene, but I have found if they can't hatch on their own they have a poor survival rate anyway.

Good luck! let us know how it goes!

 

[Candy442]

My Iowa Blues tend to hatch early, so I lock down on day 17. I keep the humidity at least 65 for hatching so they don't stick in the shell. My best advice is to let them be as much as possible. I usually pull out the chicks when it gets too crowded, but pening it up all the time when there are pips increases the chance of sticky chicks. I know it's hard not to intervene, but I have found if they can't hatch on their own they have a poor survival rate anyway.

Good luck! let us know how it goes!

thanks Kari. We will compromise and lock down on Sunday early instead of night then. I think the Iowas did show more early development than the others, but all the eggs were pretty dark and about 2/3 dark outside of the air sack on top and small area on the pointy end that was translucent.

We are hoping that we can keep it at 65, it will be tough due to how dry it is in our home right now. I also thought I would take out the birds real quick when they are fluffed and put them in a brooder so they don't run over the others. We are also going to set the eggs upright slightly slanted in cardboard egg cartons with the bottoms cut out. Have you tried using cardboard egg cartons during a hatch?

 

[karimw]

thanks Kari. We will compromise and lock down on Sunday early instead of night then. I think the Iowas did show more early development than the others, but all the eggs were pretty dark and about 2/3 dark outside of the air sack on top and small area on the pointy end that was translucent.

We are hoping that we can keep it at 65, it will be tough due to how dry it is in our home right now. I also thought I would take out the birds real quick when they are fluffed and put them in a brooder so they don't run over the others. We are also going to set the eggs upright slightly slanted in cardboard egg cartons with the bottoms cut out. Have you tried using cardboard egg cartons during a hatch?

I have, and I think it helps with shipped eggs, but otherwise I let them roll. I've had them get stuck upside down if they pip low or at the wrong end. I think it also affected my humidity to have the cartons in there. That's likely personal preference though.

 

[ottbjumper06]

I'm looking into shipping chicks once I become NPIP, and from what I see I think I'll probably go with SpeeDee. Kari, Eric, I know you both use this service. What are your minimum orders for shipped LF chicks? How old are your chicka before you ship them?
Where is the cheapest place to get boxes?

 

[Candy442]

I have, and I think it helps with shipped eggs, but otherwise I let them roll. I've had them get stuck upside down if they pip low or at the wrong end. I think it also affected my humidity to have the cartons in there. That's likely personal preference though.

wish we could have a preference ... we set seven Iowa eggs and all are growing...it appears you are going to be a chick gramma again Kari