Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[Candy442]

Yup that is Flap ...she was actually more mulberry than Nat...but she had no markings at all...she is Nats sister..
This is an amateur speaking but i have so much white showing up in my boys that i felt future chicks out of her would balance

 

[aryucrazy]

Just thought I'd hop back in here to say that I have long term plans to move to Wisconsin and start my own flock of these guys. I'll definitely be watching all of your beautiful chickens in the meantime.

 

[Welshman]

Iowa Blue Breeders, Glad to see you have kept this breed going. I was giving some eggs years ago from a breeder of IB. I hatch a pair and did enjoy the breed. Thanks again for keep this breed. Lynn

 

[Candy442]

Iowa Blue Breeders, Glad to see you have kept this breed going. I was giving some eggs years ago from a breeder of IB. I hatch a pair and did enjoy the breed. Thanks again for keep this breed. Lynn

Hello Lynn!

Thank you for following our thread. I would love to hear more about your experience with the Iowa Blue pair, what they looked like color wise and where you got the hatching eggs from

We are enjoying breeding these wonderful birds!

Candy

 

[Welshman]

Good morning Candy, I receive my eggs from a breeder back east back in 2002 he was one of a few breeders bring the breed back. I was just starting out putting my flock together and he sent me eggs to hatch. I was lucky to hatch a pair. Shortly after that I had to move up north and had to get rid the flock. Had folks from this forum come over and gave all my chickens good homes. The two I had were easy going birds. Would enjoy getting a hen or two next spring to add to my new flock.

 

[Candy442]

Got home from work to news from our neighbor across the street that we had a visit by someone's loose dog yesterday. Of course, Gandalf offered himself and fought the dog according to the neighbor. He managed to get away three times after the dog caught him, but another couple of visits that dog got my buff chantecler, one of my red sex links, and we are not able to find Flap, the IaB girl we just posted a photo of. Gandalf has lost all of his fluff feathers, some side feathers and some skin off the left side of his body.

Gandalf is still alive, his left thigh and his back above it is deeply punctured and he is limping. We cleaned him off with soapy water and poured Betadyne all over. Later, we wrapped him in a towel and placed him in our cat carrier to rest. This am, he actually clucked a bit at me and was semi standing in the carrier. Poor guy.

Do you think we should allow him to heal? It is hard to tell if he is suffering...this type of thing makes me so sick...

We have coyotes, coons, possums, skunks, weasels, fisher cats, fox, hawks and owls in great abundance around our property.
In a little over a year, we have lost birds only to other peoples loose pet dogs...

Rollo is alive as well as my foundation hens Sweetie, Betty, and Boop. The grow out pen was locked up so June Bug, Cocoa, and Tiny Dancer are all safe as well as my wonderful surrogate momma Delaware.

sigh. I have no idea how to protect against big dogs that come into my yard and have fun killing my birds. I know that poultry electric fencing is not tall enough to keep them from jumping in. I do not wish to confine my birds as they are so good about staying on our property to free range. I guess we have to make the choice.

anyone have any suggestions? I am so depressed....

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Candy,

Brett broke the news to me this morning! I am so sorry to hear about this! Stray dogs are just something aweful. I haven't had that issue so I'm not much as far as advice goes in repairing the issue other than fencing in your yard, but that's a big expense......
What a champ Gandalf was in protecting the flock. No chicken can take on a dog, but I wonder how many you'd have had left had not Gandalf been there to take on the dog.........

We send out love to Gandalf and for healing. As far as whether or not to put him down.....it's hard to say without being able to see him. Keep us posted on Gandalf!

 

[Candy442]

Candy,

Brett broke the news to me this morning! I am so sorry to hear about this! Stray dogs are just something aweful. I haven't had that issue so I'm not much as far as advice goes in repairing the issue other than fencing in your yard, but that's a big expense......
What a champ Gandalf was in protecting the flock. No chicken can take on a dog, but I wonder how many you'd have had left had not Gandalf been there to take on the dog.........

We send out love to Gandalf and for healing. As far as whether or not to put him down.....it's hard to say without being able to see him. Keep us posted on Gandalf!

This neighbor is very nice and we are not well acquainted yet so he knows nothing of the chicken breeds. He said that Gandalf ran away from the girls when the dog entered the property the first time and that is when the neighbor saw Gandalf fighting, getting loose and running. The neighbor was out mowing his front law, ran over and chased the dog away from Gandalf. Gandalf ran to the front of the house and the dog ran away. The neighbor then said he saw the dog run back into the yard about an hour later, he ran over and saw the dog chewing on a bird. He got the shovel near the coop and hit the dog with it where the dog took off once again. He did not see Gandalf then. Gandalf was nursing his bad wounds from the first round.

So, the neighbor was quite impressed with Gandalf's bravery. This is one story for the books to support the Iowa's personality of protection for sure. This coming from a man who knows nothing about chickens at all. I am glad I did not have to witness it, but I believe every word.

By the way, he described the dog as a lab/shepherd mix about 80 pounds of dog.

 

[iamfivewire]

He's still hangin' in so far

 

[Candy442]

He's still hangin' in so far

I checked on him before I went to work and he was standing up in the crate! I was so happy to see that, but not out of the woods yet. What a tough boy!

By the way, does anyone elses Iowa Blue roosters "whistle" a lot? Gandalf loves to "whistle" a high shrill noise. I always know when he is around because he is the only one I have that whistles like that

It's endearing and I now have a new found love for the "PITA"