Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[Candy442]

I have a few eggs in the incubator from the Iowa Blue trio below & very much looking forward to see what the chicks look like at hatch.

How eggciting

I can't wait to see what you get. We start recording hatches with color and style of chick down and watch as they grow up to see what the final feather product is like.

 

[gracefarm]

Hi Candy, I plan to keep a great amount of record keeping on these Iowa Blue chicks also. I am very much looking forward to getting started into this very interesting breeding of the Iowa Blues!

 

[gracefarm]

This time next week I should have chicks hatching from this Iowa Blue trio.

 

[gracefarm]

Cool & windy this evening but the chickens don't seem to mind it. Fall is definitely here!

 

[Candy442]

Cool & windy this evening but the chickens don't seem to mind it. Fall is definitely here!

It was just the most gorgeous day here in mid Michigan yesterday. We took our three grand kiddos to an activity farm and pumpkin patch. SO much fun Hay to play in, pony rides, apple cider, animal farm, pig races, duck race, playground. The only thing we didn't get to do was ride the train. Mid 60s temperature and sunny. Yes, fall is here too

 

[gracefarm]

A few pictures of my first Iowa Blue chicks that I pulled out of the incubator earlier today! It is a small hatch but more Iowa Blue eggs will be going into the incubator tonight.

In the picture above the darker chick in front to the left is from my darker hen with the red leg band, the other 4 are from my lighter hen with the green leg band.

 

[Candy442]

A few pictures of my first Iowa Blue chicks that I pulled out of the incubator earlier today! It is a small hatch but more Iowa Blue eggs will be going into the incubator tonight.

In the picture above the darker chick in front to the left is from my darker hen with the red leg band, the other 4 are from my lighter hen with the green leg band.

They are looking great! All of them should feather out nicely in the "silver" pattern. The lightest one may actually feather out a lot whiter than others, but still will be a very pretty bird. Great first hatch!

 

[karimw]

A few pictures of my first Iowa Blue chicks that I pulled out of the incubator earlier today! It is a small hatch but more Iowa Blue eggs will be going into the incubator tonight.

In the picture above the darker chick in front to the left is from my darker hen with the red leg band, the other 4 are from my lighter hen with the green leg band.

The lighter colored one looks like my Smokey variation. You might not be able to tell if it's male, but the females may have red breast.

 

[gracefarm]

They are looking great!  All of them should feather out nicely in the "silver" pattern.  The lightest one may actually feather out a lot whiter than others, but still will be a very pretty bird.  Great first hatch!

Hi Candy,thank you for the nice words. I very much look forward to seeing these feather out.

 

[gracefarm]

The lighter colored one looks like my Smokey variation. You might not be able to tell if it's male, but the females may have red breast. 

Hi Kari, I could be wrong but going on the wing feathers growth this chick looks to be a female. Very curious to see how she feathers out. I also have one that looks to be a male with no hint of brown in it's chick down. He is mostly a dark smokey color at this time.