Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[Myabcs3]

Wow, he's big. He looks nice too. I'd prefer his hackles and saddles to be silver. In the picture they look golden. How is his tail angle? Is he just relaxed in the second picture? He does have nice leg color and I still can't get over his size.

Both of them are gold more than silver/white. Not for sure why? Have you seen this? And it's not a case where they feathered out white and then in the sun took on gold - they were gold from the beginning. Second picture he is more relaxed and bent forward showing the hens the treats. I don't remember what was proposed for the tail angle, but he is pretty flat across the back. Just a slight lift - see the second picture above.

 

[mrheinz77]

I've hatched some that are more gold, some with gold/red splotches, and some silver. The tail angle should be 80 degrees. I wonder if traits from the out cross generations ago are popping up with his tail.

 

[Myabcs3]

Interesting...at some point it is hard to pin down what these birds "should" be! The pullet has a good angle to her tail then!

 

[mrheinz77]

The pullet look great. A guy in Des Moines has old family pictures with Iowa Blues in them. He said my cock bird looks just like the ones in the pictures.

 

[karimw]

Nice to see some action on this thread again! The gold is incompletely dominant to silver. Gold/gold = gold, gold/silver = pale gold, silver/silver = silver. Our original stock from the the hatcheries came with a lot of gold and not much color at all on the hens. I am now 4 generations from that and my newest cockerel is finally pure for silver.

All my young pullets have been culled down to silver or pale gold. They are still small though. I'll get a more recent picture of him posted and try to get a weight on him.

 

[Myabcs3]

I know the pair doesn't have desirable physical traits, but would hatching any of their offspring provide me with different results? It seems like their are many variables in their genetic makeup...so, do I collect and incubate and see what pops up? Or what is your observations?

 

[mrheinz77]

I know the pair doesn't have desirable physical traits, but would hatching any of their offspring provide me with different results?  It seems like their are many variables in their genetic makeup...so, do I collect and incubate and see what pops up? Or what is your observations?

With your cockerel's size, I would try hatching some of them. Then, cull hard for type and color.

 

[karimw]

Here's a few pics of my current flock. Color is a little off in these pictures because the early moning sunlight makes them look a little orange.

 

[debs_flock]

Here's a few pics of my current flock. Color is a little off in these pictures because the early moning sunlight makes them look a little orange.

What a handsome boy! I'll try to get a new picture of my guy.

Deb

 

[Myabcs3]

Karimw,

They look great! Thanks for posting! how have you gotten to your current results? Just hatching and culling for certain traits? Or have you had to borrow traits from other breeds?