ISA-Brown page. :)))))))

[cmom]

Could anyone tell me if she is an ISA and just what is an ISA? She is about 19 weeks. I can't find any information that tells me about this breed. Thank you for all your help.

The ISA Brown is a hybrid type of Sex Link chicken,thought to have been the result of crossing Rhode Island Reds and Rhode Island Whites. The ISA Brown is a hybrid, not a true breed, developed by breeding unrelated "dam" and "sire" lines together until the final ISA Brown result. It is known for its high egg production of approximately 300 eggs per hen in the first year of laying.

ISA stands for Institut de Sélection Animale, the company which developed the hybrid in 1978 for egg production as a battery hen. In 1997, the ISA Group merged with Merck & Co., forming Hubbard ISA, so the hybrid is sometimes called Hubbard Isa Brown. In 2005, Institut de Sélection Animale (ISA) and Hendrix Poultry Breeders (HPB) merged in ISA B.V., which also became part of the multi-species breeding company, Hendrix Genetics. In March 2005, Hubbard was purchased from Merial Ltd by Group Grimaud La Corbiere, SA

 

[pamperedamber]

Thank you so much for the information. I am so excited to see what she will lay. She should start laying within the week.

 

[Crazy For Color]

My Isa Brown, she is 5 weeks old and these pictures were taken yesterday. Still need a name for her and her two sisters so right now we just refer to them as "The Girls"

 

[gypsy767]

I have 14 ISA Brown pullets that are 14 weeks old. These are the first ISA's we've ever had. Some of their face are beginning to get a little red but no practice cackling like our BO's have always done...matter of fact they make very little noise. Not even much squawking at all. They are the quietest chickens we have ever had.

They are much different than anything we have ever raised. They have a perfectly good roost made with 4 flat 2 X 4's 8 ft long and all but 4 have spent every night since we got them at 3 days old (shipped from townline) squatting/huddled in the corner of a 8 X 8 coop...the other 4 huddle on the bottom of the walkway up to the roost. They have a 30 X 50 run where they spend every day. There is grass and a compost/scratching area and they rarely bother with any of it.

They seem content to sit under the coop or under the bushes in the shade (don't blame them for that) They will eat a little scratch (cracked corn and BOSS) but not even much of that...they leave most of it on the ground and pick at it over the course of a day and still always some there the next morning. I give them about a half of a cool whip contained of the mixed scratch. All the other chickens will attack each other for the BOSS. They are light feeders on the grower-finisher that I keep available for them 24/7. The Isa's are separated form our BO's.

Does anyone know if the ISA's cackle when they lay...? Do they exhibit the normal pre-laying song and squat...? They have me puzzled. We got them because we have read/heard they are excellent layers. It's about time to open up the access to the nest boxes but I'm concerned they will start sleeping in them and keep them messed up...don't want that to happen.

Any information would be appreciated...
thanks!

 

[MamaHen939]

Does anyone with ISA Brown pullets notice that the birds with more dark/red than light/white feathers are more aggressive? I have 6 that I got at the same time and were all raised together. They are about 11 weeks old now and as their adult feathers have come in, I've noticed that about half are more red/brown and the other half are red/brown on top but have mostly white feathers on their hind end and wingtips. I've also noticed that the mostly red/brown pullets are more aggressive; they chase my cats and smaller dog and try to "chase" me when I go out to the barn. If I try to touch them, they bite, and it's not just the curious peck that they did when they were small; it's an intentional hard bite and it hurts! My lighter girls are much more mellow and will let me pet and hold them without complaining and they may give my watch/jewelry an occasional curious peck, but they are not aggressive at all.
I'm just wondering if there's a correlation between the darker feathers and the aggressive behavior, or if it's all purely coincidental? Has anyone else with ISA browns experienced this?

 

[hellbender]

Does anyone with ISA Brown pullets notice that the birds with more dark/red than light/white feathers are more aggressive? I have 6 that I got at the same time and were all raised together. They are about 11 weeks old now and as their adult feathers have come in, I've noticed that about half are more red/brown and the other half are red/brown on top but have mostly white feathers on their hind end and wingtips. I've also noticed that the mostly red/brown pullets are more aggressive; they chase my cats and smaller dog and try to "chase" me when I go out to the barn. If I try to touch them, they bite, and it's not just the curious peck that they did when they were small; it's an intentional hard bite and it hurts! My lighter girls are much more mellow and will let me pet and hold them without complaining and they may give my watch/jewelry an occasional curious peck, but they are not aggressive at all.
I'm just wondering if there's a correlation between the darker feathers and the aggressive behavior, or if it's all purely coincidental? Has anyone else with ISA browns experienced this?

Just curious, from where did you get your birds?

 

[MamaHen939]

Just curious, from where did you get your birds?

They are from TSC

 

[Notaneggspurt]

@MamaHen939
It's funny you say that about the darker ones. I got 7 from TSC and they are about 8 weeks old now. I have two that are noticeably darker than the rest. They are also the smallest of the 7. One of the dark ones was a lot less timid than the rest even at 2 weeks old. She was always the first one to come up to me in the brooder and also the first one to start showing any type of dominance towards the other chicks. Once we moved them into the coop she'd be the first one out the door. Whenever I enter the run or the coop she will come check for treats and if none are given she will peck at my boots. If I'm squatted down she will peck my arms. Yesterday was the first time I ever felt like I was actually bit. The other pullets are at least a head bigger than her. I haven't noticed any aggressive behavior towards her flock mates so far. I really hope she doesn't turn out to be aggressive towards people. She's the only one of the Isa Browns DH has been able to identify. It's hard to explain to a 6'5" man that when something smaller than a foot ball charges at him and tries to jump up on him that it's not "being cute".

 

[Notaneggspurt]

@gypsy767
These are my first chickens ever and I thought they seemed quieter than expected. Even after moving them out to the coop they are still fairly quiet. The most I'll hear out of them is when I pick them up to do a basic once over to check for any problems. Even when there are treats I don't hear much out of them.

After reading through this entire thread I started reading the red sex link thread as well (mainly because so many people said chicks not directly from townline are mislabeled or purposely called the wrong name). I've made some notes as far as behavior and such to watch for in them. For the most part mine look just like the ones posted as red sex links. I have one though that's feathered in a bit different than the rest.

Not very helpful with your other questions Based on the two threads I've kind of concluded they are pretty different from most pure breeds and their behavior is quite unpredictable.

 

[MamaHen939]

@Notaneggspurt
My situation was similar except that 2 of my 3 darker chicks were bigger than the others and the 3rd was smallest. As little chicks "Muriel" was the biggest and boldest; first to flap up and roost on the sides of the brooder and all. She didn't particulary care for handling so I always tried to go slow with her, however she will bite now if I try to pet her. "Helena" was always a flighty chick, even though she was 2nd largest of the flock. Now she is the darkest in coloring at nearly solid red and she is by far the most aggressive. She charges me and my smaller animals and bites the hardest, but she also is one of the bolder chicks and ventures out to new spots in the yard and such. The small dark girl "Ginger" isn't really aggressive like the other 2, just hates being handled.
On the other hand, my chicks that turned out with mostly white feathers used to hop out of the brooder and sit in my lap and fall asleep as I pet them. And now they don't bite and they don't protest when I hold or pet them. Strange coincidence that all of my dark colored chicks are aggressive/dislike handling? When I got them I was told that ISA browns are very friendly, so I'm a little bummed that 2 of them are so mean, especially since I spent time with them when they were young in order to make them less fearful of people.