Isbar thread

[TheTropix]

Quote:
I agree, he's purty!

 

[chambe94]

Are other people finding actual pea combs in the new line? I had posted about this earlier and didn't get any confirmed responses. There is definitely a smaller comb of some sort in the new line, but it is not actually a pea comb (had this confirmed by several breeders of pea combed breeds). It is like a very stunted single comb. Now that half my single combed roosters have frostbite, I'm wondering if it wasnt intentionally selected for to increase cold hardiness.

I don't like the look as much, but it's growing on me now that I'm out bag balming 24 heads each day! Lol.

 

[TheTropix]

Somewhere on this thread, not too long ago, someone was talking about some of the Isbars they got from GFF had pea combs. I'd imagine it's rare, but YIKES! Maybe they were mistaking the stunted-like combs for pea combs, like you suggested. I dunno. I'll re-ask your question to everyone... Has anyone had any pea, or other than single, combs from the new line of Isbars? (or other anomalies)

 

[KYTinpusher]

gimme birdies - I'm sorry you lost your Isbar roo. He was very handsome.

I am not sure if I posted about it or not, but I had 2 chicks in my order of the new line Isbars that have the smaller combs. Since I had Ameraucanas in the brooder growing up next to them, I could tell they weren't pea combs, but didn't look like the rest either. I, too, am dealing with frostbite issues right now and thinking the small comb might be beneficial to breed for. I sold the pullet, but kept the cockerel.

I, too, noticed the dramatic drop in price of GFF's Isbar chicks. I think they have some funky genetics in their new line that they may not have known about and it is biting them in the you-know-where. The 2 cockerels I posted pictures of above came in with my order of Isbars. They are both mottled, which means both parents would have to carry the mottled gene. Their color pattern leads me to believe they are Isbar mixes, but I can't be sure. I am not the only one to receive questionable birds. Though the rest of the chicks I received grew out to look like Isbars, there may be things hiding in their genetics that are going to take time, and a lot of culling, to resolve. None of them have started laying yet so I hope they all lay green eggs.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I can talk to my friend. she has been working well with her birds.I will tell her of this site. it is winter here, but maybe she could sell eggs in the spring...I am sorry you have had troubles with your birds.

 

[Odelia]

I, too, noticed the dramatic drop in price of GFF's Isbar chicks. I think they have some funky genetics in their new line that they may not have known about and it is biting them in the you-know-where.

Well...GFF actually brought this breed into this country legally. All of the cost and risk and paperwork. I don't know about everyone else on this site but I am glad they did. I really like my girls and I never would have imported them myself. If you had looked a little closer at their site they didn't just change the price on this breed. They changed the price on most of their breeds. My guess would be that they are trying to have more orders go through their regular website instead of selling the birds at auction. Or they could have another reason to make a lot of their breeds $29. I believe they only have the Jill Reese line of Legbars left at their farm and they are also $29 a chick this year. It seemed like that line of birds was well received.

Personally I would be more inclined to report someone who smuggled in eggs than to buy birds from them. They could be bringing diseases into this country that we currently do not have.

Also yes one of my pullets has a funny comb. Not a pea comb. A funny comb that does not match any comb I recognize. I will not breed her. When I chose this breed I knew that it had a very small population. I expected it to have some problems. Personally I liked that it has a new market of people who want to continue this breed and improve it. I would love to walk into a feed store one day and see them selling Isbars. Only breeds that are recognized and sell well show up at feed stores. (Granted they are usually poor examples of the breed. Though a feed store isn't where you should be buying birds if you want quality examples.) Right now almost no one ever knows what I am talking about when they ask what breeds I have.

 

[City farm]

I, too, noticed the dramatic drop in price of GFF's Isbar chicks. I think they have some funky genetics in their new line that they may not have known about and it is biting them in the you-know-where.

Well...GFF actually brought this breed into this country legally.  All of the cost and risk and paperwork.  I don't know about everyone else on this site but I am glad they did.  I really like my girls and I never would have imported them myself.  If you had looked a little closer at their site they didn't just change the price on this breed.  They changed the price on most of their breeds.  My guess would be that they are trying to have more orders go through their regular website instead of selling the birds at auction.  Or they could have another reason to make a lot of their breeds $29.  I believe they only have the Jill Reese line of Legbars left at their farm and they are also $29 a chick this year.  It seemed like that line of birds was well received. 

Personally I would be more inclined to report someone who smuggled in eggs than to buy birds from them.  They could be bringing diseases into this country that we currently do not have. 

Also yes one of my pullets has a funny comb.  Not a pea comb.  A funny comb that does not match any comb I recognize.  I will not breed her.  When I chose this breed I knew that it had a very small population.  I expected it to have some problems.  Personally I liked that it has a new market of people who want to continue this breed and improve it.  I would love to walk into a feed store one day and see them selling Isbars.  Only breeds that are recognized and sell well show up at feed stores.  (Granted they are usually poor examples of the breed. Though a feed store isn't where you should be buying birds if you want quality examples.) Right now almost no one ever knows what I am talking about when they ask what breeds I have. 

Are you able to post photo's of that "funny comb"?

 

[chambe94]

Here is one of mine with it that I just sold. Now that it's -13°F I wish I hadn't

 

[chambe94]

He was about 5 1/2 months in the pic

 

[KYTinpusher]

Quote: Are you able to post photo's of that "funny comb"?
I am glad to see Isbars in this country also. Yes, it is expensive to import birds into this country (legally, anyway) and I wish to support them. I don't mind paying a price that supports legal imports, as long as the seller is very conscientious to ensure that the genetics are pure. Not perfect, mind you, but not mixed. My problem with GFF has been their reputation for sending chicks with questionable genetics in with their orders. The 2 cockerels I pictured were received with an order of Isbars - only Isbars. They were not marked that they were something different. If I didn't know what Isbars are supposed to look like, like many new to the breed at this point, I may have just added them to the breeding pen and sold eggs or chicks as pure Isbar and the damage would perpetuate. This is no help in trying to preserve the breed.

I have been working to bring diversity to my breeding groups, too. My chicks last year were very hardy. So hardy, in fact, that I ended up with more than I planned. I set many eggs expecting a so-so hatch and subsequent survival rate, but instead had excellent hatches and no losses as they got older. I was very blessed in that way. I think those breeders that stuck with this breed have found them to actually be very tough once they acclimated to this country.

The majority of my new line Isbars look very similar to my original line and I look forward to working with them, even the cockerel with the small comb (the pullet has been sold). These are a very thrifty breed that are awesome layers of beautiful eggs. I think one day you will see them a common offering. But we really don't need the mess that the Ameraucana breeders have with EE and Americanas being mistaken for purebred birds. Only with diligence can we ensure this doesn't happen to the Isbar.

Here are the pullet and the cockerel that I received with "funny combs". Notice the lack of wattles on the them. The third picture is a cockerel of about the same age for comparison.