Isbar thread

[lawatt]

Are your hens original line? I bet you could find someone to swap eggs with to get new stock.

Since the CCL was used to create the Isbar, I think you could add the CCL x to your breeding group as long as you kept it in "project" stage for at least a few generations to make sure nothing nefarious popped up. I would be much more hesitant about the Marans x as there are more genes there that could cause trouble down the line even if she doesn't express them. Size, feathered legs, and perhaps leg color just to mention a few. (I know both Marans and Isbars have dark legs, but I believe the Marans have a white/pink skin with the slate, while the Isbars have yellow with slate, or willow.)

thank you for the thoughts -- very similar to my own, which is why i'm only tentatively hatching ONE egg from the marans/isbar cross, to see what the result might look like.

and I have mixed feelings about genetic diversity vs. not being entirely excited about the look of the second line (yes, all of my birds are from the original line, although from different sources to me -- but they of course all originated from the same imports) -- genetic diversity IS important, but i'm enough of a biologist (which is to say, not much) to know of several instances of wild populations of animals that have gone through even more extreme genetic bottlenecks and are still doing okay -- hence my uncertainty about what to prioritize, diversity vs. characteristics of birds that i like or not?

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

thank you for the thoughts -- very similar to my own, which is why i'm only tentatively hatching ONE egg from the marans/isbar cross, to see what the result might look like.

and I have mixed feelings about genetic diversity vs. not being entirely excited about the look of the second line (yes, all of my birds are from the original line, although from different sources to me -- but they of course all originated from the same imports) -- genetic diversity IS important, but i'm enough of a biologist (which is to say, not much) to know of several instances of wild populations of animals that have gone through even more extreme genetic bottlenecks and are still doing okay -- hence my uncertainty about what to prioritize, diversity vs. characteristics of birds that i like or not?

We cross Isbar with Marans for olive eggers...they look more like Isbar than Marans in general.

 

[lawatt]

We cross Isbar with Marans for olive eggers...they look more like Isbar than Marans in general.

sorry, i mis-typed -- this is one egg i'm hoping to hatch from a cross between a marans/isbar cross (i.e. an olive-egger) and an isbar rooster -- so the chick will be 3/4 isbar, 1/4 marans. since the hen looks so much like an isobar, i'm curious to see whether marans-like characteristics pop up unexpectedly down the line...

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

sorry, i mis-typed -- this is one egg i'm hoping to hatch from a cross between a marans/isbar cross (i.e. an olive-egger) and an isbar rooster -- so the chick will be 3/4 isbar, 1/4 marans. since the hen looks so much like an isobar, i'm curious to see whether marans-like characteristics pop up unexpectedly down the line...

More likely I misread.

You did type "egg from the Marans/Isbar cross." Semantics...so important! My bad.

 

[lawatt]

More likely I misread.

You did type "egg from the Marans/Isbar cross." Semantics...so important! My bad.

no trouble! easy enough to clarify my thoughts.

 

[Pine Woods Place]

Welcome!  She is a beautiful pullet. LOVE the dark eyes!   Is she laying yet? Her comb and wattles look to me like she is 5-6 months old and getting close to POL. The Isbars are a smaller breed, but generally lay large eggs (though they start out small for a while). What other breeds are you comparing her to? Is she your only Isbar? Where did you get her?

Thank you! I'm really enjoying her. She's low in the coop order so we are bonding by default as I come to her rescue. Lol

Yes, she is my only Isbar. I hadn't even heard of this breed before this past weekend. I get my chickens from Secret Hills Ranch in Southern California. I'm just a backyard raiser who likes unique breeds and beautiful eggs.

It sounds like she's close to the age the breeder told me. I have a Golden Cockoo, a couple Marans and an Amercauna, all about 8 months. They just seem so much larger than her. She's so thin! I just wanted to be sure she wasn't starving and that it was a breed thing.

No, she's not laying yet..

Thank you for the response. Any tips or advice for me?

 

[ChicKat]

Thank you! I'm really enjoying her. She's low in the coop order so we are bonding by default as I come to her rescue. Lol

Yes, she is my only Isbar. I hadn't even heard of this breed before this past weekend. I get my chickens from Secret Hills Ranch in Southern California. I'm just a backyard raiser who likes unique breeds and beautiful eggs.

It sounds like she's close to the age the breeder told me. I have a Golden Cockoo, a couple Marans and an Amercauna, all about 8 months. They just seem so much larger than her. She's so thin! I just wanted to be sure she wasn't starving and that it was a breed thing.

No, she's not laying yet..

Thank you for the response. Any tips or advice for me?

My first Isbars were very small -- and remained small - and as people have said -- laid large eggs. Especially for their size. They didn't come into lay until 8-months old -- but it was worth it - because once they started they were prolific layers right up to the time of their first molt at about 18-months old. I think they weighed in at about 3 3/4 pounds. At one point in their lives they looked like pigeons...and they remained slim chickens. Later I got some Isbars from another source. They weren't descendants of the 'originals' -- which, to me, are the ones with the ultra-dark eyes. The other source had larger, plumper more 'normal' chickens. based on that -- if she stays small and slim - it is nothing to be worried about IMO. She is very pretty.

 

[Pine Woods Place]

My first Isbars were very small -- and remained small - and as people have said -- laid large eggs.  Especially for their size.  They didn't come into lay until 8-months old -- but it was worth it - because once they started they were prolific layers right up to the time of their first molt at about 18-months old.  I think they weighed in at about 3 3/4 pounds.  At one point in their lives they looked like pigeons...and they remained slim chickens.  Later I got some Isbars from another source.  They weren't descendants of the 'originals' -- which, to me, are the ones with the ultra-dark eyes.  The other source had larger, plumper more 'normal' chickens.   based on that -- if she stays small and slim - it is nothing to be worried about IMO.  She is very pretty. 

Thank you so much for the feedback!

8 months! Wow! I guess I'll prepare to be patient. What you've described in the two body types of Isbars is what I've seen online. I wasn't sure which was "normal". I will embrace her sleek look and anticipate a nice big egg sometime in the future. Her eyes are what sold me, so it's nice to hear that the dark color are desirable for the breed.

I'm looking forward to learning more about the breed. I just told my husband she has sort of a pheasant look to her, so I can understand the pigeon reference. They have a unique look for sure. She also has a different chatter than the others. I can tell it's her distinct call from outside the coop.

Thanks again!

 

[ChicKat]

Thank you so much for the feedback!

8 months! Wow! I guess I'll prepare to be patient.

What you've described in the two body types of Isbars is what I've seen online. I wasn't sure which was "normal". I will embrace her sleek look and anticipate a nice big egg sometime in the future. Her eyes are what sold me, so it's nice to hear that the dark color are desirable for the breed.

I'm looking forward to learning more about the breed. I just told my husband she has sort of a pheasant look to her, so I can understand the pigeon reference. They have a unique look for sure. She also has a different chatter than the others. I can tell it's her distinct call from outside the coop.

Thanks again!

That is very cool. The place I got my first ones.. they were free-ranging in the shrubs around their house -- and you wouldn't even know they were there--- then they came out from their curiosity and they were almost like a school of fish the way their movements were so fluid and coordinated. My first quad -almost seemed like they were joined at the hip -- which I attribute to a degree to having such similar genetics....it was like they were all extensions of the same bird. -- I had them in a low-to-the ground coop - and when I let them out to free-range -- they would all take off and fly up about 5-6 feet in the air... (pigeons) -- Sadly raccoons got two of those females - and since the male is related to the sisters --he was rehomed...(but he is doing a great job with an Isbar flock elsewhere).

It is great when someone appreciates the unique qualities of specific chickens IMO. :O)

 

[KelsT]

Hi!

I recently got a splash isbar pullet...I hope... Got her and a Wheaten ameraucana together. Just wondering is she looks like a girl! Didn't realize how small she will be! very curious birds and she trills which was a first for me!

at 2 weeks old with her buddy!




at 4 weeks.