Isbar thread

[ChickChuck22]

At lockdown. 2 more days, honestly getting so impatient.

Good luck! How exciting fingers crossed all goes well!

 

[ChicKat]

Good luck! How exciting fingers crossed all goes well!

X2 - can't wait til you show us picts of your chicks!!

 

[PDPercherons]

Me either! I'm just staring at eggs

 

[miss heny]

good luck, I am gonna keep on lurking and drooling

ATM I am inner conflict on getting bantams with my Christmas money, cream legbars or more Isbars...before I even got the 8 I ordered

 

[smorris]

Originally posted by KYTinpusher:

I share your disappointment in the 2nd import birds. Though I have seen a few good examples out of that line, many I have seen (including some that I bought from GFF) exhibit influences of what look like Marans and Ameraucana to me. Copper and red hackles and saddles, light eyes, small combs/little or no wattles, brown eggs, and a stockier bird are just a few differences I have seen. Of the 3 second import hens (all direct from GFF) that I kept, one laid brown eggs and was sold as a layer; both the others lay green, although one was more of a khaki color that has recently turned more mossy green - I think her brown paint gun is running low.

You are fortunate to have some 1st import birds to work with and I hope you get a few from your 2nd import that you can use for diversity. I have one breeding group with just 1st import stock and another group with a mixed line cockerel over 1st and 2nd import hens. I also have some other mixed line pullets, but they are currently in a project pen - when they are done there, they will go in a group with a 1st import line cockerel. I plan to add a couple more breeding groups of 1st import birds from other breeders for diversity this spring. I will not be adding any more stock from the 2nd import, but will keep what I have and continue to breed them back to the first import line to improve them so they can add some diversity.

How many 1st import birds do you have? I would love to see pictures of them!
_______________________________________________________________

Hi KYTinpusher. Thank you so much for your reply to my recent post. I really appreciate your input and I agree completely that I feel that I am seeing influences of Marans and Ameraucana in these second import birds. In my particular second import birds I feel that I am seeing the strongest influence of Marans more so than Ameraucana. I most definitely will get some photos for you as soon as I can. I had company for Christmas so I was busy with that and haven't had a chance yet. One of my blue pullets from the second import has copper feathering coming in on her hackles, which I haven't seen before. I will have to get a picture of her to post so everyone can see. Also, all my second import birds are sporting the lighter eyes as well.

I don't have that many 1st import birds at this time, only 5. I have four pullets and a young cockerel. Three I got from one breeder and two from another one down south of me. None of my birds are of laying or breeding age yet. All around 5 months old, so hopefully the first part of the new year. All these 1st import birds I like very much. One of the blue pullets has a bit of a lighter eye than I would like, but not bad. Not as light as the second import birds at all. All of the other 4 have the nice big dark eye that the Isbar is known for and I feel the correct look of the Isbar, but I would love your opinion on that when I post pictures.

Thank you again for your response. I appreciate it and it was along the lines of what I felt was going on, but it was nice to get a second opinion. I will post photos soon. I hope you had a Merry Christmas!

 

[ChicKat]

Have either of you seen feather legs on your Isbars - which would indicate Marans influence...or even stray feathers?

 

[smorris]

I haven't seen any feathered legs as yet. Just the influences of Marans in the feather pattern and coloring, as well as the lighter eye and also a bigger sized bird. My second import birds were as big at 2 1/2 months as my 4 1/2 month old 1st import birds. Just a bigger heavier bird overall than what I was seeing in the 1st imports.

 

[cree57i]

...

Have either of you seen feather legs on your Isbars - which would indicate Marans influence...or even stray

According to an informational paper on the Isbars US fb page, feather stubs is a recessive trait seen in a group of Isbars from one of the Swedish flocks, (John Wilding), and those individuals should not be used in breeding. I had an original import rooster that had feather stubs. He was beautiful and perfect other than that, but culled nonetheless.

 

[ChicKat]

Quote: Thanks -- I would expect perhaps to see some leg feathering if Marans were involved.

For those of us who are not now -- and will not become in the future fb users---- it is helpful to have the information !

 

[miss heny]

Okay, so once I get my chicks would it be best to find some F1 imports to intermix with them? I am going to take a wild shot in the dark the 8 I ordered are F2 imports.

The more I read about these guys the more I am falling in love...now if they only came in bantam