I got 4 Icelandic chicks last spring. Two were cockerels so I got rid of them and I kept the two pullets who I named Hatti, because of her crest the other Rue because it is an herb that grows wild in Iceland and because Rue in The Hunger Games survived as long as she did by "roosting" in trees and being predator savvy. Both of them took forever to regard me with anything but fear and distrust. Neither would eat from my hand despite daily interactions, they wouldn't walk by me to forage if I were standing to close to the doorway of the run and they would flip out every time I entered the run. That said they have mellowed considerably in the last few weeks. Rue began laying at around 22 weeks and I noticed that like a lot of pullets, once they start laying they are more tractable. She doesn't hop in my lap or anything but she will eat from my hand and doesn't get all wiggy when I go into the run. Hatti has not started yet...7+ mos but is showing signs including being a little less wary of me now.
She also was poking around in the nest boxes the other day so I snapped this pic. That she let me close enough is a big step but her expression tells you what she thinks of me spying on her.
Rue lays a larger egg than you would expect. She is on the small side and the egg is medium large. I don't have a scale so can't tell you the weight but it is a good sized egg and larger than one laid by my Dorking x Polish girl even though that pullet is much larger than Rue. She lays about 5-6 times a wek
We are not homesteaders but I think that as a landrace these are phenomenal for those that are in that they are such good foragers, able to escape predators by flying, are rumored to be broody, and lay a nice sized egg. For me they have grown on me. I like their quirky behaviors and think they are beautiful. Hattie and Rue look very much alike but Hatti has the crest and Rue has feathered legs. There are lots of different colors of Icelandic. One of the boys I got rid of was black with silver penciling and was gorgeous. They also have no standard for comb. Both my girls have rose combs but other Icelandics do not.
I think Hatti's lateness in coming to POL is unique to her as others I have spoken to say that most lay by around 20 weeks. I will update this if either of these girls goes broody.
She also was poking around in the nest boxes the other day so I snapped this pic. That she let me close enough is a big step but her expression tells you what she thinks of me spying on her.
Rue lays a larger egg than you would expect. She is on the small side and the egg is medium large. I don't have a scale so can't tell you the weight but it is a good sized egg and larger than one laid by my Dorking x Polish girl even though that pullet is much larger than Rue. She lays about 5-6 times a wek
We are not homesteaders but I think that as a landrace these are phenomenal for those that are in that they are such good foragers, able to escape predators by flying, are rumored to be broody, and lay a nice sized egg. For me they have grown on me. I like their quirky behaviors and think they are beautiful. Hattie and Rue look very much alike but Hatti has the crest and Rue has feathered legs. There are lots of different colors of Icelandic. One of the boys I got rid of was black with silver penciling and was gorgeous. They also have no standard for comb. Both my girls have rose combs but other Icelandics do not.
I think Hatti's lateness in coming to POL is unique to her as others I have spoken to say that most lay by around 20 weeks. I will update this if either of these girls goes broody.