Chicken Breed Focus - Icelandic

[sumi]

The Icelandic breed is a landrace fowl which are rare outside its native country of Iceland, after which it's named. They are a very old breed, having been present on the island since introduction by Norse settlers in the 9th century. However, the breed has barely survived in a pure form in the 21st century, largely due to the importation and popularity of commercial strains of chickens in the 1950s. The few thousand Icelandic chickens in existence today are the result of conservation efforts in the 1970s and a handful of flocks that have been exported abroad.
Icelandic Chickens are not firmly standardized in appearance and possess a wide range of plumage colours and patterns, skin colouration and comb types. Some will have feather crests. Despite this variance in appearance, Icelandics are uniformly hardy in winter, have white earlobes and lay white to light brown coloured eggs. They are also said to be docile in temperament, and hens will readily go broody. They are great foragers and skilled escape artists. If there is a way out, they will find it!




Detail Value
Breed Purpose Dual Purpose
Comb Single
Broodiness Average
Climate Tolerance All Climates
Egg Productivity Medium
Egg Size Medium
Egg Color White
Breed Temperament Flighty
Breed Colors/Varieties Many
Breed Size Large Fowl













**All pics by @Happy Chooks


BYC Breed Discussions:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/299038/icelandic-chickens/0_30

BYC Breed Reviews:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/icelandic-or-viking-hen


Do you own Icelandics? Are you an Icelandic breeder? If so, please reply to this thread with the your thoughts and experiences, including:

· What made you decide to get this breed?
· Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?
· What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?
· Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc!

We have a bunch of other awesome breed-focus threads for you to enjoy. You can see all of them here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-breed-focus-project.975504/

 

[N F C]

Wonderful looking birds! Thanks for another breed focus thread Sumi

 

[NotAFarm]

I've had Icelandics since June of 2010. Here are pictures of my two original cocks, Ari and Audun, hatched in March of 2010 by BYCer The Sheriff. She shipped them to me with two pullets from a different line hatched in May. Boi and Eldur are the result of my breedings.
I need to go to work but will post again later.







Eldur

 

[LittleLakePhil]

I'm gonna be getting hatching eggs soon.....I already contacted the hatchery they only deal with Icelandic chickens.....he just said to tell him when to ship....I'm waiting until the weather warms up a bit.

 

[sumi]

I've had Icelandics since June of 2010. Here are pictures of my two original cocks, Ari and Audun, hatched in March of 2010 by BYCer The Sheriff. She shipped them to me with two pullets from a different line hatched in May. Boi and Eldur are the result of my breedings.
I need to go to work but will post again later.







Eldur

They're beautiful!

 

[N F C]

They're beautiful!

They certainly are!

 

[HenHoneyGirl]

I have a friend that's breeding them and she gave me one of her roosters. He's a great guy, good protector(for being on the smaller side he's the one picking fights with the turkeys and my other larger roosters!) I'm using him in my cross breeding efforts for color but I hope to get some Icelandic girls for him in the future.

 

[Blooie]

I'm gonna be getting hatching eggs soon.....I already contacted the hatchery they only deal with Icelandic chickens.....he just said to tell him when to ship....I'm waiting until the weather warms up a bit.

They certainly are!

And our dear, sweet Phil is gonna share, ain't that right, Debby?

 

[N F C]

And our dear, sweet Phil is gonna share, ain't that right, Debby?

I don't know they'd do so well here in FL but you are in a perfect spot for them Blooie! Give those EE girls of yours a run for their money

Now, if I do ever move north? Well, I'll be checking with our sweet Phil for sure!

 

[oldcampcook]

From what hatchery are you getting your stock, please?

I have been raising them about a year. I have 17 breeders and just hatched out 26 chicks a week ago and am hatching right now.