Norwegian Jaerhon

[Jake Levi]

Most all of the folks dedicated to the Icelandic Chickens are on the Icelandic thread here, there was a club started but the feeling was that it was an ego thing so not much happened with it.

I think that a club could be a positive thing once we have numbers, of both NJs and breeders. Right now I personally think that we are a year or so away from those numbers. In the meantime it could be a good idea for those interesteded in one to begin looking at other breed clubs and see what and how that they are doing.

 

[1muttsfan]

JoAnn, thank you so much for taking the time to tel us about your birds

 

[Roosterfry]

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It would have to be a website for educational purposes and a place for Jaerhon breeders to keep their contact information current. Unless theirs a way to start a club on BYC?

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

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They are so lovely and the egg production is so good, I would be willing to try them again. But I would work with the roosters differently, see if I could get less of a human hater.

 

[Roosterfry]

I wish some one could produce a few pictures of their flame Jaers!? Anyone out there???

 

[Jake Levi]

The only picture I have seen of the Flame Jaerhon is on the hatchery site, I am getting an order from them in the spring so hopefullyI will have some pics then, I will be raising both orders together but they will be color banded by hatchery.

 

[Roosterfry]

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I'm surprised your not going to keep them side by side!

 

[Jake Levi]

Well they will be, and in front and in back and all over, they will have Icelandics on one side and I am hoping Hedemoras on the other. But I am going to color band the Jaerhons on where they came from.

 

[Jake Levi]

It is beginning to look like I am going to be building another chicken shed in the spring, one with 3 sections anyhow, I am going to wind up with 3 Icelandic Pens, and right now, this coming year adding two more breeds at least, possibly a 3rd.

Many decisions to make this winter, and how to get them done, and where is best.

 

[1muttsfan]

I think one interesting thing in all Celtic Moon's translation was the information on the jaers being a landrace type. While it is always nice to have standards, what is very distinctive about landrace animals is their hardiness and good breeding characteristics. Many times limiting what you breed to very strict color and type standards leaches out the toughness and sturdiness of animal. Some types, such as Icelandics, have a variable appearance that is actually quite pleasing.

A good example of a landrace animal is Border Collies. The landrace collies are variable in size, color, and other characteristics, but very similar in how they do their herding job - arguably the best herding dogs in existance. The show-dog breed Border Collies, while having much more typical appearance, have lost a lot of their ability to do the job they were intended for. Here is a link that helps explain Landrace

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landrace

I guess my point is that if we want a chicken that looks a certain way and has certain characteristics, that is different from wanting chickens that look EXACTLY a certain way and to heck with their durabilty and egg laying ability. You can easily introduce some pretty serious genetic faults by taking a small gene pool and being very selective - ask Quarter horse breeders about Impressive Sydrome.