Breeds to save from extinction

[MrFarmboy1888]

Hi yall. Are any of yall helping save great ultra rare breeds from extinction? What types?
I am a chicken fan of my whole life and have had many breeds.
But, saving sustainable great rare breeds from extinction, and helping to promote them is a very needed thing that i am enthusiatic about.
Of the 100 +- breeds i have had over my 30+ years of raising chickens since i was a child, here are some of the most amazing and very rare breeds:
1) Kraienkoppe. Probably my very most favorite breed now. One of the most rare breeds in the USA, almost unheard of, very near extinction, an old Dutch homesteader survival breed from back in the middle ages, one of the most disease resistant breeds in existance, very unusually cold hardy and heat hardy, surviving heat and cold extremes that would kill most modern breeds. Agile, flies well, a great forager and survivor, thrifty if allowed to forage, eats a bit less than modern breeds, very dependably broody, setting multiple times a year if allowed, excellent mothers, a mid size breed that matures fairly quickly for decent meat production(for an ancient breed), roosters weigh 6 lbs, hens 4 lbs, somewhat slender Game appearance, also, considering its type, it has decent egg production of medium size cream colored eggs. Also unique is that these birds in my experience consistently hatch a day or two earlier than all of my other chicken breeds, hatching on day 19 or 20!!! Picture attached.

2) Icelandic. Another ancient homestead breed, brought to Iceland by the Vikings around 900ad, and survived in Iceland as the only breed of chicken for 1,000 years. The modern chicken industry, and crossbreeding, has also brought this breed near extinction, but it is making a comeback among homesteaders in Iceland and the USA and Canada. Body type is similar to a Black Australorp or something, but a bit smaller, roosters around 7 lbs, hens, 5 lbs. Decent foragers, very dependable setters and mothers, a great Homestead breed, matures fairly quickly for decent meat production(for an ancient breed), also lays quite decently, a tad more eggs than Kraienkoppe. Also unusually heat and cold hardy, surviving extremes that killed many other breeds at Sand Hill Preservation in Iowa.
A unique breed with an interesting history.

3) I have recently gotten smaller numbers of a few other super neat rare breeds well worth maintaining, from Sand Hill, including Standard Muffed Old English Game, Cubalayas, and a few young Buttercups that i do not intend to keep.

I am downsizing and may eventually move out of the country or travel more so may not be able to keep them all forever, sadly, but would love to share and help promote them..., if you are in Kansas area, let me know id love to help any enthusiast get a start for preservation efforts.
Take care!!

 

[cavemanrich]

I have been trying to get my hands on some Icelandic hens. Like 2, as I only keep chickens as pets. Cant have roosters in my area, so Eggs to hatch are out of question. Have no option to relocate cockerels if they hatched. I can not cull.
What I have found,, were overpriced for my liking.
One local person (within 100 miles) that once raised them, discontinued.
If I was to visit Kansas, which is not foreseeable for me currently, I would purchase chickens from you.
The Kraienkoppe, really sounds interesting to me.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Perris]

Are any of yall helping save great ultra rare breeds from extinction?

yes and no. I'm trying to preserve rare chicken genes, rather than breeds.

What types?

When I started in 2017 I was focussed on rare breeds, and have had quite a few through over the years, including Barbezieux, Legbar, Leghorn (heritage type), Norfolk Grey, Penedesenca, Swedish Flower, Welsumer, and most recently Fayoumi. They have never been segregated into breeding pens and breed as they wish, so the genes from any of those breeds (except the last, as they are only now reaching maturity) may be in the current flock.

They range dawn till dusk, and those that have thrived are those that forage well and can successfully manage the predator and disease threats here. Some fly well, some habitually roost out. All are raised by broodies within the flock.

Kraienkoppe. Probably my very most favorite breed now

Interestingly, the mix of breeds above has somehow consistently thrown up males that look very like Kraienkoppes, including my dom (though his legs are the wrong colour, and he has a small crest; none of the 3 that look like this has the right type of comb for the SOP, but they're all healthy, hardy roos with proven foraging and survival skills, as per your description; photo taken when he was 1 and a subordinate, he's 3 and the dominant roo now).

Icelandic.

I went for the Swedish Flowers, similar background and similar attributes. They have formed the core of my flock with the Penedesencas. The eldest hen is now in her 8th year, and still laying. Again a proven survivor with genes worth preserving. Several of the flock are her offspring.

I hope you do find people to take on some of your stock @MrFarmboy1888 ; I think these old breeds carry genes that are well worth preserving, because they make great chickens!