Icelandic Chickens

[Bob's Henhouse]

Kathy, very nice pics! I can't wait to see what mine turn out to be.

 

[kathyinmo]

Bob's Henhouse :

Kathy, very nice pics! I can't wait to see what mine turn out to be.

I know the feeling. I have several that I am so anxious to see how they will look! The tuxedo boys are sure shaping up, and looking so pretty. I think I may have a girl that looks like them, too. Just gotta wait and see. Those yellow chicks .... ya just never know what they will look like. Some are turning blue, and others are feathering in with shades of tan, beige, and such. It is always a surprise!​

 

[greatergraceoffbg]

Ok all I have Icelandic fever

, its about 102

and the great thing is all I have to do to feel better is look at my Icelandic chickens

. I know what ya'll are thinking ladies.... that must be a very lonely man

.....but really I am so surrounded by people and things I love and Icelandics get the #2 place right after God! .....then there are wonderful people!

Ok heres a funny question.... has ANYONE ever pressed the "fewer Smilies" link?

Its sooooo useless!

Ok everyone have a really blessed Sunday and I'll come back when my temp normalizes!

Andy

 

[kathyinmo]

Busy busy day here today. It was in the 60s and I got lots done outside. I have 2 groups of Icelandics in grow out pens now. Last night one of the Icelandics jumped out of the brooder tub, and I knew it was time to move them. They are all looking beautiful. The variety is so appealing.

Hope everyone else is having a great day, too!

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Ok, I'm getting intrigued. I've been studying more and more on Northern races of chickens and I just don't understand one thing: How do these birds have such large combs on the roos?

Even my Delawares after a couple of weeks of -10 and lower were losing points on their combs, the hens, too! I'm also puzzled over the size of the combs on the Norwegian Jaerhon have they just been bred by fanciers in warmer climates or otherwise babied that natural selection hasn't had the opportunity to do away with these giant combs, or are they exceptionally "hot blooded"?

 

[Happy Chooks]

I don't know, but the Icelandics are something like 78% (don't recall the EXACT number) genetically different than today's chickens so maybe that has something to do with it?

 

[patlizjamesethan]

LOVE these birds!! Will you have spring chicks for sale??

 

[heritagehabitatfarms]

Quote:
they adapt to there environment real well i expect in Iceland they have smaller combs... or if they where raised further north here in the states...

most older breeds will do this alot better than the newer breeds... witch is one of many reasons to preserve them... just my humble opinion lol...

 

[cherylcohen]

Quote:
can't wait till mine hatch!! If they are genetically different from chickens, what are they genetically closer too?

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote:
can't wait till mine hatch!! If they are genetically different from chickens, what are they genetically closer too?

"The Icelandic chicken is called Landnamshæna, (Settlers Chickens) or haughænsni, (Pile Chickens). They were brought to Iceland by the first settlers from Norway before the year 900, and were known to find something to eat in manure piles. Therefore the names. Today they are sometimes called Viking Chickens. These chickens are mentioned in the old Icelandic Sagas written around 1250. Genetic research shows them to be 78 % different form all other chickens in the world today. This is why it is important not to mix them with other breeds, once we do that, we can not get it back. Therefore we need to let them breed naturally as they always have. Nobody here in Iceland has worried about in-breeding for over a thousand years. I have had my RALA chickens in California since 1998, and started with a very few. "

This is the quote from Sigrid's post (#573 on this thread-much easier to get to now that we have the "go to page.." function) that gives the % of genetic difference. I don't believe that it's meant that they are more closely related to any other fowl than chickens.....just that their genetics are unique/different. I wish we had more access to English translations of the research materials!

Regarding the size of the combs and hardiness:

Both of my cockerels came from Sigrid's line (via Mary-The Warden) and neither has a single comb but they do have large wattles. I would think they sleep with their heads under their wings for warmth/protection but I have yet to be able to catch them at it. When I go into the barn/coop, they sound the "alarm" so don't know for sure! They do make an incredible variety of sounds/communication amongst themselves. I think they are truly a project worth the time and effort for those that are serious about helping to preserve them.