Icelandic Chickens

[Camelot Farms]

Mary, I saw it mentioned that you have 2 flock of Icelandics that are separate from one another. Does that mean that you know which flock my boys and the eggs came from? Is that important for us to remember? I stink at tracking things lately cause I have so much to track in other things that I am hoping that you kept record...lol.

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
Your boys and eggs are all from the two pairs I got from Sigrid.

 

[Sigrid]

Hi to everyone on Icelandic BYC:

We are having so much fun following you experiences. Some are a bit hillarious. I could not help laughing out loud when I saw Mary's picture of Victoria's Secret Model, Fredrika. Mary is so creative. I like the name "Buri"- very appropriate. Also Una meaning content or happy. Frida, meaning beautiful and Helga- Holy. All are old Icelandic names.
Now, about our Icelandic chickens:
I remember them on some remote farmsteads in the thirthies-a small numbers foraging and taking care of themselves for most part, perching in barns and occacionally treated with leftovers the dogs did not want. They were friendly and never went far from the premises. They are social by nature and very hardy with high tolerance for harsh weather or weather changes.
They come in a rainbow of colors like all other lifestock in Iceland, horses, sheep and cows. That is what makes them all unique. Most Icelandic chickens have a crest on top of their head. Their eggs are white or slightly beige and tend to be somewhat elongated. They are good sitters. Their combs come in many variations, straight, rosecomb, etc.
The Icelandic chicken generally lives a long live. I have 3 hens ten years old and one 11 years old. I know of a 15 year old here in Iceland.
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.
I have seen a number of roosters and hens together here in Iceland where they can enjoy more freedom roaming around because there are not many predators here. They seem to establish their hierarchy naturally. (There will always be a top rooster and hens tend to do that as well).
So, " let nature take its course "and don"t "make a mess of it".

After WWII the interest in our old breed diminished when a lot of people from the countrysite migrated to the City (Reykjavik) for a "better life". Egg production became commercialized using foreign breeds.
In 1974, Dr. Stefán Aðalsteinsson realized that the Landnámshænan was just about extinct. He travelled all over the country looking for Icelandic chickens and found some in remote parts of Iceland, mostly on the East Fjords and the North East part of Iceland. He brought them to RALA (Agricultural Research Center) at Keldum. They were in protection untill 1985, when they were placed at the Agricultural University at Hvanneyri. Still in protection. When I refer to my RALA chickens I am referring to those. I got my chickens from this group specifically. The original RALA group is now at 2 farms near Hvanneyri.
In 2003 there was a great promotional effort to initiate a general interest to save this breed. On Nov. 1 2003, The Landnámshæna Association with a yearly publication was established. They have now about 168 memers. It is believed there are now over 2000 Icelandic chickens in Iceland. Mary O´Bryan got 2 hens, Lukka and Henna, and 2 roosters from me. Lukka and Henna are RALA but the roosters are from hatching eggs from one of the members of the Association.
I brought some hatching eggs from Iceland last fall for the first time in 12 years. Their rooster came from an old stock on the remote island Flatey, current population 5. The population in the fourties was about 250. I had relatives there then and visited the island so this was very meaningful for me. Around 1950 or thereafter, the island was vacant for some time. There was a monestary there in 1172 and it was the center of cultue in Iceland at that time. The island is now a popular tourist place with the ferry stopping there twice a day.
I hope this will be of some help to all of you.

Sigrid

 

[Camelot Farms]

Sigrid....that is fabulous!! We are blessed to have your wealth of knowledge available to us.

I am now more glad than ever that I let Jokul and Buri out to free range. It was so tempting to keep them locked up safe in a pen. But I see that they must be free to roam and range and be true Icelandic chickens.

 

[The Sheriff]

Thanks for the information Sigrid. It makes it so much more interesting to know the history and understand the importance of the preservation of these chickens as they have always been. I hope we can find a strong, dedicated group to lend a hand the people of Iceland in protecting and preserving the Viking Chickens as they have always been. To do anything else is just wrong.

Mary

p.s. you should post the picture of your front yard taken at midnight! (or give me permission to post it!)

 

[kathyinmo]

Sigrid,
Thanks so much for the information and history lesson. It is important to keep that in mind as we all move forward in the preservation of these beautiful birds. It would be a shame to loose them.

Mine are currently in quarentine, but they are being spoiled rotten!

 

[cheryl98117]

Quote:
If and when I do aquire Icelandics, the only other white egg layer I have is Bantam Polish, and They will be in their own yard. The rest of my hens all lay brown and blue eggs. Eventually I would like to concentrate on one breed alone. As you tend to get better results when you concentrate your efforts in one place. At least I do... I do have some knowledge on breeding birds and keeping records, but it wasn't chickens, it was Cockatiels.

 

[incubatingisfun]

thanks sigrid that was very interesting

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thank you Sigrid for so much information about the breed. These birds are amazing. (and I haven't even seen them in person yet)

 

[Ewe Mama2]

Hello all.

I have just read through this entire thread in one sitting (my bum's a bit numb) and was very moved by these beautiful birds and their history. I am interested in learning more about their overall personality. I gathered from my reading that they are very good at flying (even with clipped wings), the hens are good mothers and go broody easily. Are they outgoing and friendly or do they tend to be shy or aggressive?

I also wanted to say "thank you" to everyone who is working so hard to keep these lovely creatures thriving and healthy. I'm rooting for all those incubating eggs!

Amy