Rarest breed of chicken in the US?

[Chickielady]

Quote:
I have been looking for Lamonas and have found none !
But I have fantastic RIWs.

 

[suzettex5]

Hmmm. Didint thinkof that. I think the 'breed' was/is very isolated in Iceland and the original birds were imported fairly recently in to the US. The eggs I recieved are 2nd generation of those birds. The original birds were from a flock in Iceland that has had no other blood introduced in many, many generations. That to me sounds like a breed.

So, if a 'breed' comes in more than a few colors, it isnt a 'breed'? They do lay uniformly colored eggs. They simply have enough varied genetics to be able to produce a multitude of colors and pattens. I guess it might make them more a 'wild' strain, or 'breed' , like jungle fowl?

Of course, there are many color variations in many breeds and they are still acepted as breeds, why not these? I dont see why anyone could not simply decide they like a certain color/comb and continue to breed for those colors and designs, and still be able to call them the same breed.

I think its just a hard thing to accept that they really are diverse and there is not a specific standard (other than eggs and true genetics) to hold them to. I dont have any idea if they are showable or even considered a breed by the SOP people.

I know I like them, and I know what I've read and been told, so I only can go by those things. Anyone who might be interested can easily do a google search, and they will find Icelandics clearly described as a breed.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
I think that what was meant is that they don't bred, "true" like a sex-link.

Chris

 

[Illia]

By varied and not a true breed, I mean that I've seen quite a variety with having no crests or having crests, having pea combs, rose combs, single combs, and everything in between.

Of course, the colors too are extremely varied, but that's a different matter.

 

[crj]

Rose comb or single comb and where did you get them?

Chris,

She has a single comb. She layes a nice brown egg. Although, she did get sick in August and is now better. She has a vision problem and hasn't laid an egg since. I get the feeling she might start laying again. Let's hope anyway. She is my favorite hen. Her name is Nellie.​

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
I have been looking for Lamonas and have found none !
But I have fantastic RIWs.

Could we see some pictures. I've never seen one with proper type.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Chris,

She has a single comb. She layes a nice brown egg. Although, she did get sick in August and is now better. She has a vision problem and hasn't laid an egg since. I get the feeling she might start laying again. Let's hope anyway. She is my favorite hen. Her name is Nellie.

The true Rhode Island White are a Rose Comb Breed. There the ones that are rare.


Chris

 

[suzettex5]

Quote:
I kinda see what you mean. It seems odd to me too. Maybe I just accept that those things are just normal for the breed its-self. Unless one really tracks the lineage of their flock, it would be very difficult (if not impossible) to tell them apart from simple mutts of various breeds. I just figure if it is normal for the breed to have various combs and colors, then thats just the way it is. I know it is a difficult concept to embrace when so much emphasis is always placed on having a certain standard to adhere to when it comes to breeding and showing, not to mention just for being able to visually determine a breed w/out genetic testing or lots of paperwork trailing particular breedingstock birds.

Is it impossible to have a true breed when the only real defining physical characteristic is egg color? In that way, Icelandics all share a common trait.

It reminds me of the EE questions seen alot here- Like "Are EE's a breed,or just a mutt"? "How to determine if your EE is pure, or just a barnyard mix"? etc.

 

[RioLindoAz]

Nankins.




My favorite breed.

 

[RioLindoAz]

Quote:
Who's the Warden?