Icelandic Chickens

         Icelandic chickens originated in the Icelandic settlements of the tenth century Norse who brought their farmstead chickens with them. In Iceland, these chickens are known as Íslenska landnámshænan or “Icelandic chicken of the settlers.”

For a thousand years, the only chickens in Iceland were this robust landrace. The term “landrace” means that these chickens were selected all over Iceland for the same utilitarian traits, but not to conform to a specific breed standard. Over the centuries, selection favored birds capable of feeding themselves on Icelandic smallholdings, and hens with reliable mothering skills. The result was a landrace of active, naturally healthy fowl adapted to harsh conditions and with good egg production, even in winter.

A 2004 British study of Icelandic chicken blood samples showed that 78% of the Icelandic DNA is unique and cannot be found in any other chicken breed in the world. Therefore, crossing with other breeds is discouraged, and the offspring from crosses cannot ever be considered Icelandic chickens.

Icelandics are still relatively unknown in the U.S. and aren’t yet offered by commercial hatcheries. A Facebook group dedicated to the conservation of pure Icelandics may be the best place to find sources of hatching eggs, chicks, or started birds. Due to their rarity, these birds should not be crossed but kept as a pure breed.

From The Livestock Conservancy