The Icelandic — Íslenska landnámshænan, the settlement hen — descends from birds Norse settlers carried to Iceland over a thousand years ago and has been a closed landrace ever since. Because it was never bred to a standard, no two birds match: plumage runs through every colour, some birds are crested, and comb type varies within a single hatch. Hens lay 150 to 200 tinted eggs a year, go broody reliably, and are exceptional foragers and mothers. They are flighty and independent, better suited to open range than a run.
Cold hardy
Heat tolerant
Broody
Flighty
Egg colorTan
Egg production150–200 / year
TemperamentFlighty
BroodinessOccasional
ClimateCold hardy, Heat tolerant
PurposeEggs
Weight
Hen3–3.5 lb
Rooster4.5–5.5 lb
How to spot it
CombSingleRose
Single or rose — both occur in the landrace
Plumage
Highly variable by design; no two birds match
Crest
Present on some birds, absent on others, within one flock
Body
Small, light and quick
Look for
Deliberate inconsistency — a uniform-looking Icelandic flock is a warning sign about its sourcing
Single
Rose
