Tappit Shetland Hen

Shetlands, known to be tough!

Rare breeds of poultry, such as Shetland Hens, are often overlooked despite their invaluable contribution to biodiversity. Their genetics must be preserved in living gene banks, as they can easily be crossbred and lost forever. Fortunately, these hens were saved just in time to prevent extinction; they are a precious breed deserving of recognition and protection.

Originally from South America, these hens arrived in Shetland via Spain approximately 430 years ago, possibly traveling to the islands with a Spanish galleon. The surviving hens came from Foula (meaning "bird island"), a remote isle located twenty miles west of Walls, the westernmost part of the Shetland mainland. From Foula, they made their way to Walls, and it was from this surviving flock that the Isbisters purchased their initial birds to start their breeding program. The characteristics of these fowl match the descriptions provided by many independent sources.

They are robust birds that feature a characteristic tuft of feathers on their heads, known as 'Tapp' in the Shetland dialect. The term "Tappit" means tufted in Scots. A mutation in South America led to the development of these tufted hens before the Spanish conquests. Their distinctive blue-green egg coloration is a result of Spanish genetic influence. Furthermore, this breed has incorporated traits from the original Shetland Hen, which has been present in Shetland for centuries. The breed comes in a variety of colors.

Published by the Scottish Daily Mail in 2018, “There are fewer than 100 of them left - yet they could hold the key to a far healthier future for poultry farming. RARE breeds are rare for a reason. They grow more slowly, breed less prolifically and yield less milk, meat or eggs. Yet on the survival of such exotic livestock may one day hinge our own, when factory Farming finally blows itself up.”

Group of chickens with a black chicken in the foreground on a farm.

Photo: Green Tree Farm, Harton, York, UK

Tappit Shetland hens grazing on grassy land at Burland Croft, Shetland, with a view of the ocean and hills in the background.

Photo: Wendy Barrie, Tappit Shetland Hens at Burland Croft, Trondra, Shetland

Citation

Macleod, J. (2022, April 8). Meet the Shetland Hen... The World’s Rarest Chicken! PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine subscriptions. https://www.pressreader.com/uk/scottish-daily-mail/20220408/281960316280129

Hatchery Manager . (n.d.). Shetland Hen . Greenfire Farms - Shetland hen. https://greenfirefarms.com/shetland_hen.html

Shetland hens. Green Tree Farm Shetlands. (n.d.). https://www.greentreefarmshetlands.co.uk/our-livestock/shetland-hens/

Times, S. (2017, August 29). Opinion: Can rare breed chickens take on factory hens?. The Shetland Times. https://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2017/08/29/opinion-can-rare-breed-chickens-take-factory-hens