Nicobari

The Nicobari chicken is an indigenous breed of the Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal, part of India. It is a small to medium, active village fowl shaped by humid island conditions and low-input backyard keeping. Several color types occur, commonly including brown, black, and white strains, with a lean body, alert carriage, and the hardiness expected of chickens that forage around settlements. In Indian poultry work, Nicobari birds are noted for comparatively good egg production among native breeds, making them more than a purely ornamental island chicken.

Flocks are best understood in their tropical smallholder context. They do well when allowed to forage, but still need night shelter, chick protection, clean water, and planned vaccination or disease control where poultry diseases are common. Outside the islands, keepers should provide warmth and avoid assuming the breed will thrive in cold, wet yards without shelter. Because island breeds can lose identity quickly through crossing, conservation programs and serious breeders pay attention to strain names, family lines, and sourcing from credible native-poultry collections. The breed has value for research and adaptation as well as for households wanting hardy layers in warm climates.

Colors: Barred, Birchen, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Columbian, Crele, Cuckoo, Duckwing, Gold, Gold Laced, Laced, Lavender, Mille Fleur, Mottled, Partridge, Penciled, Porcelain, Red, Silver, Silver Laced, Spangled, Splash, Wheaten, White