Orusthöna

Orusthona, or Orust chicken, is a Swedish landrace from Orust and nearby islands on the Bohuslan coast. It developed in small farm flocks exposed to wind, salt air, short forage seasons, and rocky ground, so the breed is better understood as an old countryside chicken than as a show bird with a narrow color standard. Birds are usually light to medium in build, alert, and quick on their feet, with black, white, gray, and sometimes gold patterning that can look mottled or broken rather than neatly laced.

Today the Orusthona is kept mainly by rare-breed enthusiasts and Swedish conservation flocks, where maintaining unrelated family lines matters more than producing uniform exhibition birds. It suits roomy yards, orchard systems, and other predator-managed free-range settings, but its active nature means low fences may not hold it. A dry, draft-safe coop, strong night security, and balanced layer feed help these foragers stay productive through cool, damp weather. Buyers should expect variation and look for stock from landrace preservation breeders.

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