So you splurged on some beautifully packed hatching eggs, set them in the incubator, crossed your fingers... and now you’re staring at a bunch of clear, empty eggs. No chicks. No action. Cue the frustration, right?

But before you hit the panic button—or start typing up that “what went wrong?!” email—let’s get real about what could be happening inside those shells.

If feed is the fuel, grit is the spark plug. Chickens don’t have teeth; they’ve got a gizzard—a tough, muscular grinder that uses tiny insoluble stones to crush feed so nutrients actually get used. No grind, less gain. Or as Clancy likes to yell from the roost bar: “Chew with your chest.”

If the Shetland Isles can produce ponies, sheep, and cattle that shrug off sideways rain… you’d better believe the chickens from there are just as tough.

Shetland Hens are a traditional island landrace from the Shetland Isles north of Scotland. They weren’t created for shows, they weren’t engineered in breeding pens, and they definitely weren’t built for Instagram. They were shaped by crofters who needed birds that could lay, raise chicks, and keep going in real weather.

If a chicken could read a weather report, it would be an Icelandic. These are the original “make it work” birds of the North Atlantic, a true landrace shaped by centuries of cold, scarcity, and small-farm reality. They’re alert, thrifty, and weirdly obsessed with compost piles (yes, really). In Iceland they’re called Íslenska landnámshænan, the “chicken of the settlers,” and also Haughænsni, “pile chickens”. because they love to work debris heaps for snacks like it’s their full-time job.

If you’re looking for a chicken with a rich history, stunning looks, and a touch of mystery, let me introduce you to the Swedish Black Hen—or, as the Swedes call it, the Svarthöna. This isn’t just another black-feathered beauty strutting around the yard; it’s a breed that has stood the test of time, with deep roots in Sweden’s past and a future that’s being carefully preserved.

Welcome to Just Cluckin’ Around! If you're searching for the best cold-hardy chicken breed, look no further than the Hedemora hen. This Swedish landrace chicken has been thriving in harsh winters for centuries, thanks to its dense, insulating feathers and strong adaptability. With a rich history, unique feather variations, and a reputation as a hardy heritage breed, the Hedemora hen is a one-of-a-kind addition to any backyard flock.

If Lisa Frank designed a chicken, we’re pretty sure it would be a Swedish Flower Hen.

These speckled wonders didn’t hatch out of a Pinterest mood board, though, they’re the product of centuries of natural selection in the harsh climate of southern Sweden. Hardy, beautiful, alert, and friendly-but-not-pathetic, Flower Hens are landrace birds that have survived not by following a standard, but by flipping it the cluck off.