Buyer question
Are Icelandic sheep good for beginners?
It can be: our Animal Library rates the Icelandic sheep 3 out of 5 for beginners (good if fenced well).
Source: the Icelandic sheep page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Icelandic sheep in the Animal Library
The detail
Icelandic sheep are a northern short-tailed breed, isolated in Iceland for over a thousand years. They are triple-purpose: meat, milk and a dual-coated fleece with a long outer coat and soft undercoat prized by spinners.
- Temperament
- Alert, independent
- Best fit
- Cold climates, fiber
- Docility
- 3 out of 5 (Alert, some flighty)
- Hardiness
- 5 out of 5 (Cold hardy)
What to weigh
Icelandics are seasonal breeders and can be flighty. The dual-coat fleece is best shorn twice a year to avoid felting.