Calling All Swedish Flower Hen Owners!

[The Egg-Master N1]

I just came into ownership of some beautiful young Swedish Flower Hens and am trying to figure out what I might be dealing with. Ive done some checking online and it seems you can get chicks for pretty high price ($9.99-$50.00 per chick). Are they very rare? What’s their temperament like? If I wanted more Swedish Flower Hens (3-4 months old if I can find them) What is a fair price to pay for them? Whats their worst character trait? What’s their best assets? Thanks for your time folks!

 

[ValerieJ]

I am not familiar, but found this:
https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/swedish-flower-hen/

 

[Perris]

the SFH thread is here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/swedish-flower-hen-thread.375288/
from my own experience, they're wonderful chickens. Self-assured without being bossy, great foragers, good layer, great rooster, easy. The only down side is they like to roost in trees, which I thought was also great until they were taken by predators; now I make them roost in a coop. Also I haven't had one go broody yet, which you may view as a plus or a minus; I have other breeds doing that so it's not an issue for me. Enjoy your birds!
PS they are very pretty too

 

[Gray Farms]

I've raised them for about 7 years now. They are outstanding birds. I'd recommend them to anybody. They are great layer, large to extra large eggs. And 3-4 month old cockerels as well as old males are great eating birds. They have a great temperament. Very docile and calm nature. Roosters are very respectful of their girls and if penned together they boys rarely fight. I can't think of a single fault in my experience with this breed. Personally I sell pullets/hens for $20 and males for $10. They aren't nearly as rare as they were years ago. Now very easy to obtain hatching eggs. And there are many breeders scattered across the US.

 

[RaineyTN]

I only have one and it’s in a mixed flock but have never had any problems out of her and lays pretty consistent

 

[Cassidy Blommehona]

I got 4 of these as straight run from a local breeder this spring and they are almost ready to start egg laying. These birds are fantastic. They absolutely love being able to free range both in my "organized free range" system using poultry netting and in full free range mode when I'm out working in my yard. You Can definitely see their natural foraging behavior that was preserved by being a land race breed. I ended up with 1 Cockerel and 3 pullets. I can't wait to start breeding these beauties. My Cockerel is a very good boy and takes good care of my entire flock (approx 30 chickens) plus his crow is absolutely melodic. He has started trying to mount some of my other older girls (usually my 2 silver laced Wyandottes) and is gentle with them. I haven't seen him being rough or damaging their back feathers at all like some other roosters can. His fancy rooster tail feathers are currently coming in

 

[analyticalblonde]

I might be the outlier here but when my Ameraucana, Wizzygig, went broody 5 times in 2 1/2 months, and after having broken her in our broody-breaking set-up, I threw my hands up and said, "defeat". I saw online in the local classifieds a breeder who was selling SF eggs and drove 2 hours to pick up 8. They weren't cheap and the success rate was never guaranteed.

Out of 8, 4 hatched thanks to Wizzygig's strong maternal drive...of the 4, we ended up with two pullets and two cockerels, Marshmallow, Silver Streak, Three Dots, and Candy Cob.

Three Dots, one of the cockerels, just instantly died! Couldn't believe it...I was out with them not even an hour before...he was about 20 weeks old.

Candy Cob filled out beautifully and had matured to crowing and doing what roosters do with a flock of 12 girls...however, after being WAY overzealous in his breeding drive, critically injured my two Lavender Orpingtons, Sue & Legs, who had to remain in our basement ICU for over a month each, overlapping. My husband & I spent 4-5 weeks dressing the injuries, twice a day, for them to heal up enough to be re-introduced back into the flock.

Sue was the most damaged and I was irate!...She is the absolute sweetest one that follows me around like a puppy dog! When he did it again but now to Legs, who is the largest girl of our flock and is Sue's sister, I had had enough. Both DH & I wanted to try to have a rooster to protect our girls because we wanted that eye in the sky for possible free-ranging, but I wasn't going to let my girls who I raised for a full two years be destroyed by a newcomer rooster. We had already set up a tractor run, as well as having a full protected run and large coop for the girls to meander since we have an overabundance of hawks, fox, coyotes, etc. We have invested a lot into our flock and to make sure they have the best situation and circumstances possible.

Strike two was not going to wait for strike three...although my DH has never had to do anything like what he had to do that night, he took care of Candy Cob, and since, all of my girls are now healthy and getting along so well with the latest additions of our Swedish girls, Marshmallow and Silver Streak.

Just to give an idea...here are some photos....

 

[gimmie birdies]

I got my first SFH from a lady that raised pures from GFF. Then a friend of mine gave me hers when she moved. (The SFH were all from the same source) Recently I bought some eggs from a neighbor state. Hers were also from GFF.

 

[analyticalblonde]

I got my first SFH from a lady that raised pures from GFF. Then a friend of mine gave me hers when she moved. (The SFH were all from the same source) Recently I bought some eggs from a neighbor state. Hers were also from GFF.

You are fortunate to have such a beautiful breed...they are particularly strong and resourceful...I know... I have many breeds and the Swedish Flowers are a breed that has no match?

 

[gimmie birdies]

I like the gray ones.