Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[RedRidge]

I need to go ahead and get rid of them to make room for some hens.  I'm not sure the genetics.  I got them from a fellow in Cleveland, TN who's name I probably shouldn't post, but I could find out.  I think a co-worker of my wife's is going to take all three this weekend to a new home in N. GA.  If that doesn't happen, I'll let you know.  Just looked up your farm website.  Looks great! 

I'm near Dunlap. Might have a few more hatching in the next week if you need chicks.... 
I just sold a bunch of them, so am back down to just the adult stock.

Here's an old ad of mine with pics of parents: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/773547/swedish-flower-hen-and-lavender-ameraucana-chicks-se-tn

Wow! I had no idea there were so many SFH breeders here in TN. That is wonderful!

 

[Goose and Fig]

I know quite a few more. TN is a real hot spot for SFH.

 

[SunnySkies]

I'm glad to see that you got at least one pullet out of the deal. How did the others turn out. The red/white seems to be really strong in my flock. I didn't hatch many this spring because of work, but I did get several blacks from the broody that I gave eggs to. I have one very similar to your little black in the photo with the brown frosting. The feathers on her back and neck are coming in really dark black, so I'm thinking that I may actually have one that will stay primarily black. The little black chick with the red Mohawk marking has turned a beautiful blue, and is beginning to get some creamy/buff color on her breast. I also got some beautiful birds from the egg swap with Dahlisgrams.

I got three to hatch, and one is this pretty girl. The second is a red and white roo, and I think he will be gorgeous. The third....met within accident. My son found it outside the coop one cool morning and put it with the moms, but I found it a bit later very cold with no hen (they were coparenting and both had abandoned this chick). Brought it back to life, seemed to be doing great after most of a day with a heating pad, scrambled eggs and Sav-A-Chik, confined the hens and chicks together, and someone let them out the next morning without my knowledge. The chick vanished that day. I was so bummed. I wonder if something was wrong, the hens knew, and my actions prolonged the inevitable. It was a blonde chick

My blacks went outside today. I'm a bit nervous...the blue one has a couple red feathers. I want him to stay blue!

 

[SunnySkies]

Oh that is a beautiful pullet - I LOVE her coloring!! 

I lucked out and managed to get two with coloring like this. I have two more that are light red and white, one crested and one not. I have a little rooster that has similar coloring to this puller with a crest if anyone wants him, although my oldest son might have a fit.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: this chick pictured is a splash... that's why she's got some blueish feathers around her head. not all splash actually have blue splotches scattered. that's entirely bloodline dependent.

my splash cochin for comparison...

 

[Bernie56]

My blacks went outside today. I'm a bit nervous...the blue one has a couple red feathers. I want him to stay blue!

Sorry to hear about the chick that vanished. As far as you blue boy, with the red feathers... I have several blue pullets, but all of my "blue" roosters that were almost solid blue as chicks, turned mostly red as adults. They do still have the blues mixed in with the white mottling. And they are beautiful! I guess it is possible to have a blue rooster, without the red, but I have not seen any. I have seen black/white roosters without the red in pictures from Sweden, and they are amazing!

 

[SunnySkies]

Sorry to hear about the chick that vanished. As far as you blue boy, with the red feathers... I have several blue pullets, but all of my "blue" roosters that were almost solid blue as chicks, turned mostly red as adults. They do still have the blues mixed in with the white mottling. And they are beautiful! I guess it is possible to have a blue rooster, without the red, but I have not seen any. I have seen black/white roosters without the red in pictures from Sweden, and they are amazing!

This is what I'm worried about. Eek. But all you can do is wait and see with this breed!

 

[jbarrett]

wow congrats to all the new SFH chickies! I have a turkey we raised and she has decided to go broody....her eggs are not fertile so I gave her a huge clutch of eggs! Some SFH in there!!

LM----mine started out very small, and now have progressed to medium sized eggs, all in about 2 weeks they were getting bigger aboout 4 days apart and now they are staying medium sized for now!

 

[SunnySkies]

My oldest SFH roo is a hormonal mess. He charged me as I walked away from the coop after letting them loose for the day. I do not want to kill another one for aggression, and I know this is not a genetic issue for this bird. It's hormones. He is 17 weeks, more or less, and already trying to mount everything in sight. I want to get past this and see how he goes (the others got aggressive after 6 months).

Catching and carrying the last ones didn't work...I'm going to try a squirt gun this time.

This morning, I walked determinedly at him when he also did the whole ground pecking thing challenging me and separated him from his friends and pushed him down the hill, away from the coop, until I let him go, as I was unprepared. He hasn't given me reason to question him until this morning.

Other thoughts?

 

[jmarie]

Other thoughts?

Bee kissed had a good article on dealing with roos, involved a big stick...sounded similar to using a squirt gun, basically harassing the roo till he realized who was the boss


On another note, of 8 eggs 1 never started, 4 hatched, 1 hatched and did not live. But now I have 2 eggs on day 24, is there any way to check them or are they kaput??