Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[ddpbk1]

Here are pictures for my 5 month cockerels. Which one is the better to keep as rooster? Also picture of a black/white pullet, will she get more white?

 

[Spifflove]

Here are pictures for my 5 month cockerels. Which one is the better to keep as rooster? Also picture of a black/white pullet, will she get more white?

It is hard to tell without a side by side shot. I would keep both and cross the crested with non-crested and vice-versa.

 

[pebcrb]

Here are pictures for my 5 month cockerels. Which one is the better to keep as rooster? Also picture of a black/white pullet, will she get more white?

I don't know about breeding qualities but I love the look of your crested! So handsome

 

[lawatt]

it seems like so much of breeding with SFHs is just personal preference, as i'm a fan of the white-headed roos and not a fan of crests -- so, what qualities are YOU hoping to aim for?

 

[SunnySkies]

I am looking to breed birds with:
Excellent disposition. That is perhaps my top priority. With kids running around, I can't have any aggressive birds.
Foraging ability.
Good body size and shape so culls could be dinner.
A good sized egg.
Various coloration both with and without crests. I would love to have a flock with all the basic colors in it.
While I do not believe this will ever be a "show" breed because there is no one base color, it would be nice to have birds that could be shown and lack basic faults. But I'm not going to go nuts because a favorite rooster has sprigs.

 

[Raven1]

I have seen this written a couple of times now, but why do you say breed crested to uncrested? Right now all my birds are crested. Should I be looking for a new roo?

 

[Sebrightsrock]

I have seen this written a couple of times now, but why do you say breed crested to uncrested? Right now all my birds are crested. Should I be looking for a new roo?

I'm no expert and maybe some one else can go into more detail but I think breeding crested to crested can result with some of the chicks having vaulted skulls. Also I think breeding crested to crested will result in bigger crests and if your looking for a good free range bird birds having a big crest won't be able to see as well.

 

[lawatt]

and here's a related question -- are crests completely dominant genetically, i.e. can an un-crested bird be carrying a crest gene?

 

[Raven1]

Thank you

 

[PugBug]

Here are pictures for my 5 month cockerels. Which one is the better to keep as rooster? Also picture of a black/white pullet, will she get more white?

Looks to me like the black in this last pic is a pullet