Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[SassysMom]

I have two Swedish Flower hens( the two laying down in the back). They are about 7 weeks old. When will I be able to tell if they are pullets or cockerels? So far not much growth in the combs or any color at all. I do not see waddles either.. I know I need some better pictures but they were not cooperating tonight. The brown speckled one is super sweet and calm the black and white one does not like to be messed with and run like I am going to kill her.

I have 8 SFs. They were juvies when I got them and 2 looked like cockerels, 6 very much hens. Long story short, at about 8 months everything changed...pretty much overnight. The 2 cockerels that were id'd earlier were growing rapidly and their feathering is beautiful. One morning, I'm out cleaning the condo, feeding, watering, etc...and I thought...hmmm, one of these pullets is not like the other! Poof! There's a new roo on the roost. Deep breath...send message and pic to breeder. OMG...that girl's a boy! Few days later...Whoa! We now have 4 beautiful boys and 4 lovely, sweet girls. Talk about Chicken Math! The one thing that really strikes me about my SFs is that the cockerels are so much larger than pullets. But, the girls are quite the egg layers. All of them live together with no squabbles, no ravaged hens, no dancing and threatening to any humans. They are really sweet birls. Unfortunately, I'm having to rehome 3 or the roos

 

[gimmie birdies]

my SFH some one said was a boy above (5 months old) is older than my other Truly a boy SFH
This one is 3 months old, boy.

The one chick someone said was a boy has no boy tail feathers and they are rounded like a female. I think that person wanted to be the bearer of bad news, but I would be happy to have 2 males as a friend wants a male SFH. either way it is good.

 

[ashtree]

my SFH some one said was a boy above (5 months old) is older than my other Truly a boy SFH This one is 3 months old, boy. The one chick someone said was a boy has no boy tail feathers and they are rounded like a female. I think that person wanted to be the bearer of bad news, but I would be happy to have 2 males as a friend wants a male SFH. either way it is good.

I don't think anyone wants to be a bearer of bad news. That's just not how folks on the BYC are. Glad you get what you want either way. I know there are lots of folks here with boys we're unable to keep/rehome.

 

[Sclark73]

Need help identifying problem with this SFH chick, notice white things on tongue and is constantly gasping. Its about 2 wks old. I tried to grab with tweezers and its harder feeling almost like cartilage and could be a genetic defect. Any ideas would be helpful, yes I should of culled right away but...

 

[gimmie birdies]

the white hard things on the back of the tongue is normal it helps to push food down. if it just started to gasp I would dip his beak in egg yoke if that helps. if he has been gasping a while it may just me ill if it's eyes are closed it just may not make it. one time i had a chick that was comatose after the gasping thing. I kept it in hand warmers and gave it sips of yoke water. and it did come out of it but it is more rare. but good luck to you. don't pull anything off the tongue though.

 

[TxFlowers]

Need help identifying problem with this SFH chick, notice white things on tongue and is constantly gasping. Its about 2 wks old. I tried to grab with tweezers and its harder feeling almost like cartilage and could be a genetic defect. Any ideas would be helpful, yes I should of culled right away but...

Chicks can get respiratory infections that cause the gasping you describe. Without intervention, chick will die. I use Tylan powder in their drinking water for respiratory problems in chicks and Tylan injectable for older chicks or adults with any kind of respiratory symptoms. Tylan works pretty good. Another antibiotic is SpecLInx 50 which I get from Randall Burkey company. It's labeled for chicks and works good for things that seem to be resistant to Tylan.

 

[Sclark73]

Chicks can get respiratory infections that cause the gasping you describe. Without intervention, chick will die. I use Tylan powder in their drinking water for respiratory problems in chicks and Tylan injectable for older chicks or adults with any kind of respiratory symptoms. Tylan works pretty good. Another antibiotic is SpecLInx 50 which I get from Randall Burkey company. It's labeled for chicks and works good for things that seem to be resistant to Tylan.

Thanks for the comment, but it's been clarified as a genetic issue and not an illness.

 

[TheGeekySheep]

Check out the colors coming in on my yellow chicks!

 

[Sunny Flowers]

Check out the colors coming in on my yellow chicks!

I had a similar chick.

He is now close to 5 months old and looks like this.



He is fourth from the right, and crested.

 

[Kaylish]

Check out the colors coming in on my yellow chicks!

Beautiful!