General Information
- Breed Purpose
- Ornamental, egg laying
- Comb
- Single
- Egg Productivity
- Good
- Egg Size
- Large
- Egg Color
- Off-white
- Breed Temperament
- Friendly, easily handled, great free rangers
- Breed Colors/Varieties
- Black
- Breed Size
- Medium
- Color
- Black
The Svart Hona (Swedish Black Hen) is a Fibromelanistic breed meaning their bones, meat, eyes, comb, legs, and feathers are solid black. There are other breeds that have the fibromelanistic gene which makes them all or mostly black, but the Swedish Black Hen is known as the blackest breed in the world. Another all black breed, the Ayam Cemani, is the close cousin to the Svart Hona. The breeds are extremely similar with most differences hard to spot. Svart Honas should not be confused with its cousin the Ayam Cemani, although they are very similar in appearance. The main difference is that the Svart Hona has a less “gamey” appearance compared to the Ayam Cemani.
A little information on the breed: The Svart Hona are a small chickens, although not considered bantams. Svart Honas weigh between 5-7.5 pounds and the hens are excellent layers of off-white eggs. For the size of the hen, the eggs are extraordinarily large often almost as big as some of my Large Fowl Orpington eggs. These birds are excellent fliers and enjoy roosting high off the ground when given the opportunity. Because of their abilities, these birds make amazing free-rangers. The roosters are alert and take great care keeping an eye on the hens. If something sets off “the alarm” the chickens will fly to the nearest cover quickly usually escaping danger. However, just because these birds are excellent fliers it does not make them unfriendly and flighty. My Svart Honas are some of the friendliest birds on my property and crave attention from their caregivers. They will fly up to your shoulder, or walk and sit in your lap looking for treats. Another great plus for the breed is that they are exceedingly healthy, eggs are extremely fertile, and I have amazing hatch rates. I am not the only one to experience this; other breeders report 98% vitality.
Here is some history on the breed: Svart Honas, also known as Swedish Black Hens, were imported to Sweden in the 1800’s from Mozambique, but Svart Honas originated in Indonesia. A nice straightforward breed to keep, its total jet-black appearance often arouses the curiosity of those who come in contact with it. Svart Hona’s are still extremely rare and as of 2013, there are very few known flocks in the entire United States, one of which is ours. The birds are even extremely hard to find in Europe to this day.
The Svart Honas are amazing, unique birds that would accent anyone’s flock nicely. These birds are definitely conversation pieces as anyone who walks onto the property will have to know, “What in the world is that chicken?!”
Svart Hona egg
Svart Hona chick
Svart Hona juvenile
Svart Hona hen
Svart Hona rooster
For more information on this breed and their owners' and breeders' experiences with them, see our breed discussion here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/the-svart-hona-swedish-black-hen-thread.806031/
