Hedemora Thread

[stoneunhenged]

The hens weigh about 4 lbs., the roosters about 5 lbs.

 

[kathyinmo]

One of the things I like about landrace fowl is the variety you can get. It is so cool to not have a, "standard," with them. You know the saying, "Variety is the spice of life!" (And I like spice!) Thanks for sharing your pictures with us!

 

[welasharon]

Great photography!
sharon

 

[stoneunhenged]

Here's a hedemora hen that has --at least by American standards-- an unusual color pattern. It's a subtle shift between a light peach and lavender under sort of a satin pearlescent sheen.

 

[stoneunhenged]

Quote:
I think that's a really good observation. We're all programmed to breed birds that to the smallest feather comply with every detail listed in the APA Standard of Perfection, and landrace breeds have never learned to read that book. Landraces are more diverse in appearance because it is environmental pressure, and not obsessive hobbyists, that determine the composition of the chicken. Evolution, as compared to people, has a different goal in mind with its culling program. So, when hobbyists are dealing with landraces it takes a heightened tolerance for differences among individuals within the breed. The breed also stays truer to its composition as a landrace if breeders don't emphasize certain traits through selection.

These ideas took some getting used to, but in talking with hedemora breeders in Sweden, it's clear that making the birds appear more uniform through rigid selection by the hobbyist is an outcome to be avoided. In observing my Swedish flower hens, I've learned to take as much pleasure in the differences as the similarities. It's hard to quantify, but even with the differences in color and feather pattern, when you look at a flock of these birds you can see they're the same breed.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Landraces are more diverse in appearance because it is environmental pressure, and not obsessive hobbyists, that determine the composition of the chicken. Evolution, as compared to people, has a different goal in mind with its culling program.

These things definitely attract me to landraces, too. I think our climate requires this kind of selection--natural or not. Health, vitality, cold hardiness and utility first, everything else is just gravy.

And honestly, I really do enjoy the "surprise" of various aesthetic traits popping up. I like being able to tell my birds apart!

They peachy lavender bird is to DIE for! You just don't see things like that pop up in breeds that have been carefully selected for color for generations!​

 

[Svarthona]

I love my little colourful landrace flock

Atm I only have one pure bred Hedemora hen in "yellow" and yellow/blue tail feathers in my flock.
Haha, sorry for the crude colour name, but I have no idea what that colour would be called in English.

The last pic shows her when she just started laying (at almost 7 months) last autumn.
Small saw-tooth comb and the fluffy bloomers are typical for this breed.
The wattles are actually on the "big" side for a Hedemora.

Everything is relative I guess.
She's one of the feather legged variety and lays off white eggs with brown speckles.

 

[stoneunhenged]

Great looking birds!

 

[kathyinmo]

Svarthöna :

I love my little colourful landrace flock

Atm I only have one pure bred Hedemora hen in "yellow" and yellow/blue tail feathers in my flock.

Oh what a pretty girl you have there! Thanks for sharing your pictures with us!​

 

[gootziecat]

Out of curiosity, how far south do you think these birds would proper since they are especially cold tolerant? I live where winters can get fairly cold, but last summer we had quite a few days of near 100 with high humidity.