How many eggs does your SFH lay..?

[NewBoots]

Zeal? Thank you!

I guess that's a good word for my response to learning they can lay more than a Buff Orpington, or as few as 6 eggs a year...

It's much kinder than what I called myself when I realized I still want some, began
justifying adding some to my flock, and planning on buying some. lol

I may or may not get to breed my own birds (roosters have to go if my neighbors complain) but I've been determined to have at least one or two sfh if I end up with a mixed flock.

 

[Alo]

I may or may not get to breed my own birds (roosters have to go if my neighbors complain) but I've been determined to have at least one or two sfh if I end up with a mixed flock.

When I got rid of the two grown roosters I adopted, because I hate pets that shed my blood...

I decided, I want "FRIENDLY CHICKENS!"

I'd rather have friendly chickens than chickens that lay two eggs a day, and kick holes in my leg.

I definitely plan on getting Swedish Flower Hens. I'm thinking of getting two or three from a few sources, to ensure maximum genetic diversity; and trying for decent egg birds too.

Even if I can't get eggs out of em, if I can use them to hatch eggs, and help my other chicks get friendlier... I want SFHs!

 

[Alo]

I may or may not get to breed my own birds (roosters have to go if my neighbors complain)...

I had Asils, and they don't crow.

They croak.

It's a much quieter, low growling sound, than a crowing rooster.

 

[Alo]

I tried smaller roosters when I lived in an apartment (thinking they'd be quieter, and nobody would notice. lol

That high pitched crow sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard, and locking them in a closet before sunrise didn't help either.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I decided, I want "FRIENDLY CHICKENS!"

Hi there.

I'm a tad late to this party... but came to get down, jump, jump, jump around!

Anyways let me share with you my experience with SFH, green fire farms line... This is one of those breeds that is far better on paper than in reality.

They were easy to breed due to having such a wide variety in their standard as far as shank color and feather color stuff goes. Just cull for faults like split wing, comb sprigs and such.

Out of 8 chicks I ended with 2 "friendly" birds. one was a rooster who got away with stalking and sneak attacking me for WAY to long, after being the friendliest lap bird I ever met. Someone said the friendly cockerel would be their first to go and now I know why. I mistook his confidence for friendliness! He mistook my friendliness for weakness.

A few of the other cockerels would come after my dogs across the yard for playing fetch. I since keep my stags in a pen of their own until they mature enough to show the ladies some manners and leave the dogs alone or meet their fate.

With regards to laying... I got 3 hens total. 2 went broody. 1 passed from egg binding after I broke her broody spell. 1 was friendly, 1 was shy, and the other was aloof. All were pretty. I loved that no two look exactly the same. Or at least I thought... but the more I see the more they all look alike.

To me their bodies are much more leghorn style than meatie.

I hatched some. A friend got one and she reported lousy laying... after she drove over 7 hours each way to get it.

Ultimately they weren't the bird for me. They didn't sell that well. Popular breeds sell better than "rare" breeds... which I'm not even sure I will call SFH rare when they are being offered at so many hatcheries now.

Think I would choose Speckled Sussex over SFH. But did see one poster who was breeding the Sussex say about 50% of her cockerels were Stew Pidasso's, which is a high amount. I don't raise lap boys anymore and I haven't been attacked again despite raising well over a hundred roosters since then. My personal favorite was Marans roosters. Well, several Silkie boys were biters very early on. The meaner the roo the sweeter the stew! I agree that a higher pitched crow can be much more annoying than a louder crow. The Marans out foraged the SFH all day long every day.

Anyways, every bird is an individual. And from what I read so far in this thread, sounds like you're gonna have to try them out for yourself. Best wishes!