How many eggs does your SFH lay..?

[aart]

What breeds would you recommend as good layers, that are friendly, tame and get along with other roosters as good as or better than a SFH, and (not as important) make good meat birds?

None....you're asking a lot from one breed/cross of bird.
'Dual purpose' breeds do neither well.
Even high production layer breeds need time off during the year to molt,
and also won't live as long.
As for 'getting along'...not really breed specific, depends on individual birds and often how they are kept. Males getting along is a real stretch, and much depends on space.

A.ny.way...Welcome to BYC! @Alo
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[Alo]

None....you're asking a lot from one breed/cross of bird.
'Dual purpose' breeds do neither well.
Even high production layer breeds need time off during the year to molt,
and also won't live as long.
As for 'getting along'...not really breed specific, depends on individual birds and often how they are kept. Males getting along is a real stretch, and much depends on space.

A.ny.way...Welcome to BYC! @Alo
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

View attachment 1857405

Thank you.

Interesting that nobody here even has information on eggs from a few generations of good laying SF Hens...

Hmmm...

The Bresse and the Dwarf Olandsk chicks I just bought are both supposed to lay 250 eggs a year. I consider that good, especially if one breed lays in the winter and one lays in the summer...

The Bresse and Dwarf roosters (from videos I've seen) seem to do alright when there's more than one guarding their flocks...

I'm thinking that to get good Swedish Flower Hens can require a little work and investment.

Beginning with hand raising a batch of chicks to use as broody hens, keeping the friendliest roosters and best layers and culling the rest...

Then getting another batch of eggs from a different breeder (to increase genetic diversity) and doing the same thing...

Then begin a spiral breeding program focused on at least two lines of friendly birds that lay at least 250 eggs a year (hopefully in different seasons), while avoiding any bias over looks and color...

As long as you're breeding for a couple nice broody hens and some friendly roosters, nobody should be disappointed while they're getting for better laying hens every year or two.

I don't think I will.

But... I'm super glad I didn't buy 25 Swedish Flower Hens with plans on selling eggs!

 

[Alo]

Thank you BYC and friends...

This opportunity to ask more knowledgeable people than me about chickens convinced me not to buy more than two or three SFHs at a time, and let the flock grow slowly.

You people spared me a lot of potential headaches!

 

[Alo]

Does anybody know of somebody who breeds, bred, owns, or owned 2 or 3 generations of good laying SFH?

I read the they don't breed true, and can throw any colors even after selective breeding...

Diametrically opposed to that, I read that if you don't try to keep diversity in your flock by mixing colors, you can breed colors out of them...

I'm trying to figure out which of those statements is true?

Or is there so much diversity among the breed that they're both true?

I'm thinking that a better understanding of those statements will help answer questions like-

Is good laying something we can breed for in SFH?

Those questions would normally sound absurd to me, but I never imagined how different breeding chickens is from dogs; and from reading this thread, and seeing nobody talk about egg-laying abilities getting passed on in SFH, they seem pertinent.

 

[Alo]

How bout hybrid vigour?

Is anybody getting good results from mixing another breed or breeds into their Swedish Flower Hens?

 

[aart]

Might try browsing these threads:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/search/68472908/?q=Swedish+Flower&t=post&o=date&c[title_only]=1

Might also try starting a new thread in the genetics forum.

 

[NewBoots]

I know nothing about it myself, but it's hard to resist the beauty of the sfh. And I have tp say I admire your zeal.

 

[Alo]

I know nothing about it myself, but it's hard to resist the beauty of the sfh. And I have tp say I admire your zeal.

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

 

[Alo]

I guess we buy SFH to set a kind and beautiful tone to our flock, and help us raise friendly chicks.

If we get eggs too, we should just count them as an additional blessing.

 

[aart]

Some breeds are for show, some are for go!
It can be hard to choose between them.

I love Lt Brahma, Black and White pleases my eye,
but they are lousy layers and voracious eaters.
Tried some SLW, on a B&W whim, mine were weak feathered, but pretty good layers of medium eggs. One turned out pretty good overall and was off the cull list, then she died in a 'freak accident'(don't know what really happened-wasn't a pred or disease).

Keepers plan, and the chicken gods laugh.<shrugs>