Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[Alpine Chicken]

I finally had time to get some baby pictures from the last few hatches

The one with the egg shell on her bum was the first to hatch at about 3am yesterday. She had to wait all day for the rest to hatch so I could open the hatcher and remove the shell.


These are about 4 days old


These are my 3 week olds

Pretty babies! I love the one with the egg shell on his bum- that´s adorable!

 

[Sclark73]

crested black boy over black and blue uncrested girls, the blue girls will throw 50% blue/black, the crested boy will throw 50% crested. nice ratio IMO.

I lost both of my crested girls over the winter but still have my crested boy from the same breeding. currently tho my Blue is in with all the remaining girls (7). i'll be cycling in crested blue mille and later uncrested black mille from Leigh (when he's a bit older).

to the person deciding which cockerel to keep, IMO keep both. if you only have one, something will happen that you'll need the second in command... whenever I've had only 1 boy, I've lost him. thus, I'm now selling my red and buff bantam cochins, since I lost both boys during the last 3 weeks.

Thank you! I just moved him over with the girls yesterday to see what comes of this. He is just coming 5 months and his "roo" is coming out quite well right now.

 

[Alpine Chicken]

Thank-you!
I was going to wait until Spring and let my broodies take care of the next chicks, but of course THAT didn´t happen. So I now have 5 new babies (good hatch rate, too, I thought it wouldn´t work out because the eggs get too cold at these temperatures, but 5 out of 6 hatched!). Got a nice mix, too:
2 blacks:


2 chipmunks:


and one interesting grey speckled one- curious to see how he turns out:

Update on my latest hatch with before/after photos, now 4 weeks old:
The 2 blacks (they are taking forever to feather out- don´t know why, seems to me like my blacks always take longer):


The 2 chipmunks, looking like 2 boys:


And the grey speckled one. I really like this one, and luckily, it looks like a girl. Haven´t had one look like this before, and I´m curious to see the end result. I´d be happy to hear any ideas. Probably very unlikely, but maybe snoleopard?:

 

[KYTinpusher]

Such beautiful babies, Alpine Chicken! Good thing you live in Austria or you would have to worry about chicken-nappers! I really like the last one and look forward to see how she matures.

 

[emalin]

Hi,
I have a few questions about this breed, I am hoping to put together a small backyard flock (6 or 7) of Swedish Flower Hens (& one rooster). We have acreage, but would like them to stay in our half-acre fenced yard because of the intense predator situation here. Are SFH "controllable" in that way? Do they like to fly? I know we'll have escapees every now and then, but I'm curious if a flock this size will be content in our yard.

I'm also looking for a source of chicks or eggs with a lot of variability in color. I've been looking at Greenfire Farm chicks, but am open to suggestions. Thanks.

 

[KYTinpusher]

Quote:
Welcome to the SFH thread! I have my SFH contained with a 42" high movable electric fence. Unless I leave them a hole to get through (which they always find in short order), they are content to stay inside of it. If something frightens them, they are fully capable of flying over it though. Many of us have hatching eggs available at most times, though I don't right now. I'm sure some of them would be happy to PM you with details if you like.

 

[Alpine Chicken]

Hi,
I have a few questions about this breed, I am hoping to put together a small backyard flock (6 or 7) of Swedish Flower Hens (& one rooster). We have acreage, but would like them to stay in our half-acre fenced yard because of the intense predator situation here. Are SFH "controllable" in that way? Do they like to fly? I know we'll have escapees every now and then, but I'm curious if a flock this size will be content in our yard.

I'm also looking for a source of chicks or eggs with a lot of variability in color. I've been looking at Greenfire Farm chicks, but am open to suggestions. Thanks.

Hi,
I have one group of 4 hens and a roo in a pen of about half an acre, and a second group in a pen a little smaller. They´re surrounded by a 6 foot fence (there used to be a couple of goats in there). They´re very safe and have never come out, and seem to be very happy to me. Have fun!

 

[Melabella]

Update on my latest hatch with before/after photos, now 4 weeks old:
The 2 blacks (they are taking forever to feather out- don´t know why, seems to me like my blacks always take longer):


The 2 chipmunks, looking like 2 boys:


And the grey speckled one. I really like this one, and luckily, it looks like a girl. Haven´t had one look like this before, and I´m curious to see the end result. I´d be happy to hear any ideas. Probably very unlikely, but maybe snoleopard?:

alpine... they are growing up so nicely! the slow feathering is interesting isn't it? LOVE this last girl... and I have a 4 week old cockerel that looks very similar, although very different as chicks. please keep up with the photo updates I love watching them all grow!

MB

 

[Ashdoes]

So, we hatched 3 black and white chicks, one all black with dark red in her face and back and one red chipmunk looking chick. Very cute, active little buggers. They move around a lot faster than the Cochin chicks.
Obviously I need a new incubator. I babysat this thing for the full 21 days, and had to constantly adjust it. What a waste of money these things are...prob be getting a Brinsea, if I can look past the cost. I wish there was a magic trick to the Hovabator, I just haven't figured it out.

 

[KYTinpusher]

So, we hatched 3 black and white chicks, one all black with dark red in her face and back and one red chipmunk looking chick. Very cute, active little buggers. They move around a lot faster than the Cochin chicks.
Obviously I need a new incubator. I babysat this thing for the full 21 days, and had to constantly adjust it. What a waste of money these things are...prob be getting a Brinsea, if I can look past the cost. I wish there was a magic trick to the Hovabator, I just haven't figured it out.

Congrats!

Pictures are required!