Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[TarheelBirdy]

Yes, in Fremont. Luckily I just live in South Seattle, and already had to head up that way for pine shavings. Mine both have very pale, yellowish combs and wattles, but it was definitely the behavior that drove me here and looking through all the photos of similar age birds. I've already grown so fond of them and their hijinx, and it doesn't help that they're so rare!

I also enjoy the sound of crowing, pickitfarm. One more reason to move out to the country. My parents now live in a semi-rural area in Hillsborough, NC, and someone near them has a rooster who you can just make out crowing every morning. They also have a neighbor raising guinea hens, and were thinking about getting some to keep down the ticks since their property is half wooded. Now that I have chickens, they're really curious to know how it goes, so I just might convince them to go ahead with it. Maybe even with SFH, since there are so many folks raising them in the south.

I am very close to your parents - I live in Liberty, NC. Hillsborough is a beautiful area. Let me know if they are interested in SFH or guineas. I am NPIP certified and only about a half an hour away from them.

 

[PalmHen]

How big are these birds?

 

[Bernie56]

so I have a bit of a delima! Besides the fact I have 3 broody girls. 1 of my girls abandoned her eggs, so I took them and put them in the incubator and they're all growing. My problem is that, they're all at different stages. How do I know when to do lockdown? I have no idea when she started sitting on them, because she wasn't a dedicated broody when she started she would sit on random nests until finally she abandoned these eggs and joined another brooder on her nest. That's where she's remained.

That is one of my biggest gripes with using broodies. I always mark all of the eggs if I am going to let them set on. That way I know that they are all on the same schedule. Now that you have the problem its better to finish them in the incubator than to lose them. I would use your best guess for when the first is due, and go with that. If you have to open the incubator just add some warm water, maybe even a wet paper towel to keep the humidity up. Hope everything works out for you.

 

[KYTinpusher]

so I have a bit of a delima! Besides the fact I have 3 broody girls. 1 of my girls abandoned her eggs, so I took them and put them in the incubator and they're all growing. My problem is that, they're all at different stages. How do I know when to do lockdown? I have no idea when she started sitting on them, because she wasn't a dedicated broody when she started she would sit on random nests until finally she abandoned these eggs and joined another brooder on her nest. That's where she's remained.

Do you have two incubators, or perhaps an incubator and a hatcher? I would just give it a guess as to when they should go to lockdown. If you can candle regularly, wait until you see an internal pip to move them to lockdown. If you haven't seen these, here are some great pictures that would let you decide when the time is right: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/candling-pics-progression-through-incubation-of-chicken-eggs

If you only have one incubator, I would continue to turn them until you see the first pip, then stop turning. Unless your humidity is really low, I wouldn't even raise it. Many people have been having successful hatches using dry incubation and hatching lately. Eggs hatching will naturally raise the humidity. As Bernie56 said, if the hatch is extended and you have to open up the incubator to remove some chicks before the rest are finished, open and close it as quickly as possible and mist with warm water or add a moist paper towel to raise the humidity back up.

This is just what I would do. Others may have more experience and better suggestions.

Good luck!

Let us know how it turns out.

 

[RedRidge]

Yes, in Fremont. Luckily I just live in South Seattle, and already had to head up that way for pine shavings. Mine both have very pale, yellowish combs and wattles, but it was definitely the behavior that drove me here and looking through all the photos of similar age birds. I've already grown so fond of them and their hijinx, and it doesn't help that they're so rare!

I also enjoy the sound of crowing, pickitfarm. One more reason to move out to the country. My parents now live in a semi-rural area in Hillsborough, NC, and someone near them has a rooster who you can just make out crowing every morning. They also have a neighbor raising guinea hens, and were thinking about getting some to keep down the ticks since their property is half wooded. Now that I have chickens, they're really curious to know how it goes, so I just might convince them to go ahead with it. Maybe even with SFH, since there are so many folks raising them in the south.

I am in East TN and love it here... couldn't imagine living anywhere else. That said, we did have a terrible tick problem last year so I picked up 7 keets last June. At a year of age they are doing a great job with ticks. We have 50 acres and have no very few ticks this year, and last year I would have to pull 12-15 each night. That's the plus side. Down side is that they can be loud - very loud. And I so love my quiet out here. But... usually they are only loud if there is something out of the ordinary happening. Rather like a driveway alarm.

I have so many friends that want some now that I am setting 40 eggs in one of the incubators this Thursday. Haven't ever hatched anything but chicks and ducks (and ducks were years ago)... so we'll see how this goes.
But needless to say we have a love/hate relationship with our guineas.

 

[HaplessRunner]

I have thought about guineas too. But the first bridge I am crossing in setting up breeding programs is getting my wife to accept roosters and their crowing. To say that she is underwhelmed is to put it mildly. But my DW of 34 years is adapting slowly. I live in a rural area of Loudoun County in VA and we have significant deer and deer tick problems here.

I understand that guineas make lots of noise but it may be worth it to let them free range and knock down the tick population.

 

[RedRidge]

.

I understand that guineas make lots of noise but it may be worth it to let them free range and knock down the tick population.

And the method that we have found works the best for tick control isn't simply "free range" but to ignore them... literally.
We don't feed them any more.
When they were keets I kept them in a brooder, then a stall in the barn. I fed them through the first winter and the first of March this year we quit offering them any food. They know where "home" is... they roost in the barn. But they spend their days covering 10-20 acres surrounding the barn. We find their nests in the strangest places. We have a LOT of predation problems, but the maremma do not guard the guineas, just the sheep and chickens, and yet we have never lost a guinea - they are very hardy and self sufficient. They WILL find food - even in the winter... although the softy in my offers some feed in Jan and Feb. But not much... Just like barn cats... don't feed them much or they won't hunt. We have no mice... we feed the barn cats very very little so they hunt. They are nice and fat.

 

[Spifflove]

These are really beautiful!

Thank you! Of course all I do is feed them...

 

[Kimbroe1981]

Thnx everyone for the info! I only have 1 bator. I would like another one, but that will have to wait awhile. I hope I can determine when they're close to hatching. Wish me luck!

 

[SeattleLeah]

My mother in law lives north of Seattle and came down for a visit so I had her grab me one

was a bit annoyed she sold me one then gave the others away

since I only have 4 chicks total I wish I would of stuck with blrw they are more mellow

Those SFH were from me

. Im addicted to hatching but I live in the city and already have too many chickens. I almost always give chicks away for free but those eggs cost so much! I sold you yours then 3 weeks later I still had chicks left, no one was buying them and really need to get rid of them I listed them for free. I'm sorry you think yours might be a roo, can you post a better pic of its comb? I did pick the one out for you with the smallest comb and daintiest legs but at 2 weeks old, its still just guessing.