Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[Goose and Fig]

I was told to catch the roo with a big fishing net. Pin him down and keep him there for a good 1/2 hour. You shouldn't have to do this more than twice.

 

[Goose and Fig]

FYI-
If you forget to gather your eggs, the hens will do it for you. In a nice little pile, perfectly concealed. 1 1/2 days was all it took, now I have two more broodies.

 

[sfh11]

My oldest SFH roo is a hormonal mess. He charged me as I walked away from the coop after letting them loose for the day. I do not want to kill another one for aggression, and I know this is not a genetic issue for this bird. It's hormones. He is 17 weeks, more or less, and already trying to mount everything in sight. I want to get past this and see how he goes (the others got aggressive after 6 months).

Catching and carrying the last ones didn't work...I'm going to try a squirt gun this time.

This morning, I walked determinedly at him when he also did the whole ground pecking thing challenging me and separated him from his friends and pushed him down the hill, away from the coop, until I let him go, as I was unprepared. He hasn't given me reason to question him until this morning.

Other thoughts?

Did he see you carrying the others around, maybe he just wants a free ride too? I've tried every known remedy anyone has ever suggested. I've gotten the aggressive rooster not to be aggressive to me, I guess he figures out I'm the boss. The problem then is whenever someone new comes over they also have to prove they're the boss. I know it's a pain to dispose of one and find another, especially if you've raised this one from a chick.

 

[Bulldogma]

SunnySkies - here's that article jmarie was referencing: Article

 

[SunnySkies]

I have a bunch of roosters, so it's not hard to get a replacement, but I like this one and wanted to use him for breeding.

He did not see me carrying the others. He was still in the grow out area when they were alive for his own safety.

He was eyeballing the black chicks today too. Turd.

Have to go buy something to help me catch roosters.

We had a hen hide eggs for a while, and when we found them, we weren't sure how old they were. I cracked one open....huge mistake. Totally gross.

ETA: what I am finding interesting about this rooster is that he has always been alpha in his little flock. We did NOT handle him beyond moving the chicks in and out of the brooder on occasion for cleaning. No playing with, no treats, nothing. They stayed inside the house for a few weeks because of the February cold then went out to the garage, where I looked in on them a few times a day.

ETA2: he will get the surprise of his life at dinner time today...

 

[Leahs Mom]

Have to go buy something to help me catch roosters.

Sounds like a disease....hope it's not contagious

(Sorry...couldn't resist.)

 

[SunnySkies]

Sounds like a disease....hope it's not contagious











(Sorry...couldn't resist.) 

But chicken math is a serious, near fatal, contagious disease with no known cure LOL

 

[ChickNmamma]

Quote:

Have to go buy something to help me catch roosters.

Unfortunately I think it is - it infects incubators and broodies and causes large numbers of roosters to hatch.. If there is ever a cure for it, let me know!

P.S. - whoever invents a cure will make millions from the hatcheries!

 

[Bulldogma]

I use a fishing net to catch roosters... and chickens.

And no... there is no cure.

 

[Bulldogma]

*long sigh*

So we all know that Swedish Flower Hen eggs are hard to hatch in an incubator. They do best under a broody.

And a few weeks ago I lost Gunnar, my SFH rooster to accidental poisoning... and today one of my SFH hens goes broody for the first time... and I don't have any fertile eggs to give her.

(New boys haven't figured "things" out yet.)

Gotta laugh at the irony.