Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[ki4got]

Quote: hubby refers to it as SWI syndrome... 'something wrong inside'. he can usually peg the swi chicks by the time they're a couple days old. don't know how he does it, but nothing seems to save them.

 

[KYTinpusher]

If I don't get a good hatch I still may be interested in some of your dark birds. Chicago is MUCH closer to me than the other alternatives
I still hope you get a good hatch

, but let me know if you want some. The more birds I can take along the way, the more likely we will go. And just so you know, it looks like only one of the bunch is crested, and it is the lighest colored one (and I think it is a roo). If I get any more requests for along the way, I may have to put more eggs in the bator.

 

[RedRidge]

hubby refers to it as SWI syndrome... 'something wrong inside'. he can usually peg the swi chicks by the time they're a couple days old. don't know how he does it, but nothing seems to save them.

My hubby calls things like that JAR syndrome... Just 'aint right.

 

[RedRidge]

http://www.tentec.com/categories/Visit-Our-Hamfest!--2013/
ham radio thing... tentec (one of the few US-based radio companies) is having their annual hamfest (swap). we went last year and found all kinds of good deals. we just go to shop, not to sell.. the hamfest is 8am-2pm so likely we'll miss most of the ut traffic.

contemplating possible swaps... hm.

Oh yes.. quite familiar with this swap.
Been working on and contemplating my license for years... just haven't gotten around to it.
Never high enough on the priority list to take the test.
We have so many repeaters in the area, that just listening is educational... but I really need to get my licenses... maybe one of these days.

 

[SunnySkies]

Could he have gotten into poison?  This reminds me of Bulldogma's Gunnar.  It seems that the neighbors had done some kind of exterminating and he was over there that day.

I was thinking this, but he never left our property. His flock tends to range in the horse pastures and woods. My laying flock did visit the neighbors after someone discovered they had a bag of duck feed laying on the driveway cor months and months that had ruptured and went to eat it (to my and the neighbor's consternation), but that was months ago. So if it is a toxin, it is on my property.

 It's always the ones you want to keep. I hope it turns out to be nothing contagious. Perhaps since he was the runt, his internals were just not as strong as they should have been and finally gave out.

Yeah, hoping for ADR syndrome (ain't doing right, the term we learned in vet school) myself, not something contagious. AI would kill me, I think MG I can live with. Would not like it, but MG is everywhere and many flocks are exposed (just might not have signs), but I could work towards eliminating it.

Waiting for the kids to get up, and we have some shipped eggs to pick up (I hope...) and this dead rooster to drop off. Anxiously watching the other birds.

 

[KYTinpusher]

I have eggs up here (post #1550) if anyone is interested: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/754077/just-in-time-hatching-egg-auction-and-bin-thread/1540

 

[Bulldogma]

One of my 6 month old roosters dropped dead today. He looked strange this morning, just not right, and had diarrhea. So I isolated him immediately, gave him an injection of antibiotics and offered some food (which he ate well), and left him to it. But he obviously fell over dead while we were out this afternoon. (kids wanted to go to the fair, where I refused to go in the chicken building and insisted we stay away from the livestock) It was too late to drop him at the lab by the time we returned and found him, but I'll take him in tomorrow.

Toadstool?

There are some variety of toadstool that like horse manure and some that just grow when there has been a lot of rain. A number of these are neurotoxins... if you run over one with a lawn mower and the chickens accidentally eat a bit it can be bad. I have seen a number of these toadstools this year.

So many possible factors. Could also have been heart failure which sent his body into distress and allowed cocci to take hold right before he passed (which could explain the runs).

So sorry for your loss.

 

[HaplessRunner]

Finally got some pictures of my SFHs. The first pictures are of Harley, Gunnar's son that I purchased from BDM at Gilmanor. He has become quite a beautiful rooster and I believe, now, the number one roo. He is certainly doing his best to ensure survival of the breed and crossovers! He is a black-based MF rooster.







This is my blue-based rooster that I hatched from eggs from Florida. His colors are spectacular and he does a good job of standing up to Harley but not so well to other roos. He is one of the friendliest roosters I have.


A red-white pullet hatched from Florida




A MF pullet hatched from Florida. I think that she may have started laying but not sure. I am not certain how successful she can be for breeding or laying because of her tucked tail.




The following three were hatched from eggs that I got from BDM at Gilmanor in May. This cockerel looks like he will follow Gunnar's MF color pattern.




This blue-based cockerel unfortunately has a tucked tail and one severely curved toe. Beautiful boy but does not look promising for breeding.





This MF pullet is going to be great hen, good size and shape.





Your thoughts are appreciated!

 

[Bulldogma]

Hapless - Harley looks fantastic! From the pictures it looks like he has a very robust build with a nice spread to his tail. Wings look good and his coloring is lovely! He's a keeper! The MF pullet is another keeper! Looks nice and wide with a deep round breast - a good thing!

 

[SunnySkies]

Well, hopefully we find out soon why the rooster keeled over. I suggested testing for MG and AI. They didn't look too, too busy at the lab, so maybe he got necropsied today instead of stored to Monday. Kinda wish I could have done it, but I don't have access here at the farm to testing, and I can have it all done through the state for free; if I submitted samples at work, it would cost big bucks even with a professional discount (and still likely end up at a state lab somewhere).

Nobody else looks sick. They were all hanging out wondering why the feeder was empty because we were late returning from a play date. I kinda suspect the dogs have been raiding the chicken feeder...but I see chickens in the dog dish a lot! LOL