Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[ki4got]

Quote: I think it's a combination... I've lost some during the day (I think) and at night before I close the coop (dusk)

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
that's ok. thanks. hopefully by then my 2 girls will be laying (again).

 

[ki4got]

WOW... this is amazing to me how they continue to change.
Does anyone know at what point they quit changing? age?

the color usually stabilizes by the time they're laying, but may get more mottling as they age. but the base color won't likely change again once they've got their adult feathers.

 

[SunnySkies]

Does anyone have their SFH girls in with a bantam roo? https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/816697/wanted-swedish-flower-hen-x-bantam-eggs-for-my-broody-ancona

I have two in with a mottled blue bantam cochin, but they are just on POL. I don't see him harassing the girls, but I see the SFH Roos all over them.

PugBug - So sorry you lost the little one

Laingcroft - Very nice birds!

nicole63021- Congratulations on your wonderful hatch!

Those look like wonderful, healthy chicks; must have come from good stock

SunnySkies - Any results yet? Hopefully something benign

Nothing yet. Maybe no news is good news.

 

[Bulldogma]

That sure is a pretty cockerel in your avatar, RR!

 

[RedRidge]

Quote:
Must be from his daddy's good looks.

He's sweet too. I talk to him and I really think he knows his name.
I can have a bunch of them around, but if I say Vacker he gets about 2" taller... he's very funny.
I'm still not sure if that other mystery one... but the other 4 are pullets for sure. I just love them.
Thanks so much

 

[SunnySkies]

I think Wasp is going to have to find a new home. My oldest son was out walking around in our back yard looking for his shoes. He had left them outside, so of course the dogs took them. Wasp raced across the pasture and ran under the fence to jump him. I hollered at my son to watch out, but he didn't hear me over his complaining about the dogs. The bird chose to run about 200 feet to come attack him.

Wasp gives me a wide berth, but he jumped my husband twice on Saturday (hubby wouldn't let me kill the roo because he said maybe Wasp attacked him because he was wearing a red shirt) and threatened my littlest this morning too as he was standing outside watching me feed the dogs and chickens. I can't seem to make them all understand if they would throw a cup of water or squirt him, they would teach him to stay away from them too. It doesn't remove the issue of my littlest kid -- I can't let him go more than 10 feet away from me -- but it would buy us some time to see if he will adjust once he grows up. He is a 6 month old rooster.

I don't want to do this.

I think I might pen him for a few days, maybe try giving him some pullets (although they are all terrified of him) and see if he can outgrow it. I know it isn't nasty genetics, as he comes from KYTinpusher's stock. The rooster that is boss over him is a perfectly gentle mix breed; I was hoping being subordinate to him would teach him some manners.

 

[ki4got]

I think Wasp is going to have to find a new home. My oldest son was out walking around in our back yard looking for his shoes. He had left them outside, so of course the dogs took them. Wasp raced across the pasture and ran under the fence to jump him. I hollered at my son to watch out, but he didn't hear me over his complaining about the dogs. The bird chose to run about 200 feet to come attack him.

Wasp gives me a wide berth, but he jumped my husband twice on Saturday (hubby wouldn't let me kill the roo because he said maybe Wasp attacked him because he was wearing a red shirt) and threatened my littlest this morning too as he was standing outside watching me feed the dogs and chickens. I can't seem to make them all understand if they would throw a cup of water or squirt him, they would teach him to stay away from them too. It doesn't remove the issue of my littlest kid -- I can't let him go more than 10 feet away from me -- but it would buy us some time to see if he will adjust once he grows up. He is a 6 month old rooster.

I don't want to do this.

I think I might pen him for a few days, maybe try giving him some pullets (although they are all terrified of him) and see if he can outgrow it. I know it isn't nasty genetics, as he comes from KYTinpusher's stock. The rooster that is boss over him is a perfectly gentle mix breed; I was hoping being subordinate to him would teach him some manners.

put him in a pen with 5 or 6 MATURE (18 months or more) hens with no other roo. LOL if that doesn't teach him manners nothing will.

but personally I wouldn't take a chance on an aggressive roo... there are more out there that need homes that are perfectly sweet, without wondering why. it might not be genetic, but it might be too. you never know how those genes might fall.

I had one that was going to a good pet home, for eye candy to add to their mixed flock, but when I went to go catch him yesterday, he was nowhere to be found... but I've already got 2 choice roos. one crested one (from Kimberly in AL) and an uncrested gunnar boy who is not happy being penned with another roo, 1 young pullet, 2 older pullets (who started laying then quit again!) and an angry ee hen (2 years old) LOL her broken leg is healed quite well, but I kind of enjoy watching her teach the roos lessons in manners. LOL

 

[KYTinpusher]

I had one SFH roo from my original bunch that was pure evil with me; never bothered DH. I never bred him and I almost enjoyed making him my test subject for home processing. His brothers were all sweet. Astolf, my head SFH roo, will challenge me every once in a while, but I just turn straight at him and walk him away.

 

[FawniesFleet]

Do sfh do well in mixed breed flocks..?