Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[Kyzmette]

Thank you! I have fallen so much in love with this bird that I'm going to have to get some more to go with him. I'm afraid she started something. I was sitting out in the garden today, and this boy was cozied up on my lap, sleeping.

Oh, his name is Orlando Bloom Hen. Just so I can tell people I have Orlando Bloom in my lap.

 

[ki4got]

The fact that they are slow maturing mitigates against meat bird usage as well.

I would disagree with that statement... slow growing and being a meat bird are not always contrary to each other...

that is WHY the dorking makes an exceptional table bird even at 2 years old! I've eaten 16 month old roos that were tenderer than the 12-16 week old 'meaties' you find at the grocer or from a hatchery.

AND, IMO, the Dorking costs less to feed (if free ranging) in that 16 months, than that 16 week old meaty does... because he's free ranging, and slow growing, he can find 90% of his diet on his own.

 

[HaplessRunner]

I would disagree with that statement... slow growing and being a meat bird are not always contrary to each other...

that is WHY the dorking makes an exceptional table bird even at 2 years old! I've eaten 16 month old roos that were tenderer than the 12-16 week old 'meaties' you find at the grocer or from a hatchery.

AND, IMO, the Dorking costs less to feed (if free ranging) in that 16 months, than that 16 week old meaty does... because he's free ranging, and slow growing, he can find 90% of his diet on his own.

This may be true for dorkings but I am not convinced yet for SFH. The SFH roosters I have do reasonably get along with humans, are demanding in their continuous breeding of hens, and seem to have a low tolerance for other roosters which is all probably normal. That said, I would characterize them as tough characters. Now does that characterization imply anything for the quality of meat from them? I will be finding out in the not too distant future.

Note SunnySkies copied post below which indicates her experience with butchering and evaluating the "quality" of the meat and carcass of SFH roos. I like my SFH but I would hope that those that are culled can serve a dual purpose. And yes, they do free range in the electric netting area which is approximately 430 linear feet which is moved periodically to rotate forage areas. But they still consume and like the feed that is provided. So for my SFH, a 90% forage feed source is highly unlikely. My guess is probably in the 40-50% forage from free range input which is not bad but not anything close to approaching an "ideal" free range forager.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SunnySkies

I have been off for a few days, prepping to slaughter birds, which took all day Friday. What a job, but it was significantly sped up by having a plucker and a team of people.

Someone once asked about how big the SFH carcasses are, but I didn't have a firm number to answer with. I butchered a 6-7 month old roo (Wasp, mean to the end) Friday. He processed out to 3.2 lbs. Not a lot of meat, especially when compared to the FR/Rosambros we were processing at the same time, which averaged 6.8 lbs (there were halves of birds we vac packed that were the same weight as Wasp was in his entirety, with many bigger...there was one 10 lb bird).

SFH are NOT roasting birds. Don't butcher one thinking you will be frying it up either. To be a decent size, they are older and therefore tough, but butcher younger and they are just too skinny. But soup, or cooked and pulled, or chicken a la king, served over biscuits, or maybe coq a vin, works just fine for them.

After having butchered several breeds now, I'd use heritage breeds for the above, like SFH, and raise FR for fryers and roasters myself.

My SFH flock is now in a coop by themselves. In a few weeks, I'll save eggs and hatch some. I have a handful now in the bator (not sure they are developing, but it's only been 3 days), but I am marking them as possible crossbred birds and not breeding them; one of my hens was hanging out with a mutt roo, and while he is handsome, that isn't acceptable.

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
This may be true for dorkings but I am not convinced yet for SFH. The SFH roosters I have do reasonably get along with humans, are demanding in their continuous breeding of hens, and seem to have a low tolerance for other roosters which is all probably normal. That said, I would characterize them as tough characters. Now does that characterization imply anything for the quality of meat from them? I will be finding out in the not too distant future.
I was just pointing out that slow growth and being a meat breed are not always contrary to each other...

that being said, I would also argue that the SFH is NOT (IMO) a dual purpose bird, any more than any other ornamental or egg laying breed can be. yes they have meat on them and can be eaten, but I would not grow them with the intent to fill the freezer.

there are many other more suitable breeds out there that have better meat quality, feed efficiency, etc that would make a better choice than the SFH. then again, some lines of the SFH seem to have better size and muscling than others as well, so it could be a matter of selection for the better carcass in order to change my current opinion down the road.

 

[RedRidge]

I was given this gorgeous fellow to rehome. He's so beautiful and so sweet. Could somebody verify for me that he's a roo? She wasn't 100% positive, but almost.

Yes, he's a cockerel... I have 2 pullets from Bulldogma with that exact coloring....

 

[SunnySkies]

My plan for my cull roosters, now that I have the four I plan to go forward with, is to either sell them on CL for enough or butcher them specifically for soup birds. They are such good foragers I don't mind keeping them around a bit to let them get big enough. My current two big roosters do have more muscling than Wasp did, but I still would not expect them to finish out as a 5 lb bird.

I think this fits with their history myself. How else do you feed a large family when you are poor than with soup? You can extend it in many ways.

I really did consider Dorkings, because of their history as a true dual purpose bird throughout history.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

We have processed 3 SFH cockerels and they were all around 5 lbs but had very little breast meat. Curious to see how a 18 month old processes.

 

[SunnySkies]

I've now killed three SFH roosters, varying from 6 to 10 months, and, yes, no breast to speak of. I suspect the older roosters were maybe 4-5 lbs, but maybe not (I didn't bother to weigh them).

When I dig him out of the ice chest later today or tomorrow morning, where I have had the carcasses resting prior to storage, I'll take a photo. It could be because I do free range, with them responsible for 50% of their food, that they are not 5 lb birds. I provide a feeder of food AM and PM, for them to eat from.

I still would say they are not roasting or frying birds. They are so tough when they get older. Maybe a long slow braise or crockpot or other low and slow method, but I'd never try frying up one of my roosters....I will sure be making fried chicken out of one of the FR later this week and looking forward to roasting a big one for Thanksgiving dinner.

 

[dretd]

I still would say they are not roasting or frying birds. They are so tough when they get older. Maybe a long slow braise or crockpot or other low and slow method, but I'd never try frying up one of my roosters....I will sure be making fried chicken out of one of the FR later this week and looking forward to roasting a big one for Thanksgiving dinner.

I would go for a Coq au Vin recipe which was designed specifically for old tough roosters, here's one recipe: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Poultry/CoqAuVin.htm

 

[FeyRaine]

I have 1 POL SFH pullet from eggs this past spring from CarolJ (great eggs, great hatch, very bad fox)

I also just this past wkend hatched out 3 SFH from eggs from Papabrooder.

(Saddly KYTinpusher non of the the ones from you hatched, I totally blame the sorting station in OH, it was a repeat of my spring w/ shipped eggs that went that way, all shells fine, all eggs horrible inside, sloshy, half started half didn't then none hatched, major bummer).

Anyway, here is the thing--
I saw the note on GFF about 1 of their breeder birds having a toe issue which they think was _not genetic, but I've also seen a few posts of BYC re some SFH chicks w/ "toe issues".

Of my 3, the last to hatch has a toe issue which looks completely different than any I have ever seen b/f.
In other chicks esp. late ones or ones w/ humidity at hatch problems I've seen curled toes / balled up feet etc.

This SFH has perfect toes except that the inside toe on each foot, at the halfway point of its length is being held at a 90degree angle so it points toward the other foot, this is identically mirrored on each foot, the inner toes point at each other and look like someone intentionally broke them and bent them to point at each other. Sooo, any of you who have had toe issues w/ SFH chicks, did they look like basic balled up toes, or did they look like this odd broke in half point inward on both feet situation?

Also, did those birds do ok ? (I know about making boots to fix it etc, that isn't what I mean, I mean were the SFH chicks "w/toe issues" otherwise healthy and grow up to be healthy & productive, or were they like those once in awhile "not quite right" chicks that never grow & die around day 4-5, trying to brace myself in case, or if I find I need to cull... )