Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[allmychickens]

is ther a breed standard for these?

 

[allmychickens]

Quote:
?

 

[Contrastphoto]

Check out post #235 and #238 That should help some. I think most of us are just going to cull for undesirable traits like crooked toes and crooked beaks. It is also recommended not to breed crested to crested because the crest might get to large.

Quote:
?

 

[RtSixtySixChix]

How soon should we be seeing combs and wattles on the chicks, indicating a rooster is in the clutch? Mine are 9 weeks old now and only tiny yellow combs are poking out. Could it be I actually have 5 out of 5 hens?

 

[anniesmom]

Quote:
Actually, on doing research on crest to crest breeding on other birds (ducks, canaries, and Araucana tufts in particular) there is a lethal gene associated with this. It statistically results in 25% of the chicks dying in the shell (50% will be crested and the other 25% will be smooth headed). I don't know if SFHs have this issue but I don't want to find out the hard way.

 

[anniesmom]

Quote:
I'm sure there must be a range but I could tell the boys at 10 days when my chicks arrived. They definitely had bigger combs than the girls. I was disappointed at first but now that they are almost 20 weeks - those boys are beautiful!!

 

[RtSixtySixChix]

Quote:
I'm sure there must be a range but I could tell the boys at 10 days when my chicks arrived. They definitely had bigger combs than the girls. I was disappointed at first but now that they are almost 20 weeks - those boys are beautiful!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/81049_dscf0922_600.jpg

Yes, they sure are Beauties! Looks like I'll be seeking out a trade soon. Someone in southwestern PA region who would swap me a boy for a girl.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

anniesmom, Those boys are gorgeous. I like the white one on the left.

RtSixtySixChix , it's possible as I seem to have your boys.

JK, I also have 6 five week olds and the boys are crowing. The crested ones will have redder wattles but their combs don't seem to get as big as fast as the non crested ones. The non crested one was very easy to tell early on. The boys generally have thicker legs too. My pics are always over exposed, sorry. Here are a couple of mine at 9 weeks old:
Both boys, both crowing and sparring, but the non crested doesn't have the bigger redder comb.

 

[RtSixtySixChix]

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Crowing already? That is awesome! All is quiet out in my chicken tractor. No crests, no red combs, no ert ert ert ert errrrrrrrs.....

 

[Contrastphoto]

Everyone else on here seems to have had good luck determine gender early but me. I had one early this summer wait until 12 weeks to decide to turn into a pretty little roo. By the way, I was born in Altoona, Pa. I visit often to see family! I will let you the next time I am planning a trip. If you haven't found a roo by then, I will bring one of mine for you.