Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[redhen689]

One of the 3 pullets started laying yesterday, I'm not sure which one. I've gotten 2 good sized eggs so far.

 

[shotzy007]

Both my SFH's are so NOSEY... the first to come great me to see what is in my hands. Stormy is the first sit on ANYTHING taller than a small rock. Opal Divine, was the first of all our hens to eat from our hands, and thinks she should be served first!
photos to come

 

[shotzy007]

Opal Divine---looking for the perfect box..when we all know she will pick the same one everyday.



Stormy is certain she is better than the ISBAR below her.

 

[Bulldogma]

Lovely birds, Shotzy!! And from what I can tell, a beautiful coop!

 

[SunnySkies]

Hatch them and I can raise them if you wish.  I have a basement brooder that will be empty soon.  I'm kicking the chicks out to a coop with heat.  

That might be an option, especially if they all hatch (!). Haven't even candled or even looked in on the eggs much, lol. Might not be anything in there! I appreciate the option.

Like Bulldogma, my four SFH roos get along just fine, and they get along with the other four free-ranging roosters. Each rooster keeps his girls separate, and if one approachs someone's ladies, they do get huffy, but within the group, it's very peaceful. I prefer to run multiple roosters; more eyes out for predators, more fertility and more colors!

I am with Bullgoma..the red and white roosters may not be the best conformation-wise (I have one too, likely a full brother to her Sorenson, as he came in the same shipment) but they are delightful guys and very good at policing the flock.

 

[SunnySkies]

100% development on these eggs, all from my flock.

Now, to keep them from dying!

I moved the bator into my closet, where it has stayed a consistent 100 degrees. Humidity is a bit low, so I'm adding water. Lockdown is where I seem to lose them.

 

[ki4got]

100% development on these eggs, all from my flock.

Now, to keep them from dying!

I moved the bator into my closet, where it has stayed a consistent 100 degrees. Humidity is a bit low, so I'm adding water. Lockdown is where I seem to lose them.

IMO high humidity during incubation is what causes late losses after lockdown... I dry incubate (currently reading 12%) and then up the humidity to 55-65 during hatching, and I've had great luck with the sfh. leigh's eggs may not be put in the hands of the usps, but they do travel better than 2 hours to get here. so they're not exactly local eggs either... I just set 45 or so, and would say that probably every bit of 30 of them are developing right now...

 

[SunnySkies]

IMO high humidity during incubation is what causes late losses after lockdown...  I dry incubate (currently reading 12%) and then up the humidity to 55-65 during hatching, and I've had great luck with the sfh. leigh's eggs may not be put in the hands of the usps, but they do travel better than 2 hours to get here. so they're not exactly local eggs either...  I just set 45 or so, and would say that probably every bit of 30 of them are developing right now...

That is exactly what I do. I'm not sure why they die at lockdown. Of course, it's been shipped eggs, and these are my own.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: in the summer I've been moving them to the hatcher on day 19, but this winter I've started moving them on day 18 since the humidity is lower over all now... had a good hatch 5/5 without issues this last weekend.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Okay. Give me a quick incubator tutorial. "Move them to the hatcher". What do you mean by that? Do you run 2 incubators?