Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[BorderBrigade]

Welcome! While I am relatively new to chickens (abt 1 year in) SFH are one of two breeds I started with so hard to compare to other breeds. My girls are so friendly and curious-- and definitely peppy! I think you will like them as you seem to already. DH and I love them so much we are getting more this year

It looks like you have two splashes in the picture. Do you have pictures of the other 6? 

Welcome! While I am relatively new to chickens (abt 1 year in) SFH are one of two breeds I started with so hard to compare to other breeds. My girls are so friendly and curious-- and definitely peppy! I think you will like them as you seem to already. DH and I love them so much we are getting more this year

It looks like you have two splashes in the picture. Do you have pictures of the other 6? 

Welcome to the group!
Great people here.
You will love your babies!

Thanks for the warm welcome. I don't have any other pictures but ill get a few as they feather out

 

[Bulldogma]

Good evening everyone. Just wanted to introduce myself. I'm just getting started with Swedish flower hens but am enjoying them greatly so far. I have bred Cochins and brahmas for the last 15 years and have sold off most of those breeder flocks as I was looking for a new breed to work with and something that eats a little less a friend of mine sent me swedish flower hatching eggs and said your going to love this breed. I am now the proud owner of 6 chicks. Not bad for 8 eggs sent through the mail they are peppy and friendly little chicks. I hope to get to know you all and share in our experiences. Wish me luck in my new adventure a few of the chicks. Seven days old.

Welcome! You'll find this to be a VERY addictive breed!

thanks for asking Leigh!
Kept the humidity around 26-30%, was as low as I could get.
During lockdownI set at 63%.

Huh - I know that's about what Ki4got does - I'll let her weigh in when she logs on.
I'm so sorry this ended up being such a poor hatch!

 

[HaplessRunner]

@Bulldogma the final tally on my hatch of 26 eggs received. Two clears and 24 went into lock down. Although I had kept 6 into lock down that I could have tossed, I let them go just in case I was misreading during candling. So that leaves 18 viable that went into lock down and 11 hatched. Of those 11, two have curled toes that I am band aiding the feet. One of those two seems a little frail and needed assistance getting out of the shell so we will see.

All-in-all, this was my best hatch of SFH. Also my one jubilee orpington hatched fine. It was the only one of eight that made it to lock down. I received 23 cream legbar eggs from another friend today so they will be added to the 10 jubilee orpingtons in the incubator. Unless something unforeseen happens, this will probably be my last hatch until this fall or later once all my chicks mature.

 

[Bulldogma]

@Bulldogma the final tally on my hatch of 26 eggs received. Two clears and 24 went into lock down. Although I had kept 6 into lock down that I could have tossed, I let them go just in case I was misreading during candling. So that leaves 18 viable that went into lock down and 11 hatched. Of those 11, two have curled toes that I am band aiding the feet. One of those two seems a little frail and needed assistance getting out of the shell so we will see.

All-in-all, this was my best hatch of SFH. Also my one jubilee orpington hatched fine. It was the only one of eight that made it to lock down. I received 23 cream legbar eggs from another friend today so they will be added to the 10 jubilee orpingtons in the incubator. Unless something unforeseen happens, this will probably be my last hatch until this fall or later once all my chicks mature.

Congrats, Tony! I'm so glad you got such a good hatch! Hopefully a lot of good things will be happening to make up for the unfortunate things that are now in the past.

 

[ki4got]

Tried to do a dry hatch....worst hatch ever!!!!
Set 24 eggs, only 9 made it to lockdown.
Only 3 hatched, 1 is a white legbar, 1 has a dislocated hip & severely curled toes, was stuck in the eggs over night & all day Friday. Mom in hospice &I went to spend the day with her.
1 SFH eggs piped, but died on the egg while I was gone. Last eggs I had to assist was shrink wrapped, but has a deformed wing.
Needless to say I am devistated!!!!!!

Not sure where I went wrong??????

the issues you're mentioning are not usually associated with humidity, but temperature fluctuations during incubation...

I incubate between 5-15% and up to 55-65 during lockdown, the only issues I've ever had were some shrink wrapping, usually because I pull chicks when they're dry. I try to bring the humidity back up quickly but don't always get it fast enough. I've never had a chick so dry it wouldn't hatch, and late quitters are rare for me. normally if it makes it to lockdown, it hatches.

just had another successful hatch of my own sfh chicks (still praying for crested, but they're eluding me!) 2 bantam cochins (fertility is an issue because of those fluffy butts and I won't AI them...) and 15 sfh (of 15 set)

 

[KYTinpusher]

Tried to do a dry hatch....worst hatch ever!!!!
Set 24 eggs, only 9 made it to lockdown.
Only 3 hatched, 1 is a white legbar, 1 has a dislocated hip & severely curled toes, was stuck in the eggs over night & all day Friday. Mom in hospice &I went to spend the day with her.
1 SFH eggs piped, but died on the egg while I was gone. Last eggs I had to assist was shrink wrapped, but has a deformed wing.
Needless to say I am devistated!!!!!!

Not sure where I went wrong??????

So sorry your hatch did not go well. I find that 30-35% during incubation (I set the humidity pump at 30% and it rarely turns on) and 65% during lockdown works pretty well for me. We are fairly close geographically, so perhaps try that next time.

Good evening everyone. Just wanted to introduce myself. I'm just getting started with Swedish flower hens but am enjoying them greatly so far. I have bred Cochins and brahmas for the last 15 years and have sold off most of those breeder flocks as I was looking for a new breed to work with and something that eats a little less a friend of mine sent me swedish flower hatching eggs and said your going to love this breed. I am now the proud owner of 6 chicks. Not bad for 8 eggs sent through the mail they are peppy and friendly little chicks. I hope to get to know you all and share in our experiences. Wish me luck in my new adventure a few of the chicks. Seven days old.

Welcome to our group and your new addiction!

@Bulldogma the final tally on my hatch of 26 eggs received. Two clears and 24 went into lock down. Although I had kept 6 into lock down that I could have tossed, I let them go just in case I was misreading during candling. So that leaves 18 viable that went into lock down and 11 hatched. Of those 11, two have curled toes that I am band aiding the feet. One of those two seems a little frail and needed assistance getting out of the shell so we will see.

All-in-all, this was my best hatch of SFH. Also my one jubilee orpington hatched fine. It was the only one of eight that made it to lock down. I received 23 cream legbar eggs from another friend today so they will be added to the 10 jubilee orpingtons in the incubator. Unless something unforeseen happens, this will probably be my last hatch until this fall or later once all my chicks mature.

Congrats on the babies hatched and I hope your next hatch goes even better! We need pictures!

Do you guys remember this girl and the ruckus her color caused when I first posted her pic?

This is her after her molt - almost completely black where there was brown! The brown feather in her tail is the last of her "chocolate". The brown on her shoulders is lighting, I think. I don't recall seeing that when I was out there and took the pic. (Maybe she is turning brown again?

) I wonder if it has something to do with sun exposure, but my other blacks don't turn brown.

 

[FeyRaine]

So sorry your hatch did not go well. I find that 30-35% during incubation (I set the humidity pump at 30% and it rarely turns on) and 65% during lockdown works pretty well for me. We are fairly close geographically, so perhaps try that next time.

Welcome to our group and your new addiction!

Congrats on the babies hatched and I hope your next hatch goes even better! We need pictures!

Do you guys remember this girl and the ruckus her color caused when I first posted her pic?

This is her after her molt - almost completely black where there was brown! The brown feather in her tail is the last of her "chocolate". The brown on her shoulders is lighting, I think. I don't recall seeing that when I was out there and took the pic. (Maybe she is turning brown again?

) I wonder if it has something to do with sun exposure, but my other blacks don't turn brown.

Pretty gal either way, looks like a sister to my "Flo". I LOVE the ginger girl behind her in this photo! so do tell what do I need to cross to make a gold-orange ginger one like her??!!

 

[KYTinpusher]

That is Annika, one of my original hens. The breeder I got the eggs from had quite a few birds, so hard to say what her parents were like. Maybe ki4got could tell us.

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
pretty much add blue to red... LOL so if you have a mille fleur hen, use a blue roo.

 

[Bulldogma]

Do you guys remember this girl and the ruckus her color caused when I first posted her pic?

This is her after her molt - almost completely black where there was brown! The brown feather in her tail is the last of her "chocolate". The brown on her shoulders is lighting, I think. I don't recall seeing that when I was out there and took the pic. (Maybe she is turning brown again? ) I wonder if it has something to do with sun exposure, but my other blacks don't turn brown.

She has a lot more white now too. I still love her!!!!