Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[Bulldogma]

So sorry to hear about your loss.

I thought a couple of my young ones had it last year, but after treating them and reading this thread and some of the Marek's threads, I decided it was probably a vitamin deficiency. Both of them were from the same hatch and back then I used the medicated feed. One was about 4 weeks old when it came down with it, the other was about 17 or 18 weeks. I lost the younger one before I learned about the vitamins, but the other pulled through and is doing fine. I now use only non-medicated organic feed from hatch on and have not had any more problems.

How old were yours? Did you start them on medicated feed and were you giving them vitamins?

Mine were 17 weeks old. They had been started on the medicated feed, but when I learned that medications were causing issues for SFHs I took them off it - a number of months ago. I'm fairly certain it was not a vitamin deficiency as I feed fermented feed and they free range all day.

The nearest place that could do a necropsy for us is 90 minutes away, and would have charged an arm and a leg, so unfortunately I couldn't have the necropsy done. I don't know for sure that it was Marek's, but I do know that both birds presented nearly identical symptoms. Inga's symptoms came on quickly, but Frederic's came on slowly. Weird!

It makes me wonder if there are vitamins and/or minerals that are in good supply in the soils of Sweden that are lacking here in the states.

I'm quite certain this IS the case! This is one of the reasons I started feeding fermented feed - it allows the birds to get much higher nutritional value from the feed. Yet - not knowing the exact difference in minerals in southern Swedish soil, I'm sure that is where many of our birds become deficient.

I'd love to know what minerals would best help these birds.

Oh no! If he dies, have a necropsy done so you know for sure. I'm so sorry you are going through this.

Mentioned this above

That said, if this was Marek's, I feel better knowing that the rest of my flock is resistant to the disease which would indicate naturally stronger genetics in those birds - totally worth breeding for this kind of resistance!! Of course I'm keeping my fingers crossed and prayers flying up to heaven that none of the others come down with it, but so far, so good!

So - over the next days, I'll be researching naturally occurring minerals in southern Sweden, and whether or not Marek's is present in Sweden.

 

[BHep]

Bulldog...wondering where the info came about the medicated feed? Guess I missed that. I always have room to learn....

I feed ALL my birds Med. starter. Even adults, mixed with layer pellets and game birds feed...plus greens, kitchen scraps and crack (scratch grains) LOL I have tried the fermented feed..my SFH wouldn't touch it. The are by far my pickiest eaters. They turn their beaks up to stuff my other birds go nuts over. Some of my birds devoured it some tried to stave to death.

 

[Bulldogma]

Bulldog...wondering where the info came about the medicated feed? Guess I missed that. I always have room to learn....

I feed ALL my birds Med. starter. Even adults, mixed with layer pellets and game birds feed...plus greens, kitchen scraps and crack (scratch grains) LOL I have tried the fermented feed..my SFH wouldn't touch it. The are by far my pickiest eaters. They turn their beaks up to stuff my other birds go nuts over. Some of my birds devoured it some tried to stave to death.

BHep -
A lot of us have found that the medicated feed doesn't work well for SFH chicks - the antibiotics in the feed tend to kill off all the good bacteria that the chickens need to thrive.

As for the fermented feed, try using less vinegar. I use a few Tbsp (or less) to start a 5 gallon bucket of FF, and after that I only add 1 - 2 Tbsp (or less) per week. My birds LOVE it - and they've gotten amazingly healthy and shiny.

 

[Dahlisgrams]

BHep -
A lot of us have found that the medicated feed doesn't work well for SFH chicks - the antibiotics in the feed tend to kill off all the good bacteria that the chickens need to thrive.

As for the fermented feed, try using less vinegar. I use a few Tbsp (or less) to start a 5 gallon bucket of FF, and after that I only add 1 - 2 Tbsp (or less) per week. My birds LOVE it - and they've gotten amazingly healthy and shiny.

My Flowers love the fermented feed. Especially those that started on it at a week old. They barely touch their chick starter crumbles at all. The vitamin issue has been on my mind for a while and I'll be very interested to hear what anyone finds out. All chicks have vitamins added to their water for the first three weeks and so far I haven't had a problem.

Maybe it isn't Mareks!

 

[KYTinpusher]

Bulldog...wondering where the info came about the medicated feed? Guess I missed that. I always have room to learn....

I feed ALL my birds Med. starter. Even adults, mixed with layer pellets and game birds feed...plus greens, kitchen scraps and crack (scratch grains) LOL I have tried the fermented feed..my SFH wouldn't touch it. The are by far my pickiest eaters. They turn their beaks up to stuff my other birds go nuts over. Some of my birds devoured it some tried to stave to death.

Try mixing it with yogurt or putting freeze-dried mealworms on top as an enticement. I think once they try it they will love it. Mine attack it when I bring it out, but as chicks they regularly got kefir mixed with their feed as a treat.

As for the medicated feed issue, someone months ago mentioned that the medication in the feed interferes with the up take of at least one important vitamin or mineral - was it thiamine? I forget, but the conversation was on this thread some time ago.

 

[texasmomma]

I have four week old SFH chicks that love the fermented feed. They peep and peep when they run out. LOL

That said, when I switched my other pullets to the fermented feed, they weren't so fond of it. I couldn't give them any dry feed to choose from, because they would just go for that. Also, if the feed gets too sour, they won't eat it. So, I add some dry feed to my mix every couple of days or so to keep the fermentation going and to keep it from being too sour. They current batch is kind of sour and they are not eating it as quickly, but they do eat it.

 

[Dahlisgrams]

Try mixing it with yogurt or putting freeze-dried mealworms on top as an enticement. I think once they try it they will love it. Mine attack it when I bring it out, but as chicks they regularly got kefir mixed with their feed as a treat.

As for the medicated feed issue, someone months ago mentioned that the medication in the feed interferes with the up take of at least one important vitamin or mineral - was it thiamine? I forget, but the conversation was on this thread some time ago.

I think you might be right about it being thiamine. That's one of the reasons that I use non-medicated feed. I am afraid that they'll develop resistance to the drug if it's used all the time, but there are many schools of thought on this.

 

[BHep]

Thanks for all the tips and info. Guess I have been fortunate so far with no issue. I will have to try a new batch of FF. So what are you using to start it? Crumbles? Pellets? Mash? or a special mix.

I used a mash, it was not the dust junk but chunky would be the best way to describe it. Then I added scratch and some pellets. I quit making it, since some eat and some don't it became a chore. I could keep a small bucket going for the SFH and my Seramas, the Serama loved it.

 

[KYTinpusher]

I just use the layer feed or starter feed that I buy. It is already whole grains milled locally. I think any whole grains would work, though and I think some use mash or crumbles, but I haven't been able to keep up with the thread.

 

[Dahlisgrams]

I mix their normal crumbles with a little less whole grains (oats, a little corn but not always, and sometimes wheat) plus a handful of alfalfa pellets. I add more water than it looks like it needs and it usually soaks it up and will need to add a cup or two more later. I used bragg's acv at first but haven't had to add it in a while. I never feel all of it so there is always a bit left in the bucket. Sometimes I'll add some ground flax seeds too, but not always. Sorry I can't be more specific!! I measure nothing and it's always slightly different but they clean it up. The alfalfa pellets can be too much, hence only a handful and only during the off seasons.

I can't keep up with the thread either..