Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[Dahlisgrams]

Hey does anyone else have a white pullet with gray hints? I looked at her today and she is starting to get yellow - ish hackles!

Yep. This was one of my hens as a pullet. She's filled out a lot since this photo. Her hackles have yellow/gold and also a bit down her breast. The rest of her is white with splashes of blue/grey.

 

[jbarrett]

Yep. This was one of my hens as a pullet. She's filled out a lot since this photo. Her hackles have yellow/gold and also a bit down her breast. The rest of her is white with splashes of blue/grey.

thanks that is exactly what mine looks like! I like her alot mine even has color on breast too and a crest!!

 

[lcatty]

Do you know if crested is dominate or recessive? I have wondered which was dominant as it would depend on whether they were homozygous or heterozygous for that trait. Say crested was dominant but you had two birds carrying a recessive gene for non crested it would be possible to get non crested from two crested parents, and vice versa. I haven't had these long enough at this point to even make a guess.

Crests are dominant- incomplete dominant.

 

[Dahlisgrams]

Quote: Aww.. what's your girl's name? This is my sweet Shasta.. I really like all of the colors and hope to have as many different looking birds as possible in hopes of keeping a broad gene pool. It's part of the appeal, aside from the great personalities of course.

I give extra vitamins in the water until the chicks are a month old, plus fermented feed from day one now. I used to start them with it at 5 days but haven't waited with the last bunch. They love it. After the first month with polyvisol without iron in the water, I put ACV in their water. Since starting that I haven't had a single incident of cocci overload. They also get a higher protein mix in the FF and they free range almost every day. I feed organic whenever it's available but it is rather hard to come by in this area sometimes. I wish shipping wasn't so high or I'd just order it. So far, there has not been any problems with health with any of them except for two with vaulted crests. Both have passed on their own before laying. I find the possibility of different available nutrients in Sweden vs. the US interesting. Makes perfect sense to me.

Have had some difficulty hatching shipped SFH eggs too as others have mentioned here. Those I've hatched from our flock have all hatched easily and on time. Shipping must do a number on them, even when packed really well. I am happy to get any to hatch from shipped eggs. Survival of the fittest, I suppose.. lol

I like the crests but am not trying to breed larger crests since it could affect their ability to see predators. We have a family of hawks in the area and I'd like them to be able to run for cover if necessary. About half of my flock is crested but I enjoy the smooth headed Flowers too and would be happy to keep this percentage.

Does anyone know whether split wing can be carried by a bird with a normal wing?

 

[TarheelBirdy]

No humidity adjustments with a broody hen

No, but you have to have a hen go broody to have a broody hen

We don't have those around here.

 

[Bulldogma]

No, but you have to have a hen go broody to have a broody hen

We don't have those around here.

That's why we got a couple Silkies - LOL. Got 3 SFH eggs under the Silkiebator right now! The average Silkie hen goes broody about 4 times a year. Cochins are broody birds too... so I hatched a few "SilCochins" in hopes of getting a few more good incubators. (And they are the cutest little things!)

 

[jbarrett]

Aww.. what's your girl's name? This is my sweet Shasta.. I really like all of the colors and hope to have as many different looking birds as possible in hopes of keeping a broad gene pool. It's part of the appeal, aside from the great personalities of course.

I give extra vitamins in the water until the chicks are a month old, plus fermented feed from day one now. I used to start them with it at 5 days but haven't waited with the last bunch. They love it. After the first month with polyvisol without iron in the water, I put ACV in their water. Since starting that I haven't had a single incident of cocci overload. They also get a higher protein mix in the FF and they free range almost every day. I feed organic whenever it's available but it is rather hard to come by in this area sometimes. I wish shipping wasn't so high or I'd just order it. So far, there has not been any problems with health with any of them except for two with vaulted crests. Both have passed on their own before laying. I find the possibility of different available nutrients in Sweden vs. the US interesting. Makes perfect sense to me.

Have had some difficulty hatching shipped SFH eggs too as others have mentioned here. Those I've hatched from our flock have all hatched easily and on time. Shipping must do a number on them, even when packed really well. I am happy to get any to hatch from shipped eggs. Survival of the fittest, I suppose.. lol

I like the crests but am not trying to breed larger crests since it could affect their ability to see predators. We have a family of hawks in the area and I'd like them to be able to run for cover if necessary. About half of my flock is crested but I enjoy the smooth headed Flowers too and would be happy to keep this percentage.

Does anyone know whether split wing can be carried by a bird with a normal wing?

i named mine Miss Molly!

 

[Dahlisgrams]

Quote: Do you have photos of her?

 

[jbarrett]

She is very skiddish yet....working on that but this is the best pic I have of her and it does not show the yellow yet like I said its just starting to come in.....

 

[Dahlisgrams]

She is very skiddish yet....working on that but this is the best pic I have of her and it does not show the yellow yet like I said its just starting to come in.....

They do look alike! Keep working with her and she'll come around. Very handsome cockerel too. You have a beautiful flock!