Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Have you all noticed behavioral differences in SFH compared to other breeds? I've noticed that the SFH chicks are the first to come investigate things I add to the brooder. Over the weekend I pulled up some weeds from the garden (chickweed, bunch grasses, etc) and put them with roots and soil still attached in the brooder. The SFH chicks zipped right up and started scratching and pecking while the other breeds (legbars and Easter Eggers) gave a few sidelong glances and hung back for a good while. They do the same thing when I replace the water in the waterer. Who takes the first sip? The little SFH busy bees. 

 

They're very inquisitive and not shy. I noticed that right away. It was something that endeared me to them right away. They run to my hand when I put it in the brooder as opposed to running away. Of course, as adult birds, I'm tripping all over them. I love that they run to me, and not even for treats. They're fun for sure!

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Incubation question: This is my first time using the incubator as opposed to a broody. I have 12 SFH eggs and 2 bantam Naked Neck eggs (which are the same size as the SFH eggs) right now. Today is day 18, but I set them at 5pm on day 1. Do I wait and turn off the turner later this afternoon?

I have a Brinsea 20. It's been running at 40-45% humidity and 99.6 degees. I was planning on getting it up to 65-75% humidity.

I'm a bit panicked because I'll be on an overnight field trip with my son's class, which was rescheduled and of course falls on Day 21 of the hatch.

Any advice for a newbie?

 

[madamwlf]

Incubation question: This is my first time using the incubator as opposed to a broody. I have 12 SFH eggs and 2 bantam Naked Neck eggs (which are the same size as the SFH eggs) right now. Today is day 18, but I set them at 5pm on day 1. Do I wait and turn off the turner later this afternoon?

I have a Brinsea 20. It's been running at 40-45% humidity and 99.6 degees. I was planning on getting it up to 65-75% humidity.

I'm a bit panicked because I'll be on an overnight field trip with my son's class, which was rescheduled and of course falls on Day 21 of the hatch.

Any advice for a newbie?

You can put your eggs into lockdown earlier then day 18. Sometimes if I know I'm going to be super busy on day 18 I'll do it the night before. So shutting the turner off early won't hurt. IMO, your humidity the first 18 days is way too high though. I dry hatch with humidity around 15-20%.

 

[wildhorseannie]

I'd be interested in swapping, sure. Just let me know if you're going to be in this area, or would like to swap-by-mail? I am NPIP certified.

I will certainly let you know! Thanks!

 

[ki4got]

Unfortunately nowadays the USPS uses workers who couldn't otherwise hold a job. Consider a private carrier.

unfortunately the other carriers won't ship eggs if they know what they are... and IMO take about equal care of their packages.

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Have you all noticed behavioral differences in SFH compared to other breeds? I've noticed that the SFH chicks are the first to come investigate things I add to the brooder. Over the weekend I pulled up some weeds from the garden (chickweed, bunch grasses, etc) and put them with roots and soil still attached in the brooder. The SFH chicks zipped right up and started scratching and pecking while the other breeds (legbars and Easter Eggers) gave a few sidelong glances and hung back for a good while. They do the same thing when I replace the water in the waterer. Who takes the first sip? The little SFH busy bees.

This is true of mine, too. Very curious and alert.

 

[jmarie]

My SFH (my first and only SFH) from ki4got....hopefully a pullet, either way a cute little red head!

 

[TarheelBirdy]

My SFH (my first and only SFH) from ki4got....hopefully a pullet, either way a cute little red head!

Isn't she pretty!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Well - I REALLY DID get an egg (and now 3) from a 17 week old pullet. Started last week and I've had a total of 3 since. Since I haven't been here to observe, I don't know if it was just ONE of them or more than one, but at least one of those girls if producing eggs!

 

[ivyrash]

Well - I REALLY DID get an egg (and now 3) from a 17 week old pullet. Started last week and I've had a total of 3 since. Since I haven't been here to observe, I don't know if it was just ONE of them or more than one, but at least one of those girls if producing eggs!

So what are you feeding to get them to do that? I started putting just a little bit of very small oyster shell in with the food yesterday hoping maybe that would get mine going! Need to read up and see when I should really be putting oyster shell out, all my other chickens have just gone in the general population on egg layers and it always available to them in there.