Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[monkeywoman1953]

It gives them TOTAL control over having any local competition for selling these birds.
It helps to keep their prices high.
It is called GREED, if I am not mistaken.
And I don't think I AM mistaken, in this case.

My unhappiness is with the fact that they advertised them on their website as being $7 each. Yet they do NOT state on their website that $7 each is not the "LOCAL" price.
When I called them, they said, "We don't sell ANY Swedish Flower chicks locally, for that price. They are $40 each [ for day-olds ! ] if we sell them locally. That [$7 each] is our out-of-state-price."

When I get mine, (maybe) I will sell them for $20 each, locally.
We will see how they like THAT !
HA !

 

[monkeywoman1953]

Yes, know all about Greenfire.... and their $40 shipping for 12 chicks.
Yes, it is a MUCH higher cost than anyone else's shipping prices.
I also live in Florida, but it would cost me more than $40 in gas to go there ( Greenfire) and back !

Thanks for the info !

 

[RedRidge]

With the potential new price of shipping day olds, I'm contemplating shipping nothing but fertilized eggs next year - just too much of a hassle.

 

[Spifflove]

June update: Starting to look like adult SFH.

 

[Spifflove]

Also i noticed that one of my hens has an advanced camoflauge pattern. Regard the following photograph. If you were to imagine the helmets as a pattern akin to the flowers of a SFH, then the jacket that these soldiers are wearing would be like the hens feathering in the bottom row 2nd from the right:

 

[SunnySkies]

Mine are out doing what SFH are best at....free ranging. My April chicks saw what the February and March bunch was up to, and they started jumping the fence and so,...they are all out together. I am trying to get a picture!

 

[sarinar]

Hi, all. I'm brand new to raising chickens, and last week I saw an ad on craigslist for two free Swedish Flower Hen pullets. After looking up the breed and seeing photos, I immediately went to pick them up. They were very skittish at first, but now go bananas every time they see me coming out of the house, and will even climb up on my lap to eat as long as I don't try to pick them up. Right now they're housed by themselves in my little coop/run, but I have 4 chicks inside that are almost 2 weeks old.

After reading through some of this thread, though, I'm beginning to think I might have one, possibly two, cockerels. Alas, I live in Seattle, and if they start crowing, I don't think I can bribe all the neighbors to keep it hush. They're between 6 and 7 weeks old now, and in the awkward feathering phase, but I still think they're just gorgeous. And their antics are hilarious - rousing games of leapfrog, flapping at each other, and in the last couple days, the occasional chest bumping. I hadn't even noticed their tiny wattles until I took these photos, but between the behavior (I want to believe they're just very playful!) and comparing their pale but large combs to photos here... Well.

 

[CountryHen19]

Hi, all. I'm brand new to raising chickens, and last week I saw an ad on craigslist for two free Swedish Flower Hen pullets. After looking up the breed and seeing photos, I immediately went to pick them up. They were very skittish at first, but now go bananas every time they see me coming out of the house, and will even climb up on my lap to eat as long as I don't try to pick them up. Right now they're housed by themselves in my little coop/run, but I have 4 chicks inside that are almost 2 weeks old.

After reading through some of this thread, though, I'm beginning to think I might have one, possibly two, cockerels. Alas, I live in Seattle, and if they start crowing, I don't think I can bribe all the neighbors to keep it hush. They're between 6 and 7 weeks old now, and in the awkward feathering phase, but I still think they're just gorgeous. And their antics are hilarious - rousing games of leapfrog, flapping at each other, and in the last couple days, the occasional chest bumping. I hadn't even noticed their tiny wattles until I took these photos, but between the behavior (I want to believe they're just very playful!) and comparing their pale but large combs to photos here... Well.

The one with comb and wattles does look like a roo to me. Bad thing is, my 1 week old SFH is looking like "him"...I'm curious why those people were giving away 2 rare breed pullets-- unless they suspected they were cockerels and were being sneaky. Shame on them. The least they could do is say unsexed chicks. Thanks for sharing the pics-- they are very cute regardless if they are pullets or cockerels.

 

[KYTinpusher]

Hi, all. I'm brand new to raising chickens, and last week I saw an ad on craigslist for two free Swedish Flower Hen pullets. After looking up the breed and seeing photos, I immediately went to pick them up. They were very skittish at first, but now go bananas every time they see me coming out of the house, and will even climb up on my lap to eat as long as I don't try to pick them up. Right now they're housed by themselves in my little coop/run, but I have 4 chicks inside that are almost 2 weeks old.

After reading through some of this thread, though, I'm beginning to think I might have one, possibly two, cockerels. Alas, I live in Seattle, and if they start crowing, I don't think I can bribe all the neighbors to keep it hush. They're between 6 and 7 weeks old now, and in the awkward feathering phase, but I still think they're just gorgeous. And their antics are hilarious - rousing games of leapfrog, flapping at each other, and in the last couple days, the occasional chest bumping. I hadn't even noticed their tiny wattles until I took these photos, but between the behavior (I want to believe they're just very playful!) and comparing their pale but large combs to photos here... Well.

They both look like roos to me. Sorry

I agree - shame on the person you got them from; I bet they knew.

At least you are only out your time and gas to go get them.

 

[sarinar]

The thought did cross my mind, but I was going on the impulse of - oohhh! pretty! and free! - and I'm not too bothered. She already had way more than the city limit of hens and several young chicks, and warned me not to get an incubator if I didn't already have one. I've actually thought about trying to keep a rooster on the sly, after meeting another city dweller who has one with a crow quieter than her hens - and it seems to pass on to his sons! Worst case scenario, I have to pass them on to someone who can keep roosters, best case, I get eggs and/or no one in my neighborhood complains, and I have someone to watch over my hens, eh?

I'm also now noticing that the mostly Grey chick has rounder feathers and slightly thinner legs (in addition to a smaller comb) than the Orange/grey/white... Grey is also significantly more skittish than Orange. Maybe still hope for grey to be a she?