Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[SunnySkies]

[COLOR=800080]I have all of mine separated by breed or specific color etc. I give each their own day to free range, rotating the days. That way I can ensure no cross breeding.[/COLOR]

That thought crossed my mind too, letting different coops roam on different days.

There is a very angry and very big coon in my trap today. I think he broke the trap as the trip pan is sticking straight up....but he couldn't get out!

 

[jlynnet]

Good luck getting rid of that coon!

 

[SunnySkies]

Coon is dead, another big mama. She was highly aggressive and kept trying to attack me through the trap. That worries me a bit.

Trap IS broken. UGH. Every one of them has cost me a trap each so far. And I'm not buying cheap traps. Both times it looks like they tried to dig through the bottom, pushing the trip pan up, which breaks the trigger and trip pan. My neighbor might be able to weld this one back together.

I wanted to keep putting it out for the next few nights. But guess I'll rely on the electric fence for now.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Bummer on the broken trap. When I was catching raccoons almost nightly last year, they did try to dig too. Ground was always all dug up underneith. So far my trap has held up but it isn't like it used to be

 

[Bulldogma]

Has anyone ever hatched a SFH chick this color?

This looks just like my spalsh orp chicks. I didn't think I had any orp eggs in the bator, but this one has me wondering if I mixed an egg up

. No chance it is a mix. The coops are separated by at least 100 yards with a house in the middle. I would love it if it is a blue spalsh SFH! I guess I'm just going to have to keep it to find out!

Yes - one of my wildhorseannie chicks was that color. She is mostly white now with faint hints of blue and red ticking throughout her feathers. This is her:

correction to my earlier post... I HAD a pullet from Jean's eggs.

at this point I don't worry about predators any more, my blind horse is killing more chickens. she simply steps on them as she's ambling along slowly, and they don't move out of her way. so now i'm back down to 3 girls and 4 boys.

Awww... so sorry to hear it! You're the first person I've heard of who lists "horse" as their worst predator.

Got my first SFH egg!!

My February pullet laid an egg in the Cochin coop (which has one random mutt hen sleeping in it). I busted her being romanced by a mixed breed rooster instead of a SFH (apparently she prefers older men, lol), so she is banished to her coop. Which has meant no more eggs since. LOL

Hopefully once she settles in, I can start hatching my own and get numbers up after the coon attack. I have 2 more pullets coming online in the next month or so, and then a few more after that.

I have a small dilemma. I love my mutt birds (I have one mutt rooster I will never ever get rid of), but I need to guarantee PB eggs. Everybody loves to free range and I prefer it. Do those of you breeding do any free range, do you have multiple breeds, or is it all SFH or all pens?

Congrats on the egg!

I rotate my flocks for free range time. I can usually get everyone in easily enough by trowing scratch into the coop/run and then just shut them in.

That thought crossed my mind too, letting different coops roam on different days.

There is a very angry and very big coon in my trap today. I think he broke the trap as the trip pan is sticking straight up....but he couldn't get out!

Great that you caught/did away with another coon! Hope there aren't any more!!

 

[chiques chicks]

I don't truly free range, I have large fenced areas for reach flock, 80x20 and up for each. I used 5' 2x4 welded wire on t posts. I did lose two chicks hatched by a broody when they got attacked after getting through the wire (to a blue Jay). I can put a hot wire around the fenced in area, just have it disconnected at the moment. It is right next to my garden and they have access to the garden in the off season, one flock at a time.

 

[rarebear]

OK, all of you well informed Flower Hen experts. I am really needing to know what I have here as they are suppose to go to new home this weekend. I cannot have roo's. The problem I have is that I see Flower Hen females do have red waddles and red combs. I am at a loss. These first two I hatched on the same day. As you can see one has a much redder and thicker comb. Do females ever have combs like this? The second one has a much lighter comb...more pinkish-red-yellow and slightly smaller waddles. They are almost 9 weeks old. I appreciate your hel
p!

Chicken 1 close up. I am hoping this might be a girl since Flowers have red waddles and combs?. It is 9 weeks old



Here is Chicken 1 again, body shot.



Chicken 2, hatched the same day as chicken 1. This one has lighter waddles and combs. Also 9 weeks old.



Chicken 2, body shot.

 

[Bulldogma]

I hate to say it, but I think they are both roos. Though chicken 2 has a smaller comb and waddles, the dark mahogany feathering on the wing area is an indicator of a boy.
Sorry!!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Good to see your BDM

 

[rarebear]

I hate to say it, but I think they are both roos. Though chicken 2 has a smaller comb and waddles, the dark mahogany feathering on the wing area is an indicator of a boy.
Sorry!!!

Thank you, I am crying in my feathers. So any time there are dark mahogany feathers it will always be a male? These 2 are one that I hatched . I am getting ready to post 7 that I got from Greenfire as one day old chicks and they have lots of colored waddles and combs. I feel sick.