Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[jmarie]

I have an oddly marked SF pullet. She has no white on her. She is about 7 wks old. She has not a speck of white on her anywhere at this point. I know that she could develop some spotting later but I have not had any SF that didn't have spotting already. Is this unusual? Thanks!

Other than the crest I would say this is a partridge barred rock

 

[rinehart63]

I hate to say it, but she looks like a cross to me. ALL SFH have flowering (though it's hard to see on the white ones - LOL). My 2 black / chocolate girls started flowering by 5-6 weeks. And no, they shouldn't show any kind of consistent barring pattern. You may see one or two feathers on Mille Fleur colored SFH that seem to be barred, but there will be no consistency to it at all and the next feather may be spotted, splotched or laced

I hatched her from some SF eggs I bought. She was the only odd one like this from 5. Others are all very typical SF markings. I sent pics of this pullet to her breeder. Breeder says she has a hen that came directly from GFFarms that is a solid orange red with no white spotting. She has some black spots but no white and owner says she looks like a New Hampshire nearly from a distance. We don't know if this pullet came from this particular hen but we are guessing that she did. If this pullet has some outcross breeding, I do not believe it happened at the place where the eggs came from. I don't know but even if she is "pure" SF breeding, I have to say that I wouldn't have fallen in love with the breed as I have if she was typical of their markings! lol

 

[ki4got]

Where in NC are you? I'm near Danville, VA and perhaps between ki4got and myself we can grow some pullets out for you. It would cost a little more than chicks since they'll be sexed pullets, but it would be doable on my part at least (though I'll likely need ki4got to hatch some for us - LOL!)

do you REALLY need to ask Leigh? LOL

show me an egg that needs hatching and i'm all for it.

as for the question on roos/hens, as I said before, if they are under 3-4 months old, if it's got a red comb and wattles (not waddles btw, that's how a duck walks) then it's a roo... my pullets combs started getting red somewhere close to 4 months old I think but some may start earlier. but NEVER at 9 weeks old like those boys. hens only start to redden up when their body gets ready to start laying eggs...

so yes you have seen hens with red comb and wattles, but those are mature hens who are laying eggs already. when they start out depends on the breed/variety many times. swedes seem to develop slower than some other breeds I have. at least as far as how fast roos develop comb and wattles... the hens will rarely have any comb growth/redness until about a month before they lay.

 

[Bulldogma]

I hatched her from some SF eggs I bought. She was the only odd one like this from 5. Others are all very typical SF markings. I sent pics of this pullet to her breeder. Breeder says she has a hen that came directly from GFFarms that is a solid orange red with no white spotting. She has some black spots but no white and owner says she looks like a New Hampshire nearly from a distance. We don't know if this pullet came from this particular hen but we are guessing that she did. If this pullet has some outcross breeding, I do not believe it happened at the place where the eggs came from. I don't know but even if she is "pure" SF breeding, I have to say that I wouldn't have fallen in love with the breed as I have if she was typical of their markings! lol

I'm still going with "not pure."

You know - when folks order chicks and eggs from GFF, they often throw in a random surprise chick. Might want to ask the breeder if he/she knew about that. The breeder should contact GFF and send them a picture of the orange/red hen with no spotting for conformation on the breed.

http://greenfirefarms.com/store/category/chickens/bielefelders/


I'm wondering if she has a Bielefelder hen and she crossed it with a crested roo?? GFF could have made a mistake too and sent one of the wrong breed.

 

[ki4got]

I hate to say it, but she looks like a cross to me. ALL SFH have flowering (though it's hard to see on the white ones - LOL). My 2 black / chocolate girls started flowering by 5-6 weeks. And no, they shouldn't show any kind of consistent barring pattern. You may see one or two feathers on Mille Fleur colored SFH that seem to be barred, but there will be no consistency to it at all and the next feather may be spotted, splotched or laced

I hatched her from some SF eggs I bought. She was the only odd one like this from 5. Others are all very typical SF markings. I sent pics of this pullet to her breeder. Breeder says she has a hen that came directly from GFFarms that is a solid orange red with no white spotting. She has some black spots but no white and owner says she looks like a New Hampshire nearly from a distance. We don't know if this pullet came from this particular hen but we are guessing that she did. If this pullet has some outcross breeding, I do not believe it happened at the place where the eggs came from. I don't know but even if she is "pure" SF breeding, I have to say that I wouldn't have fallen in love with the breed as I have if she was typical of their markings! lol

personally, knowing that sfh should be mottled, I don't think i'd use her in my program... it's always possible that gff mixed up some chicks... they deal with so many breeds.

so it's still possible she's still only part sfh. hatcheries have been known to make mistakes. tho many don't admit it IMO. LOL

 

[Bulldogma]

And looks like a New Hampshire from a distance? Could be a Rhodebar. Hens are solid orange/red with some black speckling.


http://greenfirefarms.com/store/category/chickens/rhodebar/

 

[Bulldogma]

do you REALLY need to ask Leigh? LOL

show me an egg that needs hatching and i'm all for it.

LOL! ki4got is my egg nanny!

Seriously - the only thing better than your hatching skills are those of my broodies... and only by a hair... or a feather.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: lol and I talk to new chicks like a broody too (or excited rooster trying to show the girls a treat he found), to teach them food and water while tapping the food or water dish with my fingernail. usually they run up to my finger first to see what it is. LOL seems to be a language they understand so why not use it?

 

[rinehart63]

You have brought up a good point.... that GFF could have put a chick in of one of their other breeds either intentionally or accidently. Thank you everyone for the comments.

 

[Bulldogma]

lol and I talk to new chicks like a broody too (or excited rooster trying to show the girls a treat he found), to teach them food and water while tapping the food or water dish with my fingernail. usually they run up to my finger first to see what it is. LOL seems to be a language they understand so why not use it?

I do that with brooder babies too... and it always works like a charm.

You have brought up a good point.... that GFF could have put a chick in of one of their other breeds either intentionally or accidently. Thank you everyone for the comments.

Yes - it would not be the first time a hatchery has made this kind of mistake. The breeder needs to know though... her reputation could be harmed if s/he continues believing her eggs are pure. Please let her know what this group has said. It's not her fault, and it could happen to any first-time SFH owner. We just want to ensure the breed stays pure.