Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[PugBug]

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.

could be a mistake or just an 'extra' chick put in from GFF- but that pullet you have is not pure SFH for sure. Either way I would not use her in a breeding program- just my opinion.

 

[RedRidge]

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

Nope... I've got Rhodebars and she doesn't look enough like one to even consider it...

 

[Bulldogma]

Nope... I've got Rhodebars and she doesn't look enough like one to even consider it...

But she's half SFH - her mother was the "mystery chicken." Father (I assume) is a SFH, so this would be some sort of cross.

 

[Penny Hen]

I think chicken 1 is a roo and chicken 2 is a hen. But I am more familiar with Americanas and EEs. But I didn't see any mahogany red on the second chicken like Bulldogma mentioned. That just looks black to me.

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
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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.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Leigh - where did this kiddo come from? If I ever get a broody (before or after winter this time) I want some eggs from this one. Or if someone just has a couple that look like that already that can come to Indiana I'm "game"!

 

[ki4got]

I think chicken 1 is a roo and chicken 2 is a hen. But I am more familiar with Americanas and EEs. But I didn't see any mahogany red on the second chicken like Bulldogma mentioned. That just looks black to me.
Quote: I edited the picture so you can see it's clearly red not black... I did nothing to the image size or quality, all I did was increase the gamma correction.

and I agree, roo with that dark red... btw, he's blue-based, not black.

and very pretty IMO. but I like the lighter ones.

 

[HaplessRunner]

Why is it that so many people who get "SFH" end up getting crosses or birds that aren't SFH at all? There seems to be a lot of that.

I think it is because the SFH roosters are randy as hell! That rooster that I bought from Bulldogma at Gilmanor, is very happily nailing every hen in sight. He is equal opportunity, if it is female, he wants her. My SFHs are currently mixed with my laying flock. So if were inclined to hatch some of these eggs, I would get crosses of SFHxRedstar, SFHxBR, SFHxBO, and SFHxRIR. The other pullets, EOs, Ameraucanas, & SFH are too young. My other blue based SFH rooster is also making the rounds. Compared to my other roosters, SFH roosters seem to operate on high octane hormones!

It is no wonder that this land race breed survived!

 

[SunnySkies]

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!

Not SFH. A cross. A different breed. Something. Don't use her in your program. Birds marked like that are not SFH. IMHO, the photos posted recently are boys. I had several all boy hatches. Le sigh. But it sure taught me what to look for. My silly pullet is laying again, but her mutt boyfriend stands right outside the coop crowing. I love that rooster -- he puts the younger roosters in their place, keeping them away from the kids, and is just cool -- but he will find himself confined if he doesn't knock it off. I can't say as I blame her...Wasp is a jerk. He has quit being aggressive to me, but he is ugly to the other birds, male or female. He chased off Bulldogma's Viking's twin and I could not find him. Suspect a fox got him.

 

[jlynnet]

Rinehart63 that looks like the pattern on my partridge bathuhner females. I too had mix ups from GFF. I bought a mix so it didn't really matter, but none of my shipments matched the packing slip!

 

[SunnySkies]

These SFH are AWSOME.

We just got not one but two GP puppies (born IN a chicken coop, so they haven't looked at the chickens at all). The Silkies and mutt birds are horrified, with the mutts heading for the back forty as soon as they could (I fully expect no eggs today). The Silkies threw themselves around in their tractor in fear (the coon attacks have apparently traumatized them). The SFH flew over the fence to have a look. The dogs are sleeping under the truck, and the SFH came up to eat their food.