Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[KYTinpusher]

Quote: in the summer I worry that incubation may have already started with the heat in the truck & such... I set them immediately and just don't turn for 3 days. regardless of what the air cells look like. won't hurt one bit, and if anything else, a few days of growing and not turning will help them stabilize their position in the egg in case of any internal scrambling. I set them upright with air cells up. if you hand turn, use an egg carton then just tip it each time. if I have to hand turn (bators are full and hatcher isn't needed for a while yet) that's what I do... I use a couple wooden eggs laid over and wedged between 2 of the egg 'slots' to get enough tilt.
Good point on the effects of the heat. With hers, they were taken to the PO just before 4pm and she had them the next day by 8am, so I doubt heat in shipping will be an issue with hers.

 

[chickendeal]

trying to play peek a boo when they see the camera they try to hide but here is what i got todayfrom chic to roo

 

[SunnySkies]

On the wall that the coon got in, was it regular chicken wire, half inch "hardware cloth" wire, or something else?  Asking because I want to be proactive with my own coop setup.

It was actually plywood. It somehow managed to get its claws under in a crack and used its weight and the hinges to pry it off. Must have taken an hour or more, because it was screwed down.

I reinforced it with 3/4 inch plywood and 3 inch screws, lol.

 

[KYTinpusher]

Quote: Are you sure it wasn't a bear?!?

J.K., I hope.

 

[SunnySkies]

Are you sure it wasn't a bear?!?

J.K., I hope.

Well. It isn't out of the realm of possibility...one was shot about 15 miles away from our place about the time I lost that bird....but I'm pretty sure it was a coon. I trapped two, and both times, it cost me an expensive heavy duty trap because the huge, huge things broke the traps. I could hardly carry the trap and the last coon because it was so big, and that was the one that tore the coop's clean out door off. Now, opening a coop's clean out door requires a power screwdriver. My Pyrenees seem to have solved the problem, though. Since getting them -- they are 12 weeks old now -- we haven't had any coons. The trash is never bothered now, and I was cleaning it up every morning. If I forget the compost pail on the deck's table, it is still there in the morning, still in the pail and not all over the deck. Just their presence is making the coons divert around us. If you like dogs and can handle an independent dog, I highly recommend an LGD, although two is better. A friend says she has lost one bird in five years since getting hers, and that particular hen was known to be stupid, and she didn't go into a shelter during a rainstorm. The dogs holed up, and a coon found her just when the rain ended, and the dogs couldn't get there in time to prevent the kill.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Well. It isn't out of the realm of possibility...one was shot about 15 miles away from our place about the time I lost that bird....but I'm pretty sure it was a coon. I trapped two, and both times, it cost me an expensive heavy duty trap because the huge, huge things broke the traps. I could hardly carry the trap and the last coon because it was so big, and that was the one that tore the coop's clean out door off. Now, opening a coop's clean out door requires a power screwdriver.

My Pyrenees seem to have solved the problem, though. Since getting them -- they are 12 weeks old now -- we haven't had any coons. The trash is never bothered now, and I was cleaning it up every morning. If I forget the compost pail on the deck's table, it is still there in the morning, still in the pail and not all over the deck. Just their presence is making the coons divert around us. If you like dogs and can handle an independent dog, I highly recommend an LGD, although two is better. A friend says she has lost one bird in five years since getting hers, and that particular hen was known to be stupid, and she didn't go into a shelter during a rainstorm. The dogs holed up, and a coon found her just when the rain ended, and the dogs couldn't get there in time to prevent the kill.

Dang so sorry thats just awful.

 

[OHfarmerswife]

Good point on the effects of the heat. With hers, they were taken to the PO just before 4pm and she had them the next day by 8am, so I doubt heat in shipping will be an issue with hers.

thanks to the great breeder!!!!! ; )

 

[chubbiechicken]

Looking for some swedish flower hens chicks anyone in northern California?

 

[ChickNmamma]

Looking for some swedish flower hens chicks anyone in northern California?

There are a few people in Nor Cal with SFH - but I am not hatching anything out right now. I do have two SHF juvie boys if you want a Blue Crested boy. The other one I know with SFH, I think he is done hatching for the season too. His name is Papabrooder and he has his eggs for sale in his signature line most of the time.

 

[SunnySkies]

My black and red pullet is now a hen. She laid a lovely egg yesterday. I found it this morning. Time to start watching fertility!