Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[Leahs Mom]

Mine have learned to recognize the dogs that should be here, even though they don't care for the pups much yet. But we had a visitor dog come up the other day -- and was far, far too interested in the chickens for my taste -- and the chickens all screamed bloody murder. Luckily I was outside and grabbed the dog before it could do anything, and my dogs distracted it enough to let me get in there. My chickens also don't react to the next door neighbor dogs, who roam over here, to my frustration, but those dogs don't bother the birds one bit.

RR and Sunny - that's good to hear on the "foreign dogs". I have just read other folks say they thought having their dogs around desensitized their chickens to dogs. They said that their chickens became "dependent" on the dogs and then if another one came around they viewed it as "friend" rather than foe.

I'm glad to hear that you haven't had that experience! And it's good to get the other side of the story.

 

[RedRidge]

I am looking for light color SFH in Tenn.. I would even take a roo I would like some non crested ones as well. Mine are about 3 months so I would like the new ones to be as close as to that as I can get. I tried eggs but felled at that so I want only chicks. 

 

[RedRidge]

I am looking for light color SFH in Tenn.. I would even take a roo I would like some non crested ones as well. Mine are about 3 months so I would like the new ones to be as close as to that as I can get. I tried eggs but felled at that so I want only chicks. 

Oops... Don't know what happened on previous post. If you're not in a hurry I'm hoping to have some the first of the year. I have 2 cockerels... Dweezil is a light colored cockerel and I have 2 pullets who don't have any black also. Will post pics later today. I am in East TN

 

[TxFlowers]

Hi fellow SFH admirers! I have a question and I think this is a good place to ask. I was looking at two of my beautiful 3 month old crested boys today and noticed they had side sprigs and what I believe is called "carnation" comb. I hadn't seen the sprigs before now because they were down low in the crest and I hadn't taken the time to look good. I hadn't noticed the carnation comb either because the comb is curved and I just didn't even know what that was until someone was telling me about it the other day.. Anyway, I had been considering one of these boys for breeding but now that idea is down the tubes. Has anyone else noticed that carnation combs are a problem in this breed and if anyone has seen combs like this, were they on crested or non crested birds? I know that not breeding for springs has been talked about but what about carnation comb? Thanks

 

[TxFlowers]

forgot to mention that in some younger SF chicks I am raising that are about a month to 2 months old from different sources I have found two others with carnation comb. One is crested with both side sprig and the carnation and another has just the carnation as far as I can tell at this point and she is also crested. I am really wondering if these "deformities" are more common in the crested birds.

 

[KYTinpusher]

Welcome TxFlowers!

While the side sprigs and carnation combs would be DQs in a show, they do not affect the hardiness of the breed. SO, since SFH will probably never be accepted by the APA, most of us are not so concerned with them. We are more concerned right now with increasing the genetic diversity of the birds in this country. So, while I did cull the roos I had with side sprigs (I still have some hens with them), I did so ONLY because I had other roos that were just as good without side sprigs. I had sprigs on both crested and non-crested birds. I did not have any with carnation combs, but the crested birds often have curvy combs which may resemble carnation combs on quick glance. When I get too many hens (

), I will start to cull for side sprigs there, too.

Now split wing, which some have noticed in their birds, is another story as it can affect their ability to fly and escape predators. But some have reported that many of the juveniles that show it will outgrow it, so don't be too hasty to cull for that.

 

[minihorse927]

Welcome TxFlowers!

While the side sprigs and carnation combs would be DQs in a show, they do not affect the hardiness of the breed. SO, since SFH will probably never be accepted by the APA, most of us are not so concerned with them. We are more concerned right now with increasing the genetic diversity of the birds in this country. So, while I did cull the roos I had with side sprigs (I still have some hens with them), I did so ONLY because I had other roos that were just as good without side sprigs. I had sprigs on both crested and non-crested birds. I did not have any with carnation combs, but the crested birds often have curvy combs which may resemble carnation combs on quick glance. When I get too many hens (

), I will start to cull for side sprigs there, too. Now split wing, which some have noticed in their birds, is another story as it can affect their ability to fly and escape predators. But some have reported that many of the juveniles that show it will outgrow it, so don't be too hasty to cull for that.

Silly, one can never have to many hens!

 

[TxFlowers]

well good point about these birds not likely ever having a "standard" so these things should be considered of less importance than other things like hardiness etc.... I have started out trying to have as much genetic diversity as is possible by starting my flock with birds from 6 sources. Of course I realize that everybody's birds ultimately go back to GFFs but I am trying to have as much diversity as possible under the circumstances to retain their hardiness. I guess that so long as I have just as good or better to choose from that don't have these traits, I would opt to use the birds without but in the long run you are right in that you really can't "throw the baby out with the bathwater" so to speak as these things have nothing to do with their beauty, temperament and their hardiness which is the reason .we were drawn to them in the first place!

 

[ki4got]

Hi fellow SFH admirers! I have a question and I think this is a good place to ask. I was looking at two of my beautiful 3 month old crested boys today and noticed they had side sprigs and what I believe is called "carnation" comb. I hadn't seen the sprigs before now because they were down low in the crest and I hadn't taken the time to look good. I hadn't noticed the carnation comb either because the comb is curved and I just didn't even know what that was until someone was telling me about it the other day.. Anyway, I had been considering one of these boys for breeding but now that idea is down the tubes. Has anyone else noticed that carnation combs are a problem in this breed and if anyone has seen combs like this, were they on crested or non crested birds? I know that not breeding for springs has been talked about but what about carnation comb? Thanks

not sure what you mean by 'carnation comb'... and yes sprigs seem to be fairly common. typically sprigs are not desirable, but until we have more birds to work with and choose from, I would consider that a minor flaw. on crested birds, combs with S type curves in them are common (and acceptable in Sweden, from my research).

Until the breed is more common and easily acquired, I would use a roo with sprigs as long as he's exceptional in every other way (including personality). actually, my 2 best roos I've come up with both have sprigs. one is crested as well with the wavy comb I mentioned... but is exceptional in nearly every other way.


as long as they are easily recognizable as SFH, things like sprigs or split wing can be lived with until better birds come along to replace them.

 

[TxFlowers]

a carnation comb is where the end of the comb ( I think it's just the rear ) has the appearance of a flower. On my baby birds that are both pullets with smaller combs, this looks like a "bud" back there at the back of the comb waiting to open. On my 3 month old roos with a bigger more developed comb, it looks more like the comb on the black Penedesenca bird here. I believe this type of comb is correct for this breed.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/645637/comb-contest-carnation-winner-announced