Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[Penny Hen]

Although I do wonder that with a breeding pool as small as they had, if the split wing made it this far through the tree, it survived pretty well, didn't it?

Recessive genes are hard to get rid of. They can hide for generations and then crop up when you cross the right wrong birds.

 

[Kyzmette]

I have a small understanding of recessive genes, as it was an interest of mine in college and I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in a study on latent genes. That and being a natural redhead with green eyes in a family of brunettes with brown and blue eyes was enough to lock it in as a fascinating topic. I am, however, in no way an expert, and am a total newbie on chicken genetics.

It just seems that with such a small gene pool to keep the species going, any recessive trait would have a much higher chance of expression. Is the split wing definitely a true trait of the breed, or could there be interbreeding involved? Is there a potential evolutionary reason for the split wing that served a useful purpose? Does anybody know what the original (in their original environment) breed's potential is for expressing the trait?

 

[RedRidge]

I have a small understanding of recessive genes, as it was an interest of mine in college and I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in a study on latent genes. That and being a natural redhead with green eyes in a family of brunettes with brown and blue eyes was enough to lock it in as a fascinating topic. I am, however, in no way an expert, and am a total newbie on chicken genetics.

It just seems that with such a small gene pool to keep the species going, any recessive trait would have a much higher chance of expression. Is the split wing definitely a true trait of the breed, or could there be interbreeding involved? Is there a potential evolutionary reason for the split wing that served a useful purpose? Does anybody know what the original (in their original environment) breed's potential is for expressing the trait?

Just like with my Rhodebars... I put SFH in the freezer this year.
I have learned from other breeds of livestock that if you really want improvement the best way to do it is to cull deeply and keep only the best. Breeding them all is not the best way to get the highest number of quality animals the quickest. Culling deeply and breeding only the best gives you the fastest improvement of the most numbers.
So... I don't even sell my culls to other breeders until I see quality that begins to make it difficult for me to cull.

 

[OHfarmerswife]

Pretty. I have one that is kind of similar. Watch his wings...check for a split. One of my Roos carried his wings like that, but it concerned me for a long time wondering if he had split wing because there was a feather missing for the longest time. Makes me wonder if the line has a tendency to it.

Where can I get info about split wing? Not familiar with it. This is the first SFH I have ever had. I have 8 chicks that are 2 weeks old from kytinpusher, hoping to breed to him. in the future.

 

[Kyzmette]

I'm not interested in "improving" the breed. I'm interested in a breed that has had limited external tampering and attempted modification. I want the original hardiness that goes hand in hand with missed generations of interference to a genetic line. So I have to wonder, if the trait is true to the breed in such a small breeding pool, if it doesn't have a positive purpose in the evolution of the breed, or if it perhaps shares common links with positive traits. Or if it's not true to the breed.

Has anybody done genetic mapping of the SFH going back to the original lines that were first imported?

 

[Kyzmette]

Not actual sequencing, of course... just trait mapping. Just curious.

 

[minihorse927]

Where can I get info about split wing? Not familiar with it. This is the first SFH I have ever had. I have 8 chicks that are 2 weeks old from kytinpusher, hoping to breed to him. in the future.

If you google search split wing, there are tons of sites and toons of pictures of it. I've got a couple of mine that have it. One POL pullet had our and one of my roos has it. The roo will be a freezer bird in the future and the pullet i think i have a egg laying home that has no interest in breeding chickens and doesn't even own a rooster. It only leaves me with 2 POL pullets and tons of non split wing roos, both crested and uncrested(if anyone needs one let me know, my NPIP will be up to date soon! One is from BHEP and the others are from KYTINPUSHER)

 

[OHfarmerswife]

If you google search split wing, there are tons of sites and toons of pictures of it. I've got a couple of mine that have it. One POL pullet had our and one of my roos has it. The roo will be a freezer bird in the future and the pullet i think i have a egg laying home that has no interest in breeding chickens and doesn't even own a rooster. It only leaves me with 2 POL pullets and tons of non split wing roos, both crested and uncrested(if anyone needs one let me know, my NPIP will be up to date soon! One is from BHEP and the others are from KYTINPUSHER)

thanks mini I will dosome reading

 

[ki4got]

agreed, there is no formal standard for the SFH. BUT, there are certain requirements of the SFH that have to be met, in order for the bird to BE a SFH... and in order to keep the breed viable, some choices have to be made, ESPECIALLY since we have such a small gene pool...

yes, over the last 500 years the sfh has evolved into what it is, but less than 50 years ago, it was nearly extinct. so since then people have been working to restore it, and making selections to continue the breed's survival. they may not be selections for anything obvious to anyone but the person breeding them, but it's doubtful they let all roosters live with all the hens and never ate one of them... and as such, that is 'breeding' not natural selection.

as far as split wing, it is considered a fault in every recognized breed. it is also present in nearly every breed I've ever encountered. some more so than others. with such a limited gene pool, yes the split wing seems to be more common, but it's still a fault. just as having a sfh that has no mottling, or a pea comb or rose comb would be considered a fault.

every breed has evolved through a series of selections, whether consciously made or not...

what we (as a group of sfh breeders) have come to a consensus with, is a series of things the sfh IS, and things it isn't...

Hens weigh 4-4.5 poounds, cocks 5-6 pounds.

They have a medium sized single comb, which may be wavy in crested birds. Wattles are well developed.

The eyes are orange to red and round.

Legs are yellow. On some darker colored birds, the legs may be dusky or mottled, but the bottoms of their feet should still be yellow.

They may be crested or uncrested, but the crest should not be overly large so as to impair vision from above or behind.

The roosters have a nicely rounded breast and upright stance (some describe it as 'proud'). Hens also have a nicely rounded breast but a more horizontal stance typically. Tails on both sexes should be raised above the level of the back and well spread. (pinched tails indicate a narrow frame, poor laying ability and smaller eggs)

The base coloration of the birds will vary, including red, orange, brown, black, blue and yellow.

Both sexes will display varying degrees of mottling (ie the flowers they are known for).

Things considered faults would be split wing (missing the first or axial flight feather), side sprigs on the comb, wry tail or dropped tail... if the only sfh you have has faults, I would say use it until you can replace it with something better. yes they are faults, yes they are insidious and stick around for generations, but they can be worked with if the bird is otherwise exceptional. if it's got more than one fault, I'd say pass on by and find another bird, personally.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Here's my newest little Swede at 5 weeks old.




And the proud parents:

Miss Gray at 9 mos.







"Mister" at 9 mos.