Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[TxFlowers]

I will second Bulldogma's input. You really need to use dry hatching methods with SFH. While my incubator is not the best, Farm Innovations 4200, my results have greatly improved with dry hatching and subsequent jacking up the humidity to the 55-60% range at lock down.

I also find I have better hatches with a dry incubation but last summer when it was really dry for a time and I didn't have any moisture in the incubator, I found that the SFH eggs lost too much moisture because humidity got way to low in the incubator and I lost some that way as well. Humidity was down to like 15% or less and the lighter color eggs like my SFH and my rhodebars evaporated faster than the darker shells. Best bet is to weigh eggs at beginning and periodically though out to be sure you are on the right track with weight loss.

 

[cathiesue]

Well....I have never posted this here because I wasn't sure how y'all would respond

but....

I just gave my large-crested girl a "haircut". She is currently 25 weeks old and it was getting so excessive that I was concerned about the issues you state and also about over-head predator vision for whenever they can get back out on range again.

She is also, unfortunately, a crest-to-crest breeding. No vault. Just a pretty large crest.
So...

I had first started with a very conservative cut but then went out and did "the whole 9 yards". But I did leave her a little "tail" of feathers. She has been seeing much better.


BEFORE:







AFTER:

That is brilliant! I actually let my mom have my Hatsy. Her crest was big enough to qualify as an English Royal Hat! I didn't want to hatch her eggs since I only have crested boys right now. She does do the hop thing that someone else was talking about on here. She pops out of the way and moves really fast! I love these birds.

 

[lawatt]

I also find I have better hatches with a dry incubation but last summer when it was really dry for a time and I didn't have any moisture in the incubator, I found that the SFH eggs lost too much moisture because humidity got way to low in the incubator and I lost some that way as well. Humidity was down to like 15% or less and the lighter color eggs like my SFH and my rhodebars evaporated faster than the darker shells. Best bet is to weigh eggs at beginning and periodically though out to be sure you are on the right track with weight loss.

i am experimenting with a dry-ish hatch this time around (32% humidity til day 18, then up to 65), have nine cream legbar eggs in the incubator + three SFH x isbar eggs (a swedish cross!) that are due to hatch monday or tuesday -- so will see how they do.

 

[TRUE5]

Thank you all for the information! I appreciate it! I will probably be low on humidity (around 40ish) anyways because all eggs are in the bottom part of egg cartons instead of a turner and the cardboard like material is absorbing all the moisture. I have eggs I was instructed not to touch for a few days because the air cells were damaged but they are a different breed. Hope all goes well! Thank you everyone!

 

[TurnipTruck]

not necessarily fatal, some breeds have vaulted skulls and no problems, but they've been bred and selected for it...

I haven't had any vaulted skull sfh survive beyond a couple weeks.

also possibly fatal if they have a huge crest and free range, but thta'ts a side effect of not seeing the predator that ate it. LOL

Meet Mo... he (I think) is a my vaulted skull little guy. He is 8 weeks old and the leader of his pack. By far my most brave little chick.

 

[CackleJoy]

Different topic- someone on a FB group said that the cresting gene in SFH is a "fatal gene" meaning that when you breed two crested birds together you have a much higher chick mortality rate from skull deformities. That's a new one for me. I know it's not true for silkies, Polish, and Cream Legbars so I assume they are just full of it. I know silkies in particular are more susceptible to blows to the head though due to the skull shape. Have any of you with crested flocks experienced higher mortality rates in your chicks?

I saw that discussion and I don't think the person was referring to the crested gene itself as fatal, but the crested to crested breeding which increases the vaulted skulls. Vaulted skulls do appear to increase fatality in SFH chicks. IF they hatch, the odds of survival are slim. Most SFH breeders aim for crested to uncrested breeding to avoid this problem.

 

[CackleJoy]

I have a crested hen I got from GFF that lays a creamy white egg. It isn't white like that of a Leghorn, but it is not tan colored.
I set 6 eggs from a crestedxcrested cross on accident for the NYD hatch...I didn't know which hen was laying large, beautiful creamy-white eggs. Half didn't hatch; they were fully formed but had crazy vaults. I saw one hatch, and knew instantly it had a vault but it did well..I also raise Silkies... A second one hatched with a vault and that one didn't do well and died. The last one did not have a vault. Until I can separate that crested hen to run with just a noncrested rooster, I pull her eggs...a 50% hatch rate plus a 33% chick death rate is too much for me. I would not call it a lethal gene, but it is not conducive to healthy offspring. It's totally preventable, so I will keep it from happening in my flock.

Interestingly enough, the crested birds originated from a totally different area in Sweden than the noncrested imports.

Regarding that comment about the crested vs non crested imports. Does that mean GFF got their imports from both places? Just interested. I have 2013 GFF chicks as flock starters. Eventually I'd like a cockerel from somewhere else to expand the genetic choices. Would getting eggs or a chick from someone else who has had SFH for a couple years count as different genetics even though the odds are high they came from GFF too?

 

[TxFlowers]

Regarding that comment about the crested vs non crested imports. Does that mean GFF got their imports from both places? Just interested. I have 2013 GFF chicks as flock starters. Eventually I'd like a cockerel from somewhere else to expand the genetic choices. Would getting eggs or a chick from someone else who has had SFH for a couple years count as different genetics even though the odds are high they came from GFF too?

If they were from a different import group, yes, you would have genetically different birds as I understand they were imported from different flocks. I have birds from 2013 chicks and got some birds from someone that got their stock when GFF first imported so they are different genetic line. ALL SFH came from GFF as far as I know but I understand they imported several times from different flocks so each import group should be genetically different from the others, giving us a more genetically diverse population here.

 

[CackleJoy]

If they were from a different import group, yes, you would have genetically different birds as I understand they were imported from different flocks. I have birds from 2013 chicks and got some birds from someone that got their stock when GFF first imported so they are different genetic line. ALL SFH came from GFF as far as I know but I understand they imported several times from different flocks so each import group should be genetically different from the others, giving us a more genetically diverse population here.

Thanks for the input! Notice you have Basque... we just finalized our trio. Started with 10 and culled to 3 pullets and got a new cockerel so our breeding stock is unrelated. I'm very excited to work with both types of ancient land breeds. Although I do think the SFH are unmatched for their beauty and diversity!

 

[TxFlowers]

Thanks for the input! Notice you have Basque... we just finalized our trio. Started with 10 and culled to 3 pullets and got a new cockerel so our breeding stock is unrelated. I'm very excited to work with both types of ancient land breeds. Although I do think the SFH are unmatched for their beauty and diversity!

I am just starting in the Basque. My first hatch 3 months ago was 4 roos and just one pullet! about right for my luck! lol My second hatch a month ago, from a different source, was just one chick but luckily it was a she! So, I do have two pullets and kept two roos so EVENTUALLY I will be able to start raising some. I do have a few more eggs coming soon from the person that this last chick came from so I will try to add to what I already have.

The basque are really funny birds. The chicks are VERY vocal. If they are hungry or need water, they WILL get your attention! They are so bold as to be a nuisance! Hoping to move to more acreage in near future and can't wait to see if these birds are really the awesome foragers that they say they are. I think that I will be happy with them but like you said, the SFH stand alone for their sheer beauty!