Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[Bulldogma]

This is what a Swedish breeder associated with the Gene Bank has to say (translation):

When they found the last strains of the Skåne blommehönan were three unrelated strains remain. In one tribe from the area around Vomb in Skåne had animals cap. In my pack is this predisposition. When we breed so it's important not to have too many animals with cap then this is a dominant trait. If one extreme begets front bonnets , these may be too big and then it becomes a handicap for the animals. The cap blocks the view upwards so they do not look especially good raptors . Will the cap too big so affected also animal sidescan . As guidance does one have around 40% hättade animals in his flock.
http://www.guldtuppen.n.nu/skanska-blommehons
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Breeders working withing the rules of the Gene Bank are discouraged from creating birds that are homozygous for the crested gene. I do find it interesting that this is specified to the breeders in Sweden.

 

[redhen689]

I just cracked open 2 eggs that had been in my incubator, that I thought were dead, as hatch day should be Tuesday, and they didn't appear to be growing. One had stopped developing about halfway through. The other one was larger. When I pulled the membranes back, I realized it was trying to breathe. I think it was much smaller than it should have been though, so it probably wouldn't have survived anyway, or at least that's what I'm telling myself.
I was surprised how thick and tough the membranes were on these two eggs. I'm wondering how the chicks break through!

 

[5moore]

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.

I understand GFF imported at different times from different parts. But when you dont buy your birds directly from GFF, what should one do to be sure there flock is as diverse as possible? I bought a trio from some one plus eggs that I hatched last year. She states her birds came from "two different lines". None of her birds came directly from GFF. So is there a concern with me taking eggs from them, hatching them, and then putting those hatched back into my flock?

 

[redhen689]

if the blue egg gene in the hen is homozygous... it's dominant, so if she carries 2 copies then yes. if she was a cross of something else to begin with and only carries 1 copy, then 50/50.

as for your crested chick, I'd dare say that someone IS crested but very minimally that it's not really noticeable. I've seen some that were "not crested" but had slightly longer head feathers than normal... it's especially possible in roos, since their crests aren't usually horribly noticeable.

And if the hen inherits a blue gene and a brown/tan gene, you'll get olive colored eggs that are blue on the inside of the shell, because the blue coloring goes all of the way through the shell, and the brown color is just a thin coating on the outside of the shell. I used to have a mixed flock which produced eggs of nearly every color under the sun.

 

[shotzy007]

you are correct, it might have struggled longer, but would not have hatched

 

[FeyRaine]

I just cracked open 2 eggs that had been in my incubator, that I thought were dead, as hatch day should be Tuesday, and they didn't appear to be growing. One had stopped developing about halfway through. The other one was larger. When I pulled the membranes back, I realized it was trying to breathe. I think it was much smaller than it should have been though, so it probably wouldn't have survived anyway, or at least that's what I'm telling myself.
I was surprised how thick and tough the membranes were on these two eggs. I'm wondering how the chicks break through!

I'm sorry to hear that. There could be many different reasons of course, but a colder than should be incubator (or cold spot where that egg was) would be a likely cause and one that you could do something to fix on your next time hatching. I speak from personal experience on this, I had literally 12 different thermometers and no two agreed when placed side by side which explained several low hatch rates in my own early attempts at incubation! Chin up and best of luck for your future hatching...

 

[ancientoaks]

you do not come across in the way you write that what you are stating is just your opinion. you state it as a fact so what your now saying is that it is just your opinion that crested to crested is a lethal gene and that Swedish flower hens are not like normal chickens. It is a fact that the gene for the crest is not a lethal gene.

It all comes down to what you prefer. Yes the crested birds came from farms that were farther to the north but they are still Swedish flower hens and being bred and preserved in the country of origin. So why should we in the US change the breed by breeding away from the crested birds.

What your saying just doesn't make any sense.

 

[ki4got]

you do not come across in the way you write that what you are stating is just your opinion. you state it as a fact so what your now saying is that it is just your opinion that crested to crested is a lethal gene and that Swedish flower hens are not like normal chickens. It is a fact that the gene for the crest is not a lethal gene.

It all comes down to what you prefer. Yes the crested birds came from farms that were farther to the north but they are still Swedish flower hens and being bred and preserved in the country of origin. So why should we in the US change the breed by breeding away from the crested birds.

What your saying just doesn't make any sense.

it would help immensely if you quoted what or who you are referring to... I don't recall anyone saying crested is a lethal gene. just that crested to crested CAN cause problems in chicks with vaulted skulls IN THIS BREED...

 

[ancientoaks]

When you say the chicks will not hatch because of it and if they do hatch will die shortly after hatching you are saying it is a lethal gene. It is obvious what posts are being talked about.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
So it sounds like I won't know until the first egg is laid!