Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[Leahs Mom]

@Melabella
Ohhhh, I wish my coop were done and you weren't so FAR from me!

It will make you feel better to know that none of the ones I need to move on are Swedes. So you aren't missing any Swedes this time!

 

[Chipper Chicken]

Whew!

 

[Alpine Chicken]

Hello everybody!

Wanted to ask for a bit of advice. I´ve got 4 young roos (4 months old), and would like to keep 2 for breeding purposes. I´m having trouble deciding which ones to keep. The girls are all different colors, and I have all non-crested. I was thinking of keeping one black-based and one blue-based. Here are some pics:
Number 1: blue-based (looks darker in the picture), he´s my favorite, but unfortunaltely he´s developed a sprig at the side of his comb.

Number 2: Looks a lot like Nr. 1, but isn´t quite as colorful:

Number 3 is a splash, has a winning personality, but I don´t really like how he turned out, and his comb is crooked at the front:

Number 4: he´s the biggest one, black-based. It´s hard to get a picture of him because he´s always on the move. Here are the 2 best I have:

I originally wanted to keep Nr. 1 and Nr. 4, but I´m not sure how much of a problem the sprig is for a breeding roo. Other than the comb issue, they´re all healthy, have no toe problems or split wing. Hoping to hear some opinions!
Thanks!

 

[Melabella]

Can someone post a photo of what a sprig on a comb looks like? Thanks.....

MB

 

[Alpine Chicken]

I´ve taken a couple of close-ups of my boy´s sprig. It´s kind of hard to see on a photo, but it´s the stub on the left sticking out to the side at the back of the comb.

 

[Bulldogma]

Hello everybody!

Wanted to ask for a bit of advice. I´ve got 4 young roos (4 months old), and would like to keep 2 for breeding purposes. I´m having trouble deciding which ones to keep. The girls are all different colors, and I have all non-crested. I was thinking of keeping one black-based and one blue-based. Here are some pics:
Number 1: blue-based (looks darker in the picture), he´s my favorite, but unfortunaltely he´s developed a sprig at the side of his comb.
Those darn sprigs always seem to pop up on the best ones, and unfortunately it is a genetic trait.

Number 2: Looks a lot like Nr. 1, but isn´t quite as colorful:

I like this guy's coloring and the amount of flowering he has. He's young. Hopefully he'll fill out and become nice and deep through the chest and fuller through the shoulder. If he does, he'd be a keeper.

Number 3 is a splash, has a winning personality, but I don´t really like how he turned out, and his comb is crooked at the front:

I really like the shape of this boy, but he seems to have very little flowering. If he had more flowering I'd say he was a keeper, but with so little, I would worry about him passing this trait on to his young.

Number 4: he´s the biggest one, black-based. It´s hard to get a picture of him because he´s always on the move. Here are the 2 best I have:

I like this boy. I think the pictures don't do him justice - yes - they are always on the move, aren't they? This one may be a keeper.

I originally wanted to keep Nr. 1 and Nr. 4, but I´m not sure how much of a problem the sprig is for a breeding roo. Other than the comb issue, they´re all healthy, have no toe problems or split wing. Hoping to hear some opinions!
Thanks!

Of course currently there is no standard for this breed. Because of that I will share what I personally like to see in a cockerel/rooster:

Mace as a cockerel. His chest is filling out nicely. Note the way his neck blends in smoothly to the back and into the chest in the front. Generally this takes a bit of maturity so give the gawky ones time to fill out. As for this particular picture, I'd like to see the wing held higher and tighter to the side. I also want to see more lift to the tail... but as you know, it is hard to get pictures of them when they are standing just right!


Mace as a mature roo. Look how smoothly each body part blends to the next. Deep, full, round chest. Wing held tightly and parallel to the ground. High, wide-set tail but no squirrel tail. Juicy looking drumsticks... (LOL)

In comparison, Mace's father, Gunnar. Gunnar made beautiful chicks (especially when paired with Mace's mom, Ginger), but Gunnar wasn't that great himself.

Gunnar's neck and chest just don't fit together as smoothly as they should. The chest doesn't quite seem deep enough or round enough. The tail is a bit high and again, the back and tail don't merge smoothly. The wings are also carried a bit low. His coloration was beautiful, and he crossed really well with the hens I had at the time, but he wouldn't be a keeper in my current breeding setup.

 

[Alpine Chicken]

Thank you, Bulldogma, for the detailed answer! Mace is really a beautiful roo, and I could really see what you mean about body form by seeing the pictures of him and Gunnar and by reading your description. Now I know which two I´ll keep. I´m afraid sprig-boy will have to go, and I was thinking the same thing about lack of flowering on the splash-boy. So I´ll be keeping Nr. 2 and Nr. 4. Hopefully next year I´ll have lots of new roos to choose from. Thanks again!

 

[gootziecat]

Before I get involved with a breed, I always want to know the particulars of the utility value. Don't hear much about butchering the cockerels and how old they are to be considered worth butchering, or even if they are worth butchering. Since SFHs are a "smaller" large breed, do they fill out rather quickly or are they simply not to be considered meat value? Also several places I have read SFHs lay large eggs. What I have seen have all been what I would call a medium to large-medium, not a large. Are different strains different in these categories? All imported from GFFs they should be relatively consistent.
Thanks.

 

[ki4got]

Before I get involved with a breed, I always want to know the particulars of the utility value. Don't hear much about butchering the cockerels and how old they are to be considered worth butchering, or even if they are worth butchering. Since SFHs are a "smaller" large breed, do they fill out rather quickly or are they simply not to be considered meat value? Also several places I have read SFHs lay large eggs. What I have seen have all been what I would call a medium to large-medium, not a large. Are different strains different in these categories? All imported from GFFs they should be relatively consistent.
Thanks.

considering I also raise Dorkings, who are one of the best breeds for meat (IMO), the sfh doesn't show a very good carcass. but that being said, they DO grow enough meat to make a meal. so it just depends on what you're looking for.

I would classify the sfh as an ornamental breed primarily, with benefits of eggs and meat as needed, but not their primary goal.

 

[Bulldogma]

Thank you, Bulldogma, for the detailed answer! Mace is really a beautiful roo, and I could really see what you mean about body form by seeing the pictures of him and Gunnar and by reading your description. Now I know which two I´ll keep. I´m afraid sprig-boy will have to go, and I was thinking the same thing about lack of flowering on the splash-boy. So I´ll be keeping Nr. 2 and Nr. 4. Hopefully next year I´ll have lots of new roos to choose from. Thanks again!

Now I have some questions for you.

Do you have any of the history of how the Swedish Flower Hen breed came to Austria? Did the bloodlines come from Germany or the UK? Do you happen to know who brought them to Germany? How long have they been there and who imported them?

I collect any and all information I can get on this wonderful breed!

Thank you for ANY information you can give me!!
Leigh