Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[Melabella]

Yes...you would think there would be some kind of empathy. But it seems that the lower elders want to be sure that they keep their place above the up-and-coming.

I really don't want my new Swedes to learn this kind of behavior from the older flock. But if they are going to end up acting that way anyhow, it really wouldn't matter I guess. I have not had the 17 week olds in the same area as the elders yet and I'm pondering if I want to get rid of some of the elders before I do. (Most of the elders are hatchery layers. There is only 1 Swede with them but she wants to retain her place too...

This is my exact situation. My goals are to have two flocks. One with my utility/hatchery stock layers, who Clark, my black/lav split ameraucana resides over. And the other with two Swede roos, and hopefully enough girls to keep them off each other. Leigh told me that they get along if there is enough girls to go around and they were raised together. My adult hatchery girls are 3 years old now, and I have started to see a decrease in the egg production, although I must say, their second laying season they were quite generous. I still get two 7/8 egg days from the 9 hens a week but I am sure when they start again next year I will see a marked decline. I have a lot of chicks around here too, and I am thinking of letting my handyman who processes chickens and lives off the land most of them. I will keep my two or three favorites, and the rest can go. I want to hang on to Clark because he has such a wonderful blue egg gene, and love the EE's and purebreds I have hatched from him. I found an excellent shed off Craigslist that can hold 30 birds, and will put the Swedish flock in there. They won't be all swedes at the moment, as I think I am done for the year with hatching, although perhaps one more? lol....I have yet to get the run built or prepare the shed for chooks yet, so I have this fantasy that I can grow these birds out in the horse stall that they are in, and then, when I want to integrate the "new flock" I will put them all into a new space, and they all won't be as territorial together. I don't know. Its a way off and I am praying that this new batch of 5 swedes that are a week old, there are at least 3 pullets. I swear two of them are acting like little men all ready. Racing up to my hand when I put it in the brooder to see what I am doing. I just tried to take a picture of one of them, and he was fretting over the others like a protector all ready. He is a beauty though!

MB

 

[kallan]

For those that have a flock that is mainly SFH... Do you find them to be more peaceful with each other as opposed to the dramatic pecking order issues? Or is it just to be expected with any breed.

From my experience, with 19 hens and trying to incorporate another 6 hens in with them for about 2 months, I would say they share the same traits as all chickens. The chest bumping and pecking got so bad that I have the 6 young ones in a separate area in the run for now. Aggressiveness continues. I want to release them soon, so they will have more room and a warm spot for the winter. My run is large and my coop is fairly large, too. It's a 10 x 16 shed that I have divided, so they have access to both sides which give them (2) 5 x 10 areas with lots of floor space and multiple roosts at windows and higher up. I use the middle area another 5 x 10 that I may give them in the future if the pecking order doesn't get better. Just today, I had to remove the two older hens because the 17 are starting to lay now and these older hens keep chasing them away from the 6 nest boxes. I may have to rig up outside nest boxes for all. I'm not sure how to handle it.

If anyone would like one of the first three roosters, I'd be glad to meet someone halfway?....2 hours or so to give them a good home. Maybe scaling down to 2 roosters will help the hens disposition with one another. The other two roosters are not in with the hens. I am free ranging one and the other roo is in with a few young cochin hens. I will post photos of some of the ladies.

 

[Bulldogma]

Nero at 11 weeks

Amazing!

That has to be one of the most gorgeous roosters I have ever seen.

He is breathtaking, isn't he?

Looking good I'm glad snoleapords showed up in the flocks.

MEEEEEEE too!!!

Quote: Keep scrolling...

Hi redrooster....I have absolutely NO idea...he is 11 weeks old, and this trio I own that is growing out is my first ownership with Swedish Flower Hens. I have 5, week olds in the brooder. I bought the eggs from BYC member Bullogma who I bother with complete regularity asking questions. I am sending the answer to your question out to her...as she will give us an answer, and usually does so with a beautiful photo or two of an adult with very similar coloring if not exactly. She has hatched a LOT of eggs and as she says..."you never know what you will get" , she has had a tremendous amount of experience with seeing chicks at hatch, and knowing how they turn out. I will keep the pictures coming as they grow!

How many SFH do you own?

MB

Lee - the rooster above, is a blue-based snoleopard. He looks just like the hen I believe is his great grandmother - or mother, Elinor. Here is Elinor - not that the snoleopard gene is harder to see on these blue-based birds.
Carmela - if he came out of a very white egg with an E on it, then Elinor is his mom. Otherwise he is a son of Snoleopard who is a grand-daughter of Elinor.

 

[redrooster99]

Thanks bulldogma, i love the Swedish flower hens even though I do not own any, but my first breeding project is growing up, they are EE's. I should get chicks from them next spring. Hopefully in the future though I can get some Swedish flowers.

 

[puglady]

Bulldogma, is there a chance of snow leopards from the breeding groups you have now? I know you said you were switching some around a bit but sure am hoping that I might get one from my next batch of eggs from you!

 

[Flowerbh]

What exactly is a snow leopard Swedish flower?

 

[Melabella]

Quote:I know I am a bit slow these days, but you mean to tell me Lee is def a snowleopard as well? Holy smokes.. how in the heck did I catch lightning in a bottle with 2 out of 3 eggs hatched? That is pretty amazing! Now.. I did remember that Elinors egg that didn't hatch this last time was very white. I did go back and look at Lee's hatching pics, and his egg seems very light, but it was not marked. I also have a video of him hatching. Way too CUTE.. and beautiful!

Heading to find the picture to see what you think....

MB
Here is a picture of Nero next to Lee's pipped egg. Egg looks fairly light to me but my IPhone camera leaves a lot to be desired

 

[Bulldogma]

Bulldogma, is there a chance of snow leopards from the breeding groups you have now? I know you said you were switching some around a bit but sure am hoping that I might get one from my next batch of eggs from you!

Getting a snoleopard is always possible with my eggs.

What exactly is a snow leopard Swedish flower?

Snoleopard is a variation of a mille fleur in which the red tones are muted to a light golden orange. In effect, they resemble snow leopards (but the Swedish word is Snöleopard

These amazing color variations are just another reason to love this breed!

All the pullets in the photo below are black-based mille fleur SFH. One has lots of red, one is primarily black and then Snöleopard - my original snöleopard girl that got me interested in breeding more of this very rare coloration.

Quote:
MB - yes - I believe you somehow hit the lottery and got 2 snöleopards. One black based and one blue based. Lee is blue and could have come from either a Snöleopard egg or an Elinor egg... I can't tell in the picture... LOL!

 

[Melabella]

I have always adored this picture. So wonderful

 

[CackleJoy]

I'm guessing these chicks to be about 8 wks old. Edited to say : They could be as young as 6 weeks. It was crazy over the summer and I lost track. Gender help on a few would be great. I think the following are pullets and would like that confirmed

#1





#2





#3




A known cockerel the same age for reference


I have someone who wants to buy a bunch of girls and I don't want to send him home with boys. Thank you!