Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[THeelChickinKY]

@snaffle I agree; it is very strange about the laws. My husband and I have remarked many times how odd it is to have laws protecting hawks because they endangered, and yet there is no legal provision to protect the heritage breeds we raise, such as the Dominique, which are just as endangered. And of course with the Swedes, there aren't a zillion of those around either!

 

[Bulldogma]

@KYTinpusher - I'm so very sorry!

 

[minihorse927]

I'm sorry walli, he was always so gorgeous.

 

[dlcoops]

Curled toes can come from trouble at hatch time. If you catch them right away, you can tape them for a few days and usually they will straighten.

The toes weren't curled at hatch time, it developed a few weeks later. Is it possible it's inherited?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
This is often a "B" vitamin or Vitamin E deficiency.

If you want to go the "natural" route, try giving some tiny chopped raw liver daily for a week or so (for the B vitamins). Lewis Labs Brewers yeast is also a great source for the Bs.

For a less natural route, you can use some children's Poly-Vi-Sol in the waterer. Be sure NOT to use the one with iron added.

Can get Vitamin E capsules, cut them and squeeze onto the feed.

 

[dlcoops]

@Leahs Mom Thank you, I have given them the Durvets vitamins and electrolytes, but perhaps not enough. I will add chopped raw liver to their diet and see if it helps.

 

[TxFlowers]

The toes weren't curled at hatch time, it developed a few weeks later. Is it possible it's inherited?

I had a rooster who was producing chicks that were developing curled or crooked toes after the chicks were a few wks old. This wasn't happening to chicks from another rooster on same diet. In this instance I think there was something hereditary going on.

 

[TxFlowers]

Walli, very sorry about losing that beautiful boy. I remember how much I liked him first time I saw his pictures. Losing ones like that is tough. I pray you have one just like him waiting to hatch!

On a more positive note, I have to share something I was really excited about this morning. I shipped 15 SFH eggs to someone recently. The box took 6 days to arrive! Of course expectations for chicks wasn't very high between being shipped eggs and the delay but just found out that 11/15 developing!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
It could still be a nutrition issue. From the reading I've done, it appears some individuals exhibit a need for a higher amount of certain nutrients. There also seems to be some research that shows that certain deficiencies may not show obvious symptoms in an adult, but that it does affect the health of their offspring. In the offspring, the symptoms of deficiency can show much earlier.

It's a really interesting field of study if you like reading about that sort of thing (which I do just in general)....

Of course, it may be something totally different! But it's at least worth considering.



Edited because of a sentence that needed to be fixed.

 

[KYTinpusher]

Walli, very sorry about losing that beautiful boy. I remember how much I liked him first time I saw his pictures. Losing ones like that is tough. I pray you have one just like him waiting to hatch!

On a more positive note, I have to share something I was really excited about this morning. I shipped 15 SFH eggs to someone recently. The box took 6 days to arrive! Of course expectations for chicks wasn't very high between being shipped eggs and the delay but just found out that 11/15 developing!

Congratulations, TxFlowers! Sending great hatching vibes!