Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[jvanstyn]

of 10472

When you all go the broody route, how do the chicks end up as far as socializing with people go? We used a broody for the first time last fall and those resulting chicks were (and the grown chickens still are) petrified of us! One of the pullets won't even walk out through the run door WITH the rest of the flock if it means walking near us! The broody isn't afraid of us. I guess they weren't handled at all as chicks, though, and that's the difference.

My Reply:

My experience with broody raised chickens is that when you spend time with mom and her babies, the babies get to where they aren't alarmed by your presence and they are just as friendly as bator chicks. I let them eat out of my hand and walk on my hand and lap and they get to where they aren't unfriendly and afraid. I don't have many of my SFHs that are friendly, but I did have one that liked you to brush your hand on the top of her comb and she would sit on the back of my Lazy Boy recliner while you sat in it. Her name was Peaches and Cream. I lost her to a hawk attack. It seems to me that the friendlies have a higher predation rate than the non friendly majority and this bums me out.

I also always tried not to get mom riled at me to where she would hurl threats at me for messing with her babies. I always thought that the babies would learn that I'm the boogie man from mom if that happened too much. I don't know if there is any truth to this but it makes sense to me.

Overtly friendly Swedish Flower Hens (SFHs) are always in the minority, no mater if they are bator or broody chicks. I do think that the ratio of friendlies is higher with bator chicks.

 

[Ashdoes]

So, of the five SFH I hatched out, one has some odd feathers. I knew the seller also sold frizzle SFH, which had me a little worried, and she just confirmed that yes, that's a frizzle. She says she must have mislabeled the "surprise" eggs she put in the box. The other three surprise eggs didn't hatch, so I wasn't expecting this. I actually don't want this in my flock, and I'm wondering what I'm supossed to do with her. I guess we'll just wait and see if it's even a hen, and go from there. Our weather here doesn't seem to be the best environment for a frizzle.
My slight concern now is the second set of eggs I just put under my broody, from this seller. Hopefully this was a one time issue.

 

[THeelChickinKY]

@Ashdoes
So sorry! How long ago did you put them under the broody, and how much are you against having a few frizzle hens? The one is not so big a problem, but if several more hatch out, you've got a bigger situation to deal with if you really don't want that in your flock. Good luck!

 

[Ashdoes]

@Ashdoes
So sorry! How long ago did you put them under the broody, and how much are you against having a few frizzle hens? The one is not so big a problem, but if several more hatch out, you've got a bigger situation to deal with if you really don't want that in your flock. Good luck!

They went under the broody last night. I do not want Frizzles at all, I never have, I don't really like the look of them and I worry about how they'll manage in the snow. I'm actually pretty upset about it, but nothing we can do about it now. If more hatch with the broody, I'll dsicuss a refund with the seller. Why would I buy rare eggs, and she think random mixed chickens is ok? I'm not buying these for fun of it.

 

[KYTinpusher]

So, of the five SFH I hatched out, one has some odd feathers. I knew the seller also sold frizzle SFH, which had me a little worried, and she just confirmed that yes, that's a frizzle. She says she must have mislabeled the "surprise" eggs she put in the box. The other three surprise eggs didn't hatch, so I wasn't expecting this. I actually don't want this in my flock, and I'm wondering what I'm supossed to do with her. I guess we'll just wait and see if it's even a hen, and go from there. Our weather here doesn't seem to be the best environment for a frizzle.
My slight concern now is the second set of eggs I just put under my broody, from this seller. Hopefully this was a one time issue.

Honestly, you should not have any trouble selling the frizzle. They are quite popular. I don't like them either, but many people do.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:

That IS upsetting!

 

[ashtree]

 Honestly, you should not have any trouble selling the frizzle. They are quite popular. I don't like them either, but many people do. 

X2 except I love frizzles and I'd certainly buy it if I were closer! Hen or roo I'd love a SFH frizzle. I hope what you hatch now is what you want. I understand paying a lot for eggs and not wanting surprises!

 

[Kaylish]

So, of the five SFH I hatched out, one has some odd feathers. I knew the seller also sold frizzle SFH, which had me a little worried, and she just confirmed that yes, that's a frizzle. She says she must have mislabeled the "surprise" eggs she put in the box. The other three surprise eggs didn't hatch, so I wasn't expecting this. I actually don't want this in my flock, and I'm wondering what I'm supossed to do with her. I guess we'll just wait and see if it's even a hen, and go from there. Our weather here doesn't seem to be the best environment for a frizzle.
My slight concern now is the second set of eggs I just put under my broody, from this seller. Hopefully this was a one time issue.

Please forgive my ignorance here but when did the Frizzle get to be a part of the SFH? I would think that a land-race breed wouldn't carry any frizzle since those would be picked off by predators first. Are they a mix? Or am I missing something?

 

[Ashdoes]

Please forgive my ignorance here but when did the Frizzle get to be a part of the SFH? I would think that a land-race breed wouldn't carry any frizzle since those would be picked off by predators first. Are they a mix? Or am I missing something?

They're a mix, some kid of frizzle olive egger crossed with the SFH. I have no idea what the coloring will be. She's the exact color pattern as two others.
You are 100% right, this is not a natural SFH gene.

 

[ashtree]

They're a mix, some kid of frizzle olive egger crossed with the SFH. I have no idea what the coloring will be. She's the exact color pattern as two others.
You are 100% right, this is not a natural SFH gene.

I guess I was looking at it as similar to sizzles; after so many generations of breeding true to standards (in the case of sizzles-silkie) the offspring should breed true. I thought maybe someone had put a lot of work into making a frizzle that breeds true to SFH standards (Tho I guess I don't even know if there are any established. I know I have some variation in my pure SFH birds) I liked the idea of a frizzle with flowers but an obvious cross is something very different. I would think the seller would refund you the cost of the egg. Tho I doubt that makes up for all the time and energy put into incubating and waiting.....