Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[redhen689]

I have a question about feed for SFH chicks. It was suggested that I feed SFH chicks an organic, non-GMO 24% protein feed. Unfortunately, I can't find that.

This is what I have available: 1) Dumor 24% protein chick starter (Tractor Supply), 2) Purina Flock Raiser (20% protein), 3) Purina Start and Grow (18% protein), and 4) Scratch and Peck Naturally Free Chick Starter (20.5% protein). The Scratch and Peck feed is organic and non-GMO. Any thoughts on which would be best to use?

I have used a variety of different feeds. I think a lot depends on if you want to raise them organic or not.

 

[redhen689]

Here are our first SFH chicks we hatched from a friends eggs. They are 3 weeks old. Would love some input on them. All are "flowering" in, though some significantly more than others. Some have "flowers" in areas that were too tough to photograph alone.
Also, I would appreciate any insight as to pullets or cockerels for any you can see well enough to tell. Thank you!

Chick #1





Chick #2
Has a lot of dark blue undertones. Flowers coming out on wings, shoulders & base of tail
The least amount of flowering of all the chicks.





Chick #3
Lots of color, light blue undertones. Two pix of same chick with different lighting
I'm not the best photographer




Chick #4
Similar coloring to #2, but overall lighter & more of the flowering.
Has a strong, but light blue undertone.





Chick #5
The lightest chick in the bunch.

Look at the combs and waddles to tell the sex. #2 looks like a cockerel. I can't see the others well enough to know. It is still early, you might need to give them a few more weeks.

 

[UrbanFarmOC]

5 babies from what I can tell so far! 4 yellow ones and 1 black one. So exciting and so surprised they hatched early. Unfortunately for me, they're all hiding behind mama, so I can only take pictures through the tiny holes of the wire mesh.

 

[THeelChickinKY]

@song of joy

My experience with feed: we order a whole grain organic feed but one time we ran out before the new shipment came in. We filled in with pellet feed from TS and within a couple of days our chickens had diarrhea. We have since supplemented with whole grains, non-organic, bought in bulk from the local feed store. This didn't cause any problems, though the chickens don't seem to like it as much. My thought: I don't think the organic is as big a deal as getting whole grains over the pellet feed. Do you have an option for that?

 

[LisaLouHoo]

5 babies from what I can tell so far! 4 yellow ones and 1 black one. So exciting and so surprised they hatched early. Unfortunately for me, they're all hiding behind mama, so I can only take pictures through the tiny holes of the wire mesh.

Congrats!! You won't get the "hands on" experience with raising chicks using a broody, but it's fun to watch mother nature at its finest. If you have a cooperative broody, you can just reach in and grab a chick once in awhile to get them used to you. I've received a few pecks, but not bad. So cool!!

 

[UrbanFarmOC]

Congrats!! You won't get the "hands on" experience with raising chicks using a broody, but it's fun to watch mother nature at its finest. If you have a cooperative broody, you can just reach in and grab a chick once in awhile to get them used to you. I've received a few pecks, but not bad. So cool!!

Agree! While I enjoy the process of raising chicks, being able to witness Mother Nature do her work is priceless.

Sofie now has hatched 6 eggs, with 2 more eggs left. One egg has pipped and peeped, and I don't think the other egg is viable...it's already cold and light compared to other egg. The 2 remaining eggs are ones I put under her. The egg she stole (I put 7 under her) has already hatched. I guess there is also a slight possibility that she laid an egg in the nest between days 1-3. Either way, based on the shells I found, the extra egg was either a SFH or a SF egg.

Question: do broodies eat the hatched eggshells sometimes? There are a few missing halves of shells.

 

[Leahs Mom]

My broody did eat the shells.

 

[UrbanFarmOC]

My broody did eat the shells.

Ok thanks. I'm trying to do some sleuthing to find out if the extra egg was stolen from a SF or whether she laid one during first couple days of going broody.

 

[THeelChickinKY]

Not only did my broody eat the shells, she and her chicks pecked away the shells that were no-hatch eggs. After the majority had hatched, we left the few remaining with her to see if they might be a couple days late. We walked out to see mom and chicks pecking the shell off a dead/never hatched chick.

 

[UrbanFarmOC]

Not only did my broody eat the shells, she and her chicks pecked away the shells that were no-hatch eggs. After the majority had hatched, we left the few remaining with her to see if they might be a couple days late. We walked out to see mom and chicks pecking the shell off a dead/never hatched chick.

Very interesting!!