Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[Sylvester017]

I just got back from my dad's wedding up in sac and brought home 5 sweds. 2 roos and 3 hens. I'm so excited, my hubby was less than thrilled but a good sport!

Nice juveniles! And don't be surprised when your DH starts taking over the care of the birds (like mine did)! I never complained when he started rising at 5 a.m. to let them out and feed them and collect their eggs. He even cleans out their coop and pen. He loves those little fluffies as much as me.

 

[Loba06]

Nice juveniles!  And don't be surprised when your DH starts taking over the care of the birds (like mine did)!  I never complained when he started rising at 5 a.m. to let them out and feed them and collect their eggs.  He even cleans out their coop and pen.  He loves those little fluffies as much as me.

Way to funny! Actually I got turkeys last year that are in the pen next to them and he loves them! He did exactly that, he gets up and feeds and waters them. And he then tells me that we should let them out more. Well I now only let them out when we are home, otherwise they go terrorize anybody who walks by.
I'm way excited about my sweds though. I actually brought home 12 but was bringing 7 for my friend. So I got to pick out who I wanted first.

 

[Stephine]

Does anyone see a roo here? They are five weeks old now.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Does anyone see a roo here? They are five weeks old now.

The one on the left maybe. Right is looking female.

This next week should be good usually for my boys showing real well, barring any late bloomers.

Pretty babies!

 

[Stephine]

The one on the left maybe. Right is looking female.

This next week should be good usually for my boys showing real well, barring any late bloomers.

Pretty babies! 

Thank you! That was my guess (hope?) as well. The left one has a bit of a crest now, I was wondering if that would make the comb look different or if it might in fact be a little roo. That one also has a tiny bit of an orange tinge to the comb, where the other's is just pale yellowish.
For anyone interested in colors (like I was!) the left one was all yellow with a tiny brown spot on her head, the right one was a lovely reddish dark brown with a cream colored chest as a new chick.
Here's another picture to show their colors now.
I so hope we are looking at Westley and Buttercup!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thank you! That was my guess (hope?) as well. The left one has a bit of a crest now, I was wondering if that would make the comb look different or if it might in fact be a little roo. That one also has a tiny bit of an orange tinge to the comb, where the other's is just pale yellowish.
For anyone interested in colors (like I was!) the left one was all yellow with a tiny brown spot on her head, the right one was a lovely reddish dark brown with a cream colored chest as a new chick.
Here's another picture to show their colors now.
I so hope we are looking at Westley and Buttercup!

Crest can make the comb a little bit wavy looking. Fun to see how the colors change!

 

[LisaLouHoo]

@Loba06

Looks like you have some pretty colors. Your hubby will come around and hopefully fall for them soon

 

[littlejohnacres]

I have 2 SFH roos, I would like to rehome one. Just not enough girls for them. They are very friendly, 6 months old. I am in the Dayton Ohio area.

 

[CarolynF]

Hi,
I'm new to this thread. I keep a VERY small flock of layers and really like to have SFH hens when I can arrange it. It's becoming a more popular breed in my area (Wash. state) so I have a few friends that are actively breeding them. I love the diversity and the breed's characteristics. I've also seen some pictures of SFH from commercial hatcheries. None of them have been good examples of the breed, but the prices are still very high. That seems to be the way it always goes, sadly.

I'm getting 2 new pullets in June and I'm really excited for it. My journey to hatch and raise some last year didn't go well.... (palm to forehead).... to say the least. First I hatched out just 2 chicks, both cockerels. After finding them a new home I got 3 day-old chicks. One was a very pretty little pullet. Then I found out, after 5 years of keeping chickens, that we have pigeon hawks! And yes of course they took the pullet. I'm always on the lookout for eagles and hawks, but I'd never even heard of pigeon hawks until then. So I'm trying again this year, and getting two pullets that are 10 weeks old. One crested and one not. Very happy, too.

 

[niroha]

Well I just incubated my very first round of chicks and they're SFH! I got the eggs from a local gal. I have a couple of questions that maybe some of you all might know.

1. The colors seem to be split into two groups. The light colored ones with a stripe down the back and the solid bodied dark mahogany to near black with a white chest. The last one in the photos is the darkest. What colors do these end up being at maturity?

2. I have two with curled toes. One worse than the other but neither are terrible. Should I attempt to straighten/correct them? I'm leaning towards putting little cardboard shoes on them. Reading through the thread makes it sound like this is something the breed is more prone to. Genetics, nutrition (in an egg?), how they incubate...who knows. Makes me think I shouldn't keep them for breeding though.