Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[anniesmom]

I don't believe so...at least they're not supposed to. Someone on here was sold a different breed by accident. I personally just bought a Jersey Giant that has grown into an Australorp. It happens when you're hatching out a variety of different birds all at once. Do you have a picture you can post?

I haven't seen any with dark legs either and I got really carried away with sticking eggs in the incubator. All the chicks have yellow legs.

 

[KYTinpusher]

None of mine have dark legs, either. All yellow. However, I am curious if anyone else whose hens are laying are getting light brown eggs. My older SFH are laying beautiful light cream eggs, but all of my younger group are laying light brown, almost as dark as my Barred Rocks. Anyone else? They sure look pure SFH to me. The older and younger groups are from two separate sources, both of which I believe to have integrity. The chicks I just hatched from the younger ones appear to be SFH, but they are only 3 days old, so time will tell.

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[tnchickenut]

Hello!

Just read the last page... my SFHs have yellow legs. The babies I have hatched from them have yellow legs. Also, the eggs I get from my pair have almost white eggs, but I did buy some off ebay to diversify the colors in my flock more... and the eggs were darker (not as dark as a BRs). Only one made it to lockdown and it didn't do so well getting out. I poked a hole in the egg like you do with call ducks (which I also have experience with, so I know how to properly do this) and the chick was black... mine that hatched had a yellow/greyish fluff. This chick was as black as coal. Anyone? Thoughts? Experiences?

Anywho... happy to talk to ya'll about Swedes... I love mine and really enjoy the "pot luck" of hatching them when it comes to color. What a break from breeding strictly to SOP standards. That is my favorite part of the SFHs.

ETA: the chick never made it out. it died in the shell, but I could see in the egg clearly. If you ever hatched calls and helped them properly, you'd understand what I'm saying.

 

[anniesmom]

None of mine have dark legs, either. All yellow. However, I am curious if anyone else whose hens are laying are getting light brown eggs. My older SFH are laying beautiful light cream eggs, but all of my younger group are laying light brown, almost as dark as my Barred Rocks. Anyone else? They sure look pure SFH to me. The older and younger groups are from two separate sources, both of which I believe to have integrity. The chicks I just hatched from the younger ones appear to be SFH, but they are only 3 days old, so time will tell.

Mine are light cream colored eggs. One girl lays almost white eggs.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Mine lay a very pale egg but I understand that they can lay in a range of brown shades.

 

[gootziecat]

How does this breed co-minigle with others? In other words, where are they on the aggression scale when you integrate new chickens or they are put in a new pen with other chickens? How aggressive are the roosters? Do they learn to get along or do some real damage to each other? I'm sure there will be more questions. lol.
Thanks.

 

[hipeatall]

I "brooded" my SFH chicks with some Fluffy Ameraucana chicks and all they get along just wonderfully. My SFH's have already started mingling with my adult Olive Egger's and seem to do fine with them as well... my Olive Egger's are pretty sweet birds, even the rooster. One really cool thing I have noticed is that the Ameraucana's I raised with the SFH's seem to be way more personable than the other ones (older siblings) that I have that I raised separately from the SFH's... I think the SFH's outgoing fun little personalities may have rubbed off on the Ameraucana's. My cockerels are too young for me to make a call on aggressiveness... but from what I've read here and on other websites (ie Greenfire Farms website), they are not usually prone to aggressive behavior... I'm hoping that is true because I would love to keep a few of my roos around - they are just beautiful.

How does this breed co-minigle with others? In other words, where are they on the aggression scale when you integrate new chickens or they are put in a new pen with other chickens? How aggressive are the roosters? Do they learn to get along or do some real damage to each other? I'm sure there will be more questions. lol.
Thanks.

 

[gootziecat]

Thanks for the input, hipeatall. I went back several pages and also picked up some additional information. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to hear anything else on the subject!

 

[tnchickenut]

How does this breed co-minigle with others? In other words, where are they on the aggression scale when you integrate new chickens or they are put in a new pen with other chickens? How aggressive are the roosters? Do they learn to get along or do some real damage to each other? I'm sure there will be more questions. lol.
Thanks.

I currently only have experience with one roo... he wasn't aggressive until he neared the year old mark... now he flogs the crap out of you for nothing. I was told by the person I got them from that the boys can be aggressive.
In reference to greenfire's statement of them not being aggressive... just because you read it on the internet, doesn't make it true. lol

I STILL wouldn't put him in the catagory of worst aggression I have ever dealt with. His hits are more like warnings than real punches. It might also be because I keep him and her inside alot more than I would normally do (they are in a 5x8ft coop) becuase they are... well... special... and I have had some preditor issues lately. Normally I would range them as much as possible, but lately I can only let them out for about a hour or two in the evenings, then only some evenings.

Hope that helps. maybe more people will tell their stories of their roos because I'm wondering if it is JUST him... but I'm thinking it is not, from what I heard from the previous owner.

 

[Muzzie]

I am also interested in the aggression level I just picked up two SFH roos they are currently together but they are only going to be 8 weeks old. I don't want to fear going into my own yard. They are so beautiful and I would hate to keep them locked up for the humans safety.