Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[15littlem]

Pretty much anywhere. I don't know how to post pics from my phone on here but I can email them. I also have some Swede polish mix pairs. we have a polish hen in the Swede pen. Don't worry the Swede kids have yellow legs and the mixed have slate blue. Basically look like Swedes with blue legs and a beard.

Are they free?

 

[muddyhorse]

Shipping plus the box will be between $40 to 50 depending on. where you are . the boys are 5. I can also deliver within two hours for a little gas money. I will be hitting several shows this fall and can bring them along.

 

[lcatty]

Hi folks. Haven't posted for a long time. I had an experience I wanted to share. I ordered some more Swedes from Greenfire that came in April of this year. One of the chicks came down with what looked like Marek's at about four weeks of age. This happened before in my last order with a hen I had named Sandy, and I ended up putting her down as she never got better. Splayed legs, toes curled, couldn't walk. I did have Sandy's blood tested and to my surprise, whatever it was was NOT Marek's, although it looked just like Marek's. Also had three others in that first batch with slightly crooked toes.

Well, this time from the first I saw the symptoms I put infant vitamins (poly-vi-sol w/out added iron) in the water and gave the chick snacks of foods I knew to have B-12 (hamburger, esp). Well, this hen got better! She's now running around with everyone else, no crooked toes. I began putting the infant vitamins in everyone's water, and have been ever since. I had 16 chicks, plus three more that a broody hen hatched to make a total of 19, and NOT ONE CROOKED TOE.

Long story short, I think these SFHs need B-12, or niacin, or some other vitamin they don't get enough of in their food. I saw an article on the web about curly-toe paralysis. It was a study about Leghorns with this issue, and them getting better on the whole if the vitamins were given early enough. Of course I can't find the article now. Anyway, my advice would be start those vitamins right away from the moment you receive, or hatch, the chicks. I put one and a half to two droppers-full in the gallon size water dispenser.

I know this is anecdotal but I really think vitamin deficiency may be the cause of the curled toes.

 

[Kimbroe1981]

Hi folks. Haven't posted for a long time. I had an experience I wanted to share. I ordered some more Swedes from Greenfire that came in April of this year. One of the chicks came down with what looked like Marek's at about four weeks of age. This happened before in my last order with a hen I had named Sandy, and I ended up putting her down as she never got better. Splayed legs, toes curled, couldn't walk. I did have Sandy's blood tested and to my surprise, whatever it was was NOT Marek's, although it looked just like Marek's. Also had three others in that first batch with slightly crooked toes.

Well, this time from the first I saw the symptoms I put infant vitamins (poly-vi-sol w/out added iron) in the water and gave the chick snacks of foods I knew to have B-12 (hamburger, esp). Well, this hen got better! She's now running around with everyone else, no crooked toes. I began putting the infant vitamins in everyone's water, and have been ever since. I had 16 chicks, plus three more that a broody hen hatched to make a total of 19, and NOT ONE CROOKED TOE.

Long story short, I think these SFHs need B-12, or niacin, or some other vitamin they don't get enough of in their food. I saw an article on the web about curly-toe paralysis. It was a study about Leghorns with this issue, and them getting better on the whole if the vitamins were given early enough. Of course I can't find the article now. Anyway, my advice would be start those vitamins right away from the moment you receive, or hatch, the chicks. I put one and a half to two droppers-full in the gallon size water dispenser.

I know this is anecdotal but I really think vitamin deficiency may be the cause of the curled toes.

I totally agree. I give all my newborns poly visol in their water from the time they're born. Seems to really help them with crooked toes. My very first batch of eggs that I was able to get any chicks out of I had one with spraddle leg & curled toes and I braced it's legs and gave him the vitamin, he perked right up with in a few hours his toes were uncurled and was able to stand.

It also seems to give them a boost of energy!

 

[welasharon]

Hi folks.  Haven't posted for a long time.  I had an experience I wanted to share.  I ordered some more Swedes from Greenfire that came in April of this year.  One of the chicks came down with what looked like Marek's at about four weeks of age.  This happened before in my last order with a hen I had named Sandy, and I ended up putting her down as she never got better.  Splayed legs, toes curled, couldn't walk.  I did have Sandy's blood tested and to my surprise, whatever it was was NOT Marek's, although it looked just like Marek's.  Also had three others in that first batch with slightly crooked toes.  

Well, this time from the first I saw the symptoms I put infant vitamins (poly-vi-sol w/out added iron) in the water and gave the chick snacks of foods I knew to have B-12 (hamburger, esp).  Well, this hen got better!  She's now running around with everyone else, no crooked toes.  I began putting the infant vitamins in everyone's water, and have been ever since.  I had 16 chicks, plus three more that a broody hen hatched to make a total of 19, and NOT ONE CROOKED TOE.  

Long story short, I think these SFHs need B-12, or niacin, or some other vitamin they don't get enough of in their food.  I saw an article on the web about curly-toe paralysis.  It was a study about Leghorns with this issue, and them getting better on the whole if the vitamins were given early enough.  Of course I can't find the article now.  Anyway, my advice would be start those vitamins right away from the moment you receive, or hatch, the chicks.  I put one and a half to two droppers-full in the gallon size water dispenser.   

I know this is anecdotal but I really think vitamin deficiency may be the cause of the curled toes. 

I had this happen with my tolbunt polish as well. I will routinely put crushed vitamin B complex tablets in chick feed from now on

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Hi Icatty, I agree it's a good idea!! I did it with the last two batches of chicks. How long do you put it in their water? I did it for about 4 weeks. I didn't do it with the chicks I let my broody hatch out and so far so good...but, I think it matters for those that need it. Thanks for the great observation and sharing your experiences. There's a lot to learn about these birds.

On another note....I purchased some chicks from a someone who claims they are pure SFH's. I do believe that THEY believe that to be true...however, I believe they're not. Mistakes happen, eggs and chicks get mixed up, hens get loose from their pens (maybe the kids let them out and didn't tell mom or dad)...whatever the reason. If in doubt don't pass them off!!!! I have bought different breeds of birds from 4 different BYC'ers this hatching season and ALL 4 ended up NOT being what they were supposed to be. Even with the assurance of "I KNOW..." from the seller. Fortunately, 3 sellers were gracious about it...the 4th still not admitting it despite the pictures I sent. None of the above persons post on this thread, just letting you know so nobody feels uncomfortable about commenting.

I'm only keeping SFH roosters and my little bantam NN....I would think I'd be able to tell if he sired the hatch. LOL....anyhow, just wanted to people to be aware and careful when picking birds to add to their pure flocks of SFH's.

 

[Dahlisgrams]

Hi Icatty, I agree it's a good idea!! I did it with the last two batches of chicks. How long do you put it in their water? I did it for about 4 weeks. I didn't do it with the chicks I let my broody hatch out and so far so good...but, I think it matters for those that need it. Thanks for the great observation and sharing your experiences. There's a lot to learn about these birds.
On another note....I purchased some chicks from a someone who claims they are pure SFH's. I do believe that THEY believe that to be true...however, I believe they're not. Mistakes happen, eggs and chicks get mixed up, hens get loose from their pens (maybe the kids let them out and didn't tell mom or dad)...whatever the reason. If in doubt don't pass them off!!!! I have bought different breeds of birds from 4 different BYC'ers this hatching season and ALL 4 ended up NOT being what they were supposed to be. Even with the assurance of "I KNOW..." from the seller. Fortunately, 3 sellers were gracious about it...the 4th still not admitting it despite the pictures I sent. None of the above persons post on this thread, just letting you know so nobody feels uncomfortable about commenting.
I'm only keeping SFH roosters and my little bantam NN....I would think I'd be able to tell if he sired the hatch. LOL....anyhow, just wanted to people to be aware and careful when picking birds to add to their pure flocks of SFH's.

Good to know. Thanks for the heads up.

Also, thanks very much for the vitamin tip! I've got a group of 3 week olds that will be getting some for at least a week. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Kimbroe1981]

So I sent an email to the lady on ebay where Bear came from. I told her of my concerns of Bear's pure blood line. Here is her response:

"Thanks for checking on this - all of our breeds are separated in individual pens and do not mix and mingle - so I wonder if it could be an outcropping from some breed improvement birds that Greenfire used. Very odd, and please let me know what they say. I haven't noticed any of ours having strange colored legs, but I will double check. We do have one that is about 2 weeks old that looks to be red with one solid black wing - definitely an outcropping I would think. I will be watching it to see if the color changes."

I sent Greenfire Farms an email and they wanted to see a pic of Bear. I sent them that on Friday and am waiting on a reply. Will keep ya'll posted.

Oh, What is outcropping?

 

[welasharon]

So I sent an email to the lady on ebay where Bear came from. I told her of my concerns of Bear's pure blood line. Here is her response: "Thanks for checking on this - all of our breeds are separated in individual pens and do not mix and mingle - so I wonder if it could be an outcropping from some breed improvement birds that Greenfire used. Very odd, and please let me know what they say. I haven't noticed any of ours having strange colored legs, but I will double check. We do have one that is about 2 weeks old that looks to be red with one solid black wing - definitely an outcropping I would think. I will be watching it to see if the color changes." I sent Greenfire Farms an email and they wanted to see a pic of Bear. I sent them that on Friday and am waiting on a reply. Will keep ya'll posted. Oh, What is outcropping?

perhaps she meant outcrossing. People have used other birds to outcross the tolbunt to to improve health and body issues. I got one little extra tolbunt from greenfire that is a throwback to a russia orloff outcrossing. Cute thing. It happens occasionally.

 

[Kimbroe1981]

Quote: So is that bad? I guess I don't understand the significance of that. Can I breed him/her with my SFH or will I need to keep Bear separate?