The Svart Hona (Swedish Black Hen) Thread!

[campingshaws]

I got a few updated pics of the flock.

One-eyed Jack. I think he's the best overall, except for his earlobes. I like his shape.

Bjorn Ironsides. He's the offspring of my original pair. He has a fuller body and smaller comb. He's younger than Jack, so hoping his tail comes in a bit more.

Mr. Crow is in the background here. He's the genetic brother to Jack, and was crowing in the brooder at 3 weeks old. He has red? mulberry? earlobes. He's also smaller than Jack.

And a few group shots. The hens were focused on foraging and wouldn't look up. :/

 

[Zoomie]

@campingshaws pretty cool to see them all out foraging like that. Your flock is gorgeous, and One-Eyed Jack is really handsome. Have you had a comb that falls over yet? One of my cockerels has a comb that is already tilting to one side. I guess I'll try and learn what a really good straight comb should look like in other breeds of chicken, and try and choose based on that, but boy, there is a lot to consider - feathers, shape, color, disposition etc.

 

[campingshaws]

@campingshaws
 pretty cool to see them all out foraging like that. Your flock is gorgeous, and One-Eyed Jack is really handsome. Have you had a comb that falls over yet? One of my cockerels has a comb that is already tilting to one side. I guess I'll try and learn what a really good straight comb should look like in other breeds of chicken, and try and choose based on that, but boy, there is a lot to consider - feathers, shape, color, disposition etc. 

Thanks! I love them. Ragnar had a brother with a tilted comb, which is what turned me against him. Lagertha and about half of the pullets do also, but according to the standard that's alright as long as it doesn't impede the vision? That's what I remember? I decided to focus on color, first. Two of the cockerels out in the layer coop have side sprigs on their combs, which is why they're with the layers. BUT they are nice and black, so it's tempting to add them back in. I'm not sure how hard sprigs would be to correct.

Edit: I also don't keep mean cocks, so disposition works itself out for the most part.

 

[Zoomie]

Yeah, I don't think you can tackle everything at once, you have to start somewhere and then go from there. With my Nubian dairy goats I started with good feet and legs... and then built on that. I expect the same with the birds. I'll try and fix on something, and then go from there and try and get everything else in order.

Yes, that's the way I understand the standard too, that as long as the comb does not impede vision it's OK. Also, I think they said that ears could be blue? I might be wrong about that... I was very interested in the green color in the feathers being called for. You do see some with a purple sheen and the standard said it was better if they were green. Mine all seem to be green so that's something right there.

It would be pretty cool if we had a standard in the US so we were all singing off the same page, so to speak.

 

[campingshaws]

Yeah, I don't think you can tackle everything at once, you have to start somewhere and then go from there. With my Nubian dairy goats I started with good feet and legs... and then built on that. I expect the same with the birds. I'll try and fix on something, and then go from there and try and get everything else in order. 

Yes, that's the way I understand the standard too, that as long as the comb does not impede vision it's OK. Also, I think they said that ears could be blue? I might be wrong about that... I was very interested in the green color in the feathers being called for. You do see some with a purple sheen and the standard said it was better if they were green. Mine all seem to be green so that's something right there. 

It would be pretty cool if we had a standard in the US so we were all singing off the same page, so to speak. 

I know! I've seen purple sheens on some of mine, but I preferred it to the plain green. :/ I'll have to double check them, maybe start a pen of green/purple. Or maybe it was the mixes that came up with purple... Can't remember. I was encouraged by the blue/gray earlobes because I've been trying for black. I do think that Jack's are too light, compared to Bjorn.

 

[Coyox]

Hey guys!

My babies were shy about coming outside for a while, but I finally managed to catch them while they were out in the daylight! So I finally got some pics.

These guys are 12 weeks old-- 3 roosters and a hen (terrible luck, but I love them anyway). Pullet's name is Token (because she's the only girl), and the biggest cockarel's name is Ivar. Don't know about the others yet! I am so happy with the blacks on Ivar--- he is truly black foot to toe-- I feel so lucky. Especially since the breeder was a cute little boy! I didn't really know what to expect. Not sure where he obtained his though...

 

[Zoomie]

@Coyox nice looking birds! Haha, I too ended up with 3 cockerels and one pullet, and I know someone else with the same ratio of birds. Wouldn't you know it! Still they are very gorgeous and I guess if nothing else, it gives us a good choice in future roosters, picking out the exact right one.

 

[Backyard Hobby]

My Svart Honas started laying today, and I received my first ever SH egg. The egg is relatively small compared to other first eggs from pullets that I keep, but then again the Svart Honas themselves are smaller than my other breeds. This SH egg is oddly round. Is this just because it's a pullet egg, or are rounder eggs to be expected from this breed?

 

[Kindercare]

I'd guess that it's just because it's a pullet egg. Mine lay regularly shaped eggs.

 

[HonaHelp]

Glad I found this thread. Funny...we have 4 svart babies...and at 8 weeks old..it appears that we too have 3 boys and 1 girl.....
New to chickens, love, love, love the all ebony birds--gorgeous creatures....
now---what to do with THREE male birds?!!