rare chicken breeds Archives - A Country Girl's Heart -Beats that Matter

1 Shares

I previously shared questions to ask as you decide on specific chicken breeds in the blog post titled What Chicken are Right for You. Today’s post takes you on the next step. When deciding on chickens that are for sale, there are 4 different growth stages to choose from, hatching eggs, chicks, juvenile or grow outs, and adult. Let’s examine different reasons you might choose from adult birds, hatching eggs, chicks or grow outs when choosing your first chickens.

Adult Birds: Choosing your First Chickens

There are a few reasons adult birds are the best options for your new chickens. By purchasing adult chickens, you will not need to wait for them to start laying. You will not need to feed them for the 4 to six months prior to beginning to lay. This, also, applies to birds you are raising for meat if they are heritage breeds.

The modern meat bird is ready to harvest as early as 2-3 months. Either way you will not need to invest the time to wait or the money to feed them. Do expect to pay a higher price for adult birds compared to juveniles or chicks to cover the fact the seller has invested the time and money (that you did not) to raise them.

Juvenile or Grow Outs

Some breeds cannot be easily sexed until 2 or 3 months of age. If you do not want a rooster, waiting for male or female characteristics to appear might be the best route for you. If sounds like you, there are still advantages to purchasing a juvenile over an adult.

If your chickens are your pets, you will be able to bond with them as they finish growing and will be able to decide what they are eating. Feed options such as organic, non-GMO, traditional, or even grow your own feed will be up to you. Raising them yourself allows them to have free range time and finish raising them to your standards. This is not to say that you cannot connect with a breeder that feeds chickens in a manner similar to yours, but that makes your search chickens a little more challenging.

Buying Baby Chickens for Your First Chicks

baby chicks are one option when choosing your first chickens

Purchasing chicks can be a bundle of fun. The cute, little fuzzy babies chirping and running around. When they have had enough of that, their little heads suddenly droop. They slowly lay down and sleep. Whether purchased locally or picking up at the local post office the fun of bringing them home and watching them grow up provides a bit of ole fashioned entertainment.

Other Considerations When Purchasing Chicks.

The act of shipping them through the mail can sometimes cause loss of life, even with the best of packing.
There often is a shipping charge in addition to the price of the chicks.
If you choose to stay local with your purchase, you will be limited to the local breeds of chickens for sale.
Chicks need a heat source until their first feathers grow in.
A brooder of some fashion is needed for chicks until they are old enough.

Hatching Eggs: Choosing Your First Chickens

Hatching your own chicks gives children the experience of seeing a new life develop. The lessons learned go a bit farther than sitting down at a desk and reading a science book. The hands on activity creates an environment where seeds of responsibility and discipline can be planted. The best part is watching a healthy chick pop out of its shell.

A word of truth here: As it is in all aspects of life, the genetic imperfections that fill our world may occur. As an example, a chick may not hatch all the way due to improper development. Or one may hatch, but it did not develop properly. This too is an excellent opportunity to teach a child the facts of disappointment and grief. As adults we know these are a part of life, and what a great time to teach a child how to deal with them in a manner that promotes healthy minds.

Best Option Hatching Eggs vs. Chicks?

Hatching eggs are less expensive vs. chicks. Do not expect every hatching egg to produce a chick. It would be an unusual case for all purchased hatching eggs to hatch. I do not always get a 100% hatch from eggs that travel no farther than from the barn to the house. If the eggs are shipped a general rule of thumb is 50% of the eggs will provide you with new baby chicks.

Let's look at the math for a minute. As an example, with shipping and the price of eggs you have $70 into 12 eggs. If you hatch 6 (50%), the price per chick would be $12. If the same breed of chicken cost $15 and you purchased 6 chicks, you would have spent $90 plus shipping. Congratulations you saved money! and had the fun of hatching. However, this is intended only as an example. The hatching result could go either way resulting in more or less chicks. This is where you decide the risk or chance you are most comfortable with.

In conclusion

Knowing your goals and resources will lay a foundation for choosing your first chickens.

Leave a comment, if you found this helpful and share which stage of a chicken’s life you have decided to purchase.

Pin1

1 Shares

0 Shares

A conversation with a friend a few years ago had me thinking seriously about owning chickens. I was looking for ways to use what I had. On the homestead stood a 30 by 60 chicken barn with a fairly new roof thanks to my spouse. It served a place to store hay and many other items. We called it the shop. I begin looking at chickens online. I came across a picture of a hen that reminded me of a pet chicken my sister and I had as a child. We called her Debbie. A bit of research and I learned the breed of the chicken I had seen Swedish Flower Hens. The practical side of me held back wanting to learn other characteristics of the breed besides being pretty.

What I Learned

Swedish Flower Hens(SFH) came to the United States in 2010 and have been imported at least 4 more times since. This has allowed for a decent size gene pool to work with as a breeder. I have always enjoyed the process of breeding and genetics no matter the species. In the 1970’s SFH’s were found in 3 villages in Sweden. At that time, they were the only ones in existence in the whole world. They are considered a landrace breed similar to a wild mustang or the Chincoteaque ponies where the breed developed on its own. A natural selection process in which the healthiest birds survived and the ones who escaped the cook’s pot. In that manner, humans did intervene to some extent by culling (cooking) the birds of their choice. That would of course remove a bird from further reproducing of said bird’s genetic makeup. However, who is to say if that bird had already reproduced and the line carried on? Swedish Flower Hens developed over years of old from different breeds brought into Sweden.

This breed has a 20% broody rate among hens according to documents from Sweden, but certain breeders in the United States have seen a larger percentage in their flock. There is not a Standard of Perfection (SOP) for this breed, as they are a landrace breed. In the United States, many enjoy showing their chickens. There are certain traits found undesirable for the show ring that do not affect a chicken’s ability to survive in the wild. An example would be a sprig on a comb. The breeding goals of those who raise SFH’s are almost as diverse as the bird itself. Some who raise this breed in the United States work to eliminate springs in the gene pool. Why you might ask? Springs are undesirable in the show ring. Others freely breed those birds who demonstrate this trait or the ability to pass on sprigs on combs. For this reason, I have posted my Swedish Flower Hen breeding goals at CG Heartbeats Farm for this gorgeous breed.

This breed is known for being an egg laying breed over a meat bird. They do not carry a heavy muscle compared to the Silver Gray Dorking, for example. It has been said they are better stew birds. I have eaten roosters that were harvested at 5 months of age. The meat was not tough, and had good flavor. I am certain how it was cooked also played a part. I read the hens lay through the winter and mine have proven that to be true, even when temps are down around 0 degrees. I have not documented the number of eggs specific hens laid in a year, I have read the numbers are 150 to 200 eggs per year. They do not, of course lay through a molt.

I read Swedish Flower Hens tend to demonstrate disease resistance, but not a specific disease they were resistant to. They have certainly proved to be a fertile breed. Not only here at CG Heartbeats Farm, but for other breeders as well.

My first Swedish Flower Hen chicks. I drove 3 hours one way to pick them up. Might be I was well on my way to becoming a crazy chicken lady. I was hooked,

The more I read about them, the more I learned, I wanted to purchase this breed!!! In May of 2016, I purchased 13 chicks, driving 3 hours to pick up them up(pictured above). I was well on my way to earning the title of crazy chicken lady. I remember the excitement as I drove home and the feeling of starting a new adventure. I continue to learn about this breed and chickens in general. All a part of my homesteading journey, I even took a class to become a NPIP tester in the state of Indiana.

Colors of Swedish Flower Hens

The beautiful color variation in the SFH breed often draws a person’s attention, as they did me. The flowery appearance creates a bouquet of beauty in the chicken yard. I have repeatedly seen questions about the colors of SFH’s. My goal is to provide picture examples to clarity these different color patterns. This is not an in-depth article on color genetics, but rather a picture guide. If you would like your own printable PDF containing more pictures and examples consider signing up for the newsletter. As a thank you, the PDF on SFH colors is yours to keep. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Black, blue and splash make up the 3 base colors of Swedish Flower Hens. The secondary color can present in various ways, but one factor remains the same the tips of the feathers should be white giving these birds an appearance of a flower. Hence their name. Mille fleur, and snoleopard are secondary colors, if you will. They may present themselves on different base colors such as a black based snow leopard verses a blue based snow leopard. The same is true for all the base colors and secondary colors. To make it super confusing they don’t always present the exact same way. Both pictured are snoleopard, but the first is blue base and the second is black base.

Blue Base Snoleopard
Black Base Snoleopard

I have seen folks new to breed interested in learning the colors. I am a visual learner and so instead of giving a bunch of genetic info to wade through I want to provide a quick guide. Consider joining the newsletter for CG Heartbeats Farm. The emails will notify you of new blog posts, farm updates. At times, I may make you aware of items that are for sale.

The purchase of Swedish Flower Hen chicks was one of the first steps I took in living a homestead live style. I was already planted on 11 acres with older buildings and a variety of soils. Bloom where you are planted they say…

Why would you pick Swedish Flower Hens? Leave a comment with your answer.

To see the 2019 Breeding pens at CG Heartbeats Farm use the links below.

Return to Swedish Flower Hen main page or view a different pen by clicking on the pen page you wish to visit.

Silver Gray Dorking

Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner

NOTE: This page or post contains affiliate links. When you click and make a purchase I earn a portion of the money you spend at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support.

Read in this blog post about my go to incubator in 2019. I include tips I use with this incubator.

The Janoel 12 incubator with chicks I hatched from Pen # 7.