The Svart Hona (Swedish Black Hen) Thread!

[mich9510]

Feeling kind of dumb here but what is the woolly gene? What does it look like? Also, how black are the mouths/tongue supposed to be. I have a few Jonas that have grayish/pinkish mouths. Are they supposed to be like black black?

 

[minihorse927]

Feeling kind of dumb here but what is the woolly gene? What does it look like? Also, how black are the mouths/tongue supposed to be. I have a few Jonas that have grayish/pinkish mouths. Are they supposed to be like black black?

wooly looks like they have silkie feathers instead of normal hard feathers. It is a recessive trait that was hidden in the lines somewhere.

They are a land race breed and will produce varying amounts of fibro coloration. Depending on what you want to breed for depends on what you keep. There is no standard for them here yet so everyone is breeding for what they like.

 

[minihorse927]

again, a few months ago next to a Ohiki hen

this is a wooly

 

[NordicChick]

Does anyone here know where one could aquire some Svart Hona hatching eggs?

 

[campingshaws]

Does anyone here know where one could aquire some Svart Hona hatching eggs?

Sure! I'll have some again soon. These front have them a little messes up right now, but they'll start laying again eventually. You can follow the link in my signature for pics and more info.

 

[NordicChick]

Awesome, Thanks Campingshaws! I'm planning to set some eggs here on the 17/18th of Jan. and again on the 5/6th of Feb. So hoping to have some Svart Hona eggs by then

 

[CrxyChickLdy]

Hatched out some local svart hona eggs. Had to drive a couple hours to pick them up. Out of the 10 eggs, 6 ended up hatching but one didn't make it. Still much better odds than the shipped hatching eggs I got earlier this year where only 1 hatched. They hatched over the weekend and have been busy pecking at each others toes and eyes. I'm surprised everyone still has their eyes intact. Hopefully that behavior is a short phase.

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Did you get these in Washington State? I live in Western MT and have been trying to find a breeder close by. Can you tell me where? Thanks!

 

[Zoomie]

My friend from Norway has translated the document a few pages back on the SOP for the Svart Höna! Yay! Unfortunately she had to leave town immediately for a funeral, but she dropped this off at my house before she left. I'll have to wait until she gets back to ask about the few words I can't understand. Also, some of the words she was not able to translate, I think because she is not really into chickens and doesn't know the words for things like "hackle". So, where she did not know the word, I've put (?) but usually, you can make a pretty good guess. This is what it says:

Background: Originally Swedish landrace - (?) Black Poultry. In 2002 converted to Swedish Black Hen.
Overall impression, disposition: Somewhat primitive, hardy and rugged landrace. Eagerly looking for food, not a great egg layer but competent sitter. Have been bred to conserve breed characteristics with the introduction of other breeds.
Breed Characteristics:
Cockerels:
Body: short, muscular landrace type with somewhat upright stance. Black skin.
Neck: short, muscular, with dense (?) (Note: probably, hackles.)
Back: average length, mildly swayed, well developed (?) (saddle hackles?) smooth transition to tail.
Shoulders: broad, rounded, covered by (?)
Wings: average length, carried close to body, not carried too high.
Saddle: well developed (?)
Tail: well developed and carried high with beautifully angled (?) that must not cover the broad horizontal (?)
Breast: broad, well developed, carried high.
Abdomen: rather broad.
Head: average size.
Face: smooth and featherless, black to dark purple.
Comb: average single comb, erect with 5-6 regular (?), not to be too deeply cut as to fall backwards, black to dark purple. It is not too important if the comb is large and off to one side as long as the vision is not impeded.
(?): average size, black to purple.
Ears: small and fairly thin, blue/grey to black, blue/grey preferred.
Eyes: large and alert, dark brown.
Beak: strong, slightly curved, black.
Thigh: average length, strong.
Legs: average length, smooth, wide set, slight angle at hocks. Black.
Toes: 4, same and well-spaced. Horn colored.
Hens:
As described for cockerels but with the naturally occurring sexual differences. Well developed rear end, tail at 45* angle. Hens laying, and old hens, allowed somewhat lighter colored legs.
Errors:
Too large and bony build, square body, distinctive (?) for males, feathers and down on legs and toes. Different color in the face, comb, (?), ears and legs than described. Bronze or purple body colored feathers, red or silver in (?).
Errors:
Too large, coarse comb and (?), light colored eyes and light color in ears.
Weights: Cockerels 1.4 - 2 kg, Hens 1 - 1.4 kg
Ring size: Cockerels 16mm, Hens 15mm.
Eggs: min. 40g, ideally 45g, white to cream colored shell.
Colors: Black. Cockerel & Hen, Feathers: Outer color green shimmery black, down color dull black.
Errors: Absent green shimmer, wrong colored feathers for ex. red in (?), purple shimmer, too much white in down as well as white in any part of the tail feathers.
Errors: (To be honest, she was in a hurry and I can't read enough of this last sentence to make any sense.)



OK so obviously when my friend is back home next week I'll ask her a few questions but that gives you most of it and I think helps to create a picture of the bird they mean. Also, when it says Errors, I think the reason there are two lists is that some are more severe than others, perhaps even a disqualifying error as opposed to an acceptable one but not desirable, but I don't know which is which.

Interesting though about the legs being lighter colored in laying/older hens. Have any of you noticed a color change in legs as your hens have gotten older? I'm also glad they gave the ring size! I've been meaning to band my young birds so I can tell them apart.

ETA: Oops, made a mistake in the weights, sorry about that... I've fixed it now.

 

[campingshaws]

Thank you zoomie! This is really great information to have.

 

[gapey]

Did you get these in Washington State? I live in Western MT and have been trying to find a breeder close by. Can you tell me where? Thanks!

Yes I got them from someone who lives in Gig Harbor but she is not shipping eggs or chicks. I think you have to be NPIP certified to ship and don't think she is. Cedar Crest Farm ships eggs but I did not have much luck with shipped eggs. They are in Ohio.