Amaretto Breedables Customer Connection

A hen with such a pretty sounding name has to be special – and the Swedish Flower Hen is certainly that. The name translates as ‘Skane Bloom-hen’; very appropriate since the feathers remind you of flowers.
It was relatively unknown outside of its native land of Sweden until 2010 when a few were imported to the US. Even in its own country, it was virtually unknown until the 1980s when its plight came to the attention of Swedish preservationists as it was teetering on the brink of extinction.
The Swedish Flower hen has the distinction of being a landrace chicken. Landrace birds were not ‘engineered’ by mankind but rather adapted naturally to the environment in which they lived. The weak did not survive (Darwin’s principle at work).
They evolved to become very adept at survival in the sometimes harsh climate of southern Sweden and became the traditional farm hen of that region.
Although its origins can only be guessed at, it is likely that seafarers’ and settlers brought chickens to remote settlements in trade for other things and also as a food source.
It has been written about at least 300 years ago in various documents from that period.
They would have contributed eggs and meat to the farmer and the feathers were used to fill comforters, it’s unlikely that they were cared for as livestock. They would have fended for themselves and did a fine job of it too.

As with many older breeds, the rise of the industrial hen almost saw the extinction of this lovely, hardy bird.
By the 1970s’ very few were left in Sweden. A few isolated flocks were found and a restoration and breeding plan was put into place by the Swedish Genetic Project.
The object of the Project is to raise the awareness and numbers of this endangered species and to preserve their status as a heritage hen.

The base colors of these birds can range from black, blue, yellow and reds. The feather pattern is mille fleur (thousand flowers), the feathers are white tipped. The combinations are many and varied – black/white; white/red and a pattern similar to the Speckled Sussex hen.
The rarest coloration pattern is called ‘Snow Leopard’. Some of the white tips are replaced by black tips giving an overall picture of gold/white/black markings named after the rare Snow Leopard.

On November 21, 2015 Amaretto wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving with some 2015 Thanksgiving Collectors Edition Barnyard Birds. These birds had hiden surprises, which were the Swedish Flower birds. The Swedish flower bird coat does have the ability to pass.

Starting in June of 2019 Amaretto introduced the Craved Birds!
In January 2020 by breeding any two of the Sussex Bantam and Swedish Flower birds, you had the chance of getting the Sapphire Dazzle Craved Sussex Bantam or the Sapphire Dazzle Craved Swedish Flower Bird. These coats also can be passed.

I hope you enjoy the “thousand flower” coats of these lovely birds.