Swedish Flower Hen

Swedish Flower Hen
Hen
Conservation status
  • FAO (2007): endangered-maintained[1]: 112 
  • DAD-IS (2022): at risk/endangered[2]
Other namesSwedish: Skånsk Blommehöna
Country of originSweden
Useeggs, meat
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    3 kg[2]
  • Female:
    2.5 kg[2]
Egg colourtinted
Classification
APAno[3]
EEno[4]
PCGBno[5]
Cock bird at Gammlia, Umeå

The Swedish Flower Hen, Swedish: Skånsk Blommehöna, is an endangered traditional Swedish breed of domestic chicken.[2] It is one of eleven traditional chicken breeds in Sweden.[6]

History

The Blommehöna is a traditional farmyard breed of chicken from southern Sweden; the Swedish name indicates that it comes from the landskap of Skåne. It came close to extinction in the 1970s;[7]: 193  recovery was based on three flocks found in the villages of Esarp [sv], Tofta and Vomb [sv], all in Skåne.[8] A breeders' association, the Svenska Lanthönsklubben [sv], was formed.[7]: 193  In 2014 a total population of 1592 was reported to the DAD-IS database of the FAO; in 2019 there were a total of 1123, distributed in 85 flocks.[2] In 2022 the conservation status of the breed was listed as 'at risk/endangered'.[2]

Fifteen birds were exported to the United States in 2010.[7]: 193 

Characteristics

The Blommehöna is characterised by its millefleur plumage pattern. The base colour is variable, and may be black, blue, buff or red.[8]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Swedish Flower Hen.
  1. ^ Barbara Rischkowsky, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Accessed September 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Breed data sheet: Skånsk Blommehöna / Sweden (Chicken). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed November 2022.
  3. ^ APA Recognized Breeds and Varieties: As of January 1, 2012. American Poultry Association. Archived 4 November 2017.
  4. ^ Liste des races et variétés homologuée dans les pays EE (28.04.2013). Entente Européenne d’Aviculture et de Cuniculture. Archived 16 June 2013.
  5. ^ Breed Classification. Poultry Club of Great Britain. Archived 12 June 2018.
  6. ^ Abiye Shenkut Abebe, Sofia Mikko, Anna M. Johansson (2015). Genetic Diversity of Five Local Swedish Chicken Breeds Detected by Microsatellite Markers. PLOS ONE. 10 (4): e0120580. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0120580.
  7. ^ a b c Christine Heinrichs (2016). The Backyard Field Guide to Chickens: Chicken Breeds for Your Home Flock. Minneapolis : Voyageur Press. ISBN 9780760349533.
  8. ^ a b Höns (in Swedish). Svenska Lanthönsklubben. Accessed September 2017.


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