![]() This breed is by far the easiest to auto-sex (a breed that is gendered by color alone at hatching) and does not require the breeder to maintain two flocks of breeds for hybrid sex-links (a hybrid cross that can be gendered by color). Male chicks are a lighter grey-white-yellow color whereas the females are more brown with stripes down their backs like chipmunks. Fiftyfive Flowery hens are able to be sexed from the moment they hatch based on the chick’s down color. No other breed of chicken has such a vast color difference between sexes. The roosters are nearly completely white and their plumage can be thought to be in full bloom. The white spots give them the appearance of being covered in small white flowers that grow with every molt. The second part of the name - Flowery - comes from the small white tips on the hen’s feathers. After careful breeding they were ready for the public in 1958. He achieved his goals in spades! The Fiftyfive Flowery hen was first created in 1955, thus the first part of the name. Martin Silverudd’s goals were to create an auto-sexing breed that were prolific layers and could compete with commercial hybrid layers. So far I have the 55 Flowery Hen and Silverudd Blue at my farmstead with a close eye on adding the Queen Silvia breed (don’t tell my husband.) ![]() There are four breeds (Fiftyfive Flowery Hen, Queen Silvia, Silverhamps, and Smalanad) that were finished before he died and one left unfinished (Silverudd Blue). ![]() His obsession with creating productive chickens that can compete with the hybrid layers of America has led to my own obsession of owning every breed he has created. He is thought to be a sort of savant of chicken genetics. The 55 Flowery hen was created by a random crossing of White and Brown Leghorn’s by Pastor Martin Silverrud. I am so excited to be sharing one of my favorite chicken breeds with you, the Fiftyfive Flowery Hen! Little is known about this beautiful breed in the United States, but the 55 still remains popular in its home country of Sweden.
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