The Poultry Keeper

nigel · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:05 am Post subject:

It is believed that the Ölandsk Dvärghöna has it’s origins in the trädgårdhöns [literally, Garden hens] that came to Sweden via England. These were often speckled or spotted with white and are the ancestors of amongst others the Mille Fleur. They are definitely not native to Sweden. Before the eighteen hundreds there was no mention of dvärghöns [literally dwarf hen] as being a small breed of hen. Any use of the word prior to this period was used to refer to guinea fowl.

The breed comes from the villages of Petgärde and Asklund on the Baltic island of Öland off the eastern coast of Sweden. Those from Asklund have traditionally been called ‘Spitehöns’, literally spotted hens. They are a small breed with cockerels weighing around one kilogram and hens around half that. The feathers are brown\wild coloured with white and black tips. They are single combed, though some rose combed birds do exist they are not considered so true to type and I am advised not use them for breeding. The same goes for any cockerel over one kilogram in weight.

jessjess · Joined: 28 May 2008 Posts: 218 Location: Derbyshire

They really are good looking birds