Svart Hona Chicken Breed Profile
by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | May 14, 2024
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What’s so special about the Svart Hona? Well, aside from its stunning looks, there is so much more to love about this breed! In this Svart Hona Chicken Breed Profile, I hope to introduce you to this rare and extremely fun breed to raise! They caught my eye several years ago when I saw a photo of one on Instagram. I was determined to get my hands on a few! Now I have been working with the Svart Hona breed for almost 8 years and have learned a lot about this remarkable breed. Whether you’re new to raising chickens and looking to add some variety to your first flock, or you have been working with chickens for many years and want to try your hand at a rare breed, either way, you should learn more about why Svart Honas make such a great homestead breed!
General Svart Hona Breed Info
Name: Svart Hona (Swedish Black Hen)
Origin: Sweden
Conservation Status: rare
Variety: black
Size:
- cocks– 7 lbs.
- hens– 5 lbs.
Class: not recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA) or the American Bantam Association (ABA)
Svart Hona: Appearance
The characteristic that most stands out about the Svart Hona is their color… they are completely black. Black is their only variety. Not only are they all black on the outside, but they are also black on the inside too!
Black Features
Everything about them should be black… their eyes, ears, inside their mouth, bones, flesh, skin, organs, wattles, combs, legs, and feathers! The all-black color comes from a gene mutation that causes black pigment cells to reproduce rapidly. This gene causes the all black pigmentation called fibromelanosis. Hence it is called the ‘fibro’ gene. Only a few chicken breeds have the ‘fibro’ gene and only two breeds are known to be completely black: the Svart Hona and the Ayam Cemani.
In quality Svart Honas, the skin should be a dark gray to black tone and the bottoms of the feet should show no green, pink, or white coloring. Inside the mouth should be a dark gray to black with no pink coloring. The shanks and feet should be a deep black as should all the facial features. Svart Hona feathers should be completely black with a glossy green sheen, no bluish hue.
Shape
Svart Honas adapted to their colder climate in Sweden, thus they are a small, sturdy breed that can endure cold weather very well. Svart Honas should have a compact triangular shape to their body. The tail, when held in a normal position, should sit at a 45° from the back. The legs should be short to medium in length and the neck should be proportionate in length to the tail to give the bird a balanced appearance. Svart Hona hens weigh around 5 pounds and the cocks can get up to 7 pounds.
Facial Features
Hens should have a small, single comb (some strains have flopped combs) and small, rounded wattles. The cocks should have a large, single comb and large, oval wattles. Because of their large combs and wattles, Svart Hona cocks are prone to frostbite during the winter months. Both sexes should average about 5 points on their comb.
There should be no mulberrying (purple color) in the facial features of either sex. This is one trait that many breeders are working on breeding out of the breed, especially in the males. Svart Honas should have round, very dark eyes and black earlobes with no white markings.
Toes & Spurs
Svart Honas should have 4 toes like most other chicken breeds (they are not a 5-toed breed) and only the roosters should have spurs. The roosters should only have one spur on each leg, not multiple spurs.
Svart Hona: Purpose
Purpose: ornamental, eggs
Eggs
Svart Hona hens are decent layers, laying around 250 eggs a year. Their eggs range from small to medium in size and should be a creamy, light tan almost white color. Svart Honas are also great winter time layers, and the hens will often keep up production well into the cold winter months with minimal supplemental light.
Meat
Svart Honas can be used for meat, although they are not a real meaty bird. Their meat is black which can make for an exotic serving of chicken at the dinner table! In some countries, the black meat and bones of the Svart Hona and Ayam Cemani are believed to have medicinal powers and are used in cultural rituals.
Broody
Svart Hona hens do like to go broody and they make excellent mothers. However, the hens can also easily be discouraged from brooding by a few days in a broody-breaker. This makes them a great breed for both egg production and raising a self-sufficient flock. The hens are very attentive to their nests and are diligent mothers to their brood once the eggs hatch.
Eye Candy & Showing
And of course, Svart Honas make great eye-candy in your backyard! They are definitely a conversation starter and will draw anyone’s attention if you have a few mingling in your flock! Svart Honas can be shown in poultry shows, however, since they are not a recognized breed by the APA, there is no specific breed class for them to compete in. This makes professionally showing the Svart Hona very challenging.
Svart Honas do make good 4-H show birds though! They are intelligent, quick to learn, and add variety to the 4-H poultry shows!
Svart Hona: History
The Svart Hona is also called the Swedish Black Hen. They get their name from their home country of Sweden. The name ‘svart hona’ literal translates as ‘black female’ in the Swedish language, although Svart Honas are obviously both male and female.
Origin
Where the Svart Hona came from is not known for sure. Most resources agree though, that they were first created in Indonesia. Then they were imported from Mozambique to Sweden in the 1800’s. Sweden’s neighbor, Norway, may have also played a role in getting Svart Honas into Sweden. Norway may have had birds that carried the same genetic mutation that the Svart Hona has.
Svart Honas are extremely rare, both in the United States and in their home country. A census taken in Sweden estimated that there were only 500 Svart Honas left in their country. They are considered a landrace breed in their home country. Since they are a landrace breed, they can have several genetic variances within the breed. One such variance is the ‘woolly’ gene. The woolly gene is recessive, so breeding for woolly Svart Honas is quite difficult. Woolly Svart Honas lack feather barbicels, which makes their feathers more fur-like.
Similar Breeds
A close relative of the Svart Hona is the Ayam Cemani. Ayam Cemanis are another all black, rare chicken breed. They originated in Indonesia and have a gamey appearance. Svart Honas were not imported into the United States until 2012 and it is still hard to find quality strains. Svart Honas are more rare then their cousin the Ayam Cemani.
Another breed that may look similar to the Svart Hona is the Sumatra. Sumatras are small, black chickens best known for their showy appearance, ability to fly well, and many spurs. They too, are very black in color, although they do have some mulberrying (purple color) in their face. They are also not black all the way through like the Svart Hona and Ayam Cemani. Another difference is that the Sumatra has a pea comb.
Svart Hona: Personality
Svart Honas are generally a friendly breed, although some cocks can be more protective than others. The hens can be very docile if they are handled frequently and properly. Svart Honas make excellent showmanship birds and can be trained very easily.
They are a smart breed and are often near the top of the pecking order. The cocks do best if they have quite a few hens to care for (over 10). The hens are quiet compared to some other breeds. Each Svart Hona has its own distinct personality, which can be very amusing at times!
Svart Honas do have quite the personality that will shine though in interactions with other flock members. They seem to have a short temper but can generally get along once a functional pecking order has been established. Having a rooster amongst the hens also helps keep harmless squabbles to a minimum.
Around people, Svart Honas have a ‘could care less’ attitude. They love you if you have treats, but will go about their usual business if you don’t have treats. Of course, birds that have been handled frequently from a young age will bond with you and show more affection.
Svart Hona: Special Care
Breeding & Chicks
Raising and caring for Svart Honas is really no different than any other breed. The cocks usually have excellent fertility for breeding and the hens make good mothers. Fertility rates are usually best in late spring and throughout the summer. Svart Honas are instinctual breeders, and the cocks tend to be very polite towards the hens.
Hatching Svart Honas can require some patience, as Svart Honas chicks tend not to be in a hurry to get out of their shell. A broody hen will often get the best hatch rates from Svart Hona eggs. The chicks are slow maturing and the pullets don’t tend to start laying until about 24 weeks. Svart Hona chicks tend to be very hardy, and they benefit from plenty of outdoor exposure and supplemental protein in their diet as they mature.
Hardiness
Svart Honas are very cold hardy and can withstand warmer temperatures just as well. The cock’s combs and wattles are prone to frostbite though, and you must also provide plenty of shade during the summer since their black feathers absorb heat quickly. Because they are all black, they can be more prone to heat related stress and the sun can actually bleach their black feathers.
Well bred Svart Honas should also be very disease resistant. With proper breeding, Svart Honas should not suffer from reproductive ailments, organ failure, or other genetic issues related to overbreeding or production breeding. Svart Honas can develop a strong immune system that allows them to fight viruses, bacterial infections, and parasites better than other breeds.
Foraging
Svart Honas are excellent foragers and love to free-range. The cocks are very aware of their surroundings and make good flock protectors. Svart Honas are very alert, which tends to make them a bit flighty. This is especially noticeable in young birds. However, as the birds age and become more familiar with their surroundings or join an adult flock, they mellow out and become more stable.
Svart Honas are an assertive breed but they don’t tend to be aggressive. They will be near the top of the pecking order but they get along well with other chicken breeds. Svart Honas are friendly but not docile.
Quality Svart Honas
Svart Honas are one of the rarest breeds in the Untied States and finding quality stock can be very tough. When looking for quality stock here is what you want to avoid:
- mulberrying on the comb and wattles
- white earlobes
- silver streaking (white feathers)
- white on toenails and beak
- pink or light gray skin
- light gray or green on the bottom of the feet
- pink or white inside the mouth
- brown eyes
- flopped comb
- more than 5 points on the comb
- leggy or gamey body shape
- 5 toes or multiple spurs on cocks
Svart Honas do not have a breed standard yet, so, although the traits mentioned above are undesirable, they are not disqualifications. Quality Svart Honas should be completely black, have a single comb with 5 points, no feathering on the legs or toes, and have 4 toes. They should have a compact body, medium length legs, a properly angled tail, and prominent eyes.
Where to Find Svart Honas
Because Svart Honas are so rare, you are not likely to find them listed in hatchery catalogs. If a hatchery does sell Svart Honas, be leery of the quality of their stock. To find quality Svart Honas you are better off going with farms who specialize in Svart Honas and use strict breeding and culling practices (meaning they don’t breed birds that have undesirable traits).
The Black Feather Farm founded by Alexa Lehr (yup, that’s me!) offers Svart Hona hatching eggs, unsexed chicks, cockerels, pullets, hens, and roosters. Availability varies depending on the time of year, hatching schedule, and my breeding program. To stay updated on what’s available or to get on waiting lists, visit blackfeatherfarm.net.
Supporting my small farm business as it grows would mean a lot to me! However, due to location or availability status, you may feel inclined to check out other sources of quality Svart Honas.
Recommended Sources:
- Black Feather Farm- blackfeatherfarm.net
- CedarCrest Farm- cedarcrestfarmandfeed.com
- Greenfire Farms- https://greenfirefarms.com
Other small farms also offer Svart Honas, however, be sure to evaluate the quality and history of the birds before purchasing them. When inquiring about getting quality Svart Honas, I recommend you ask for photos of the breeding parents as well as some background history on the flock. Inquire as to how the breeder acquired the birds they have, the health background of the flock, and the personality of the birds.
Svart Honas make a great addition to any homestead flock! The hens are excellent layers, continuing to produce well into winter, and the cocks makes great flock protectors! Not to mention their completely black appearance is a real attention grabber and the fact that they are black on the inside too makes for an intriguing conversation starter. The earlier pioneers didn’t have access to such a rare breed, but as modern pioneers we can enjoy the variety and uniqueness that rare breeds add to the homestead!
With that being said, make sure you are getting weekly tips on how to care for your homestead flock by signing up for our modern pioneer newsletter! You’ll get our ebook on Raising Chickens like a Pioneer plus lots of other helpful tips and resources!
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