Faverolles Thread

[ashandvine]

I have a question that might have been asked already. By show of hands [ha ha] how many of you raise your Favorelles for meat and use the autosexing trait to separate out early so you can grow cockrels for meat? Additionally, does anyone caponise their Favs? And one more while we are on this topic; what are you seeing for average sizes out of the cockerels?

 

[Bobbie14243]

I raise mine as true "dual purpose". We send all the excess roo's to freezer camp. As for caponizing, I read all about it and tried it ONCE, I couldn't find what I was looking for, so I stitched him back up and he lived until he crowed...then he went to freezer camp. As for size, since they go in my freezer, I don't weigh them. I process right at/before sexual maturity to avoid the toughness associated with an adult roo, so I'd say they were perfect size for a pot of chicken & dumpling's/stew for a family of 5-6, but too small to separate out for pieces, i.e. breast/legs/etc...unless I'm processing more than 2 on the same day.

Until this week I'd depended on broody's for my hatching so I never had many to do at once. My 1st batch of eggs is in the 'bator, so I'm sure I'll get more efficient at processing.

 

[Farmer Viola]

Hi Faverolles friends! I have recently hatched my first faverolles and I think I have a male/female pair. Can you help me sex them? They are from here on BYC (non-hatchery).

1 Week Old
ChickA (facing backward) - has black chipmunk stripes & beginnings of black wing tips, assumed male
ChickB (facing camera) - all yellow chick with black wingtips, confirmed male




2 Weeks Old
ChickA - hmm is that salmon coming in behind the black? suspected female


ChickB - some salmon on feathers, followed immediately by black - confirmed male


17 Days Old
ChickB in the back (male)
ChickA in the front (female?)







ChickA is also feathering in more quickly at the shoulders & tail.

I can also see the very beginnings of white chest feathers, so I think she is a she! If so, they might be my next breeding project for next year

I have not been able to find any photos of female chicks with black wingtips like hers. Is this uncommon?

 

[hcammack]

Hi Faverolles friends! I have recently hatched my first faverolles and I think I have a male/female pair. Can you help me sex them? They are from here on BYC (non-hatchery).

1 Week Old
ChickA (facing backward) - has black chipmunk stripes & beginnings of black wing tips, assumed male
ChickB (facing camera) - all yellow chick with black wingtips, confirmed male




2 Weeks Old
ChickA - hmm is that salmon coming in behind the black? suspected female


ChickB - some salmon on feathers, followed immediately by black - confirmed male


17 Days Old
ChickB in the back (male)
ChickA in the front (female?)







ChickA is also feathering in more quickly at the shoulders & tail.

I can also see the very beginnings of white chest feathers, so I think she is a she! If so, they might be my next breeding project for next year

I have not been able to find any photos of female chicks with black wingtips like hers. Is this uncommon?

Looks like you got the sexes right and have a pair to me.

It is not uncommon at all for females to have black primaries. In fact its called for in the standard. Most of my female chicks grow black primary feathers first and then salmon brown secondaries.

 

[Farmer Viola]

Looks like you got the sexes right and have a pair to me.

It is not uncommon at all for females to have black primaries. In fact its called for in the standard. Most of my female chicks grow black primary feathers first and then salmon brown secondaries.

Thank you! That is good to know. Would love to see pics of yours growing up if you have any.
I have looked up so many Faverolles sexing threads and it seems that none of the females I find have as much black as my now-confirmed female...
I am so excited, this means I can try my hand at breeding them next year! With any luck maybe she'll even go broody and raise her own clutch next spring

can't wait!

 

[sandiklaws]

In general some breeds are more forward, I think it also is affected by how they are raised, plenty of room and food without crowding.. Half of my LF flock is evenly dark with the others more creamier….I think what may have been mean't is overly dark and off color, often color in the breast and beards. similar to the pictures posted. My first Hatchery were true to color….every once in awhile when i see them in the farm store i will pick up a few and last few years have had off colors….

Depends a lot on the hatchery too, Cackle has some pretty decent birds for hatchery- last year at Northeastern Poultry Congress show a Bird straight from Cackle went best cockerel. My Pet Chicken hatchery birds have a lot of smut and are quite small. Murray McMurray birds are almost mahogany they are so dark, and are smaller without much fluffiness. Nearly all hatchery birds will have bigger than desired wattles and poor combs. In general, if being recognizable is important to you, and you want true Faverolles temperament, you should buy from a breeder.

 

[sandiklaws]

Ditto on those chicks being a pair

 

[hcammack]

Thank you! That is good to know. Would love to see pics of yours growing up if you have any.
I have looked up so many Faverolles sexing threads and it seems that none of the females I find have as much black as my now-confirmed female...
I am so excited, this means I can try my hand at breeding them next year! With any luck maybe she'll even go broody and raise her own clutch next spring

can't wait!

I try not to take pictures of the ugly in between parts haha. Pretty much ignore them and let them do there growing in that phase. This is the new male I got the other day from a Faverolles breeder down in MD. Very happy to have him.

 

[hcammack]

I have a question that might have been asked already. By show of hands [ha ha] how many of you raise your Favorelles for meat and use the autosexing trait to separate out early so you can grow cockrels for meat? Additionally, does anyone caponise their Favs? And one more while we are on this topic; what are you seeing for average sizes out of the cockerels?

ashandvine haven't had very productive hatching seasons while in college. But did get the chance to eat 3-4 cockerels. I would say they weighed 3-4lbs by 14-15 weeks. But never weighed them so that is complete guestimate. I will say that the cockerels had fairly meaty breasts, legs, and a where the most flavorful chicken I have ever eaten.
I hope to eventually start breeding for meat qualities. But have to have a semi legitimate flock size before then. Hopefully this hatching season goes well! Faverolles are meant to be the ultimate duel purpose fowl laying well during the winter and producing meaty birds at a relatively young age. I recently dug up some great historical articles on Faverolles posted right on google. They include descriptions of the meat qualities and laying qualities in Faverolles. http://books.google.com/books?id=bq...age&q=American Salmon Faverolles Club&f=false
http://books.google.com/books?id=Um...YQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=White Faverolles&f=false

I hope to get them closer to what they used to be. I know Pasofino grows out many Faverolles males for the freezer. Hopefully she can weigh in as a more experienced party.

I have no experience with caponizing birds.

I hope to separate a small batch of non standard cockerels and possibly pullets and feed them broiler grower and whole milk. We will see if they get fat haha.

To many ideas bouncing around in my head haha.
Henry

 

[gootziecat]

Henry, who in Maryland has those nice Favs?