Are salmon faverolle chickens good for show

[dominique man]

Thinking about getting some salmon faverolle chickens for showing and exhibition and was wondering if they are a good breed for these things. Thanks

 

[Yellow House Farm]

There awesome for show--absolutely awesome--BUT ONLY IF YOU GET WORTHY STOCK!!!!! If you're in Ohio, I happen to know someone who will have plenty of stock for sale at the Ohio National on the second weekend in November in Columbus. If you're truly interested, PM me. Plan to spend a little money to get your stock, but you will have some of the best in the country. One of the pullets took Reserve Champion Continental at the Ohio National last year, which is saying a lot.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Try not to be fooled that getting them anywhere else is worth your time. Saving 100 buck on your purchase price will cost you thousands, even tens of thousands, and many, many years, with cheap birds just trying to get them to the starting point that these are at now.

 

[dominique man]

I'm running a backyard operation so I can't really get my chicks from a private breeder because I don't have the money to spend on big time birds. But thank you for the advice!

 

[Yellow House Farm]

$200 bucks will get you a fantastic start, and will honor your time and money much more than hatchery birds.

To your original question, "Thinking about getting some salmon faverolle chickens for showing and exhibition and was wondering if they are a good breed for these things." If they come from a hatchery--absolutely nothing will be worth your time.

This is a common struggle for most people, i.e. adjusting thought expectations to what is of value. Most people gro up with ideas of $2.00 chicks from the grainstore and decide that's what birds cost, but those birds will positively, absolutely, never get you anywhere. If you can save up $200.00 for seed stock, that stock, well managed, will be your only poultry purchase for years and years and years, and you'll be at the top of your game for years and years and years. If you buy hatchery stock, you will never be at the top of your game and it will take thousands and thousands, even tens of thousands, of dollars to breed up your stock. These are realities from which there is no escape if one is actually considering "chickens for showing and exhibition".

I'm not being harsh here, just very honest; so that you don't make the mistake of building illusions and wasting untold amounts of money on birds that won't ever be SQ.

On the other hand, if you don't actually want "chickens for showing and exhibition" then get your birds from anywhere, and just have fun doing what you're doing.

Best!

 

[dominique man]

Would it be possible to get a single bird from the breeder you are talking about?

 

[Yellow House Farm]

If you're thinking about grading, you'd want two cockerels. Then you'd take hatchery females and you would have two groups--maybe three per cockerel--one group to each male. Then you'd take the daughters and breed them back to the father. Then you'd take the next generation and breed them back to the same male. Then you'd probably be ready to breed the two lines together and establish a clan system of breeding. If you weren't yet ready, you could breed the next generation back the the father again.

 

[gjensen]

The cheapest part of any animal is the purchase. Once you have owned them for a year or two, the initial cost is pretty small.

Go to the Nationals in November and get a couple good birds. Take advantage of living in the area that you are. Figure it out and you will be happy that you did. Take advantage of the tip that YH has offered. I

 

[keesmom]

Yellow House Farm and gjensen have given you excellent advice. If you want to show in your local fair hatchery birds may fit the bill. If you want to show in anything more serious than that you will need to find breeder birds.

As YHF has mentioned you are reasonably close to the Ohio National to see what is available there. The APA National is being held in Knoxville TN on Dec 5-6. The Faverolles Fanciers of America will hold the club national there as well. It is a big anniversary for the breed, as it was first accepted 100 years ago into the APA.