Baffling Faverolle Chick **updated pics**

[TexasLea]

I have this chick who is now 10 days old. It is acting polar opposite of what I expect from everything I have read about these birds. Here's a picture from today-


This little one is from Ideal and is a pullet- I think. It's behavior is beginning to make me wonder. Along with another faverolle this little one shares a good sized brooder (chick n hutch) with mottled houdans, sultans and partridge silkies for a total of 10 chicks all the same age. I read that faverolles often have a hard time mixing with other breeds because they are such big pushovers. This little one didn't get that memo. Since day 1 it has ran the brooder. If there was something to investigate the other chicks had to let this one lead the charge. It seems to constantly be checking up on the other chicks and keeping them in line. At 6 days I noticed it chest bumping and kicking it's feet at one of the houdans. Those two continue to have these "sizing up" meetings often. They bump then stretch their necks and have a stare down. This one even often times ends it with a peck towards the eye of the little houdan. It also seems to have a complex about some of the other chicks getting tail feathers as it often walks around preening them and checking out their rears. Someone told me that pullets get tail feathers before roos, is this true? I'm hoping it's just a case of jealousy on this chicks part and her tail is not coming as fast because it takes time to grow such beauty.

When we added the roost this one was the first to try it out. It pretty muched claimed a spot near one end and has slept in the same place every day. It gets upset if someone is sitting in it's spot and runs them off. It is awfully cute though the way it's little head hangs over. Here's a picture, you have to forgive the quality, the red brooder light coupled with moving chicks confused my poor old camera:


Here is a picture of it with it's hatchmate, she's the one in front and I'm 100% sure she's a pullet. They look so different and with my bossy little ones attitude, I have to be one of those chicken novices and wonder if the hatchery sent me a roo on accident or do I just have a "mean girl" on my hands? I've never had faverolles so I don't have my own point of reference with this one. The picture is decieving, the two chicks are actually pretty much the same size in their body, it's the wings and tail feathers where one trumps the other. I know the actual tips of it's feathers aren't black but the coloring on it's little wings is so much darker and their development so far behind the other that I was just wanting opinions on what is up with this little bird.


Thanks in advance!

 

[SIMZ]

I don't have any experience with that breed, but they do look VERY different in that picture. Do the males and females have different coloring/patterning? He sounds like little roos act, but I've seen pullets act that way as well. It doesn't seem like they should be feathering in so differently for both being girls -- especially those tail feathers!

 

[NovaAman]

I had a fav hen, Rosey, and she was HEAD hen over ALL. She was a darling girl, but could be a royal "B". Not kidding. They really are a laid back breed, but not all of them are laid back. She may just be exerting herself early. Watch the comb and wattles. If she starts showing quite a bit of comb and wattles, more than the other pullet and looks to have a full set by 12 weeks, you will know for sure you have a roo. My pullets didn't get their combs or wattles in good till almost 5 months, but the boys... by 3 months, they were there.

Being that they are hatchery chicks, you may get a salmon coloring or a more brown coloring for the girls. This is normal for hatchery chicks. A lot will not meet SOP.

 

[TexasLea]

Thanks for the input!

Simz, the males and females do look very different and this is one breed where feather sexing is usually easy in chicks. The males feathers usually come in black on the tips and the females typically have the pretty light coloring. However, I have seen darker females that is why I'm hoping the hatchery guy didn't sneeze when he sexed that chick and throw it in the wrong box! Hatchery's are usually pretty accurate on sexing but they are human and sometimes make mistakes. The behavior had me thinking roo on top of the feather difference. NovaAman thanks for giving me a timeframe to know for sure. I had no idea it could be that quick. I will be watching the comb and wattles very close.
It's nice to know there is a good chance I just have a mean girl on my hands, maybe I should call her LiLo.

 

[Texokie1]

Yup - my little faverolle (didn't mean to get her, she was an odds-and-ends chick thrown in after the breed I ordered fail to hatch) was a huge pushover...AT FIRST. I too (unfortunately, after the fact) read that faverolles have issues in mixed flocks. BUT, she soon figured out that by making goo-goo eyes at me, and giving one of those pitiful little whimpers would get her extra attention and snacks (and she consequently started to grow faster). She's now about No. 2 in the hierarchy, and doing fine. I was afraid the others might pick at her feet (since she is the only feather-footed bird in there), but (fingers crossed) I haven't had an issue yet. Pearl seems to be just fine...and not nearly as passive with the other chickens as I would have though. But, she IS a hatchery chick, and as Nova pointed out, they may not conform to breed standard.......

 

[Texokie1]

P.S. LOVE your chicken coop TexasLea...

 

[TexasLea]

Thanks! I had my husband build it for me 5 years ago when I got my first little chicks, cochins. I like to say that I am not a high maintenance wife. In all the years we have been together I never asked for expensive jewelry. I don't go to the salon, have my nails done, buy expensive clothes, eat out or expect luxury vacations. Nope, all I ever asked for was a swank shack for my fru-fru yard art to live in!

 

[cary 1973]

are you sure they are teh same age as the one in ? looks smaller and wing feathers are smaller it looks like its younger? if thats the case it could still be a girl

 

[TexasLea]

I'm pretty sure they are the same age. The photo above was the most clear to show their wing difference but here's another one also taken today. It shows that they are pretty much the same size. Little LiLo just doesn't have the long wings and cute tail like the other one does. In this pic it's like she's checking to see if her wings grew yet.

 

[TexasLea]

Here are some updated pic's of LiLo now 14 days old. I can see more and more black coming in. Including on the legs.


Here is a pic from above. You can see this black V starting. The black is actually popping up all over. The legs, back, at the very base of the tail, on the chest...


For referance, here is the other chick that I'm pretty sure IS female:



Someone please tell me that pullet salmon faverolles from a hatchery can easily have that much black and still not be getting tail feathers at 2 weeks of age!

Also, of the group, only one other little chick doesn't have it's tail feathers starting yet. It's the little silkie rump seen in that last picture. Like LiLo, it's wings are shorter than all the other birds. You can kinda compare it to the other silkie next to it in the picture. Is it common for the wings to come in slower as well as tails in possible roos?