Faverolles Thread

[n8ivetxn]

I will also add one thing. My tolerance maybe be just a teensy bit higher than average. On our farm we work with several rare to very rare breed including not only chickens but also Saddleback Pom geese, Cotton Patch geese, Welsh Harlequin ducks, Red Wattle Hogs (down to 95 total breeding animals in the 1990s), Old Spot pigs, Dexter cattle, Old World Jersey cows, etc. We see all manner of issues in many breeds of animals however we have the option of eating our mistakes.

I do try to be sensitive to hobbists in that for them these chickens are not utility birds but are rather pets and they can become quite distressed with any flaw... I think sometimes that does not come across as well as I wish it would. Yet and still I would hope that others would also see that preserving the utility of an animal as well as it's beauty is worthwhile and only consider our farm if they understand that firstly we are producing food... secondly we have invested in great stock and have done all possible to improve it over the years, not the other way around.

Peace

(I want some Red Wattles!)

"preserving the utility of an animal as well as it's beauty is worthwile" - well said! There was a recent discussion that touched on the meat qualities of the SF and how it kinda got tossed aside as people began breeding for egg laying.... I would really like to breed towards a bigger sized bird, to improve that "dual purpose" we've gotten away from....It would make the bird more useful to those of us who eat culls - or even grow them out and sell them to others....

 

[hcammack]

The Merlin kids had their first full day in the big coop today....

Gambit is on the left, Merlin on the right. Morgana is hiding in the coop.




The rains have started, and the run is already muddy! GAH! Time for a load of bark nuggets....

On a not so great note, my hatchery cock that roams the yard with his ladies decided to fence fight with the Merlin boys today. I found him hanging upside down from a spur that had gotten stuck in the wire fence...he's in solitary now, he hurt his leg really bad. He CAN walk on it, but doesn't want to. I don't think it's broken, I didn't feel any crunching, but he is a hurting unit, that's for sure.

Pretty boys Jeanine.

Sorry to hear about your hatchery rooster. Oh well hopefully he regains his strength and heals quickly.

 

[hcammack]

Here's an updated pix of my Fav bantams. They are almost 4 mo. old. The cockerel is a brick to pick up. I'm enjoying watching them grow.

Handsome bantams. I really like the cherry red in the males wingbows. Pretty pullets to!

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

LF black pullet

"Morticia"....from piperomar...

 

[hcammack]

LF black pullet

"Morticia"....from piperomar...

Wowza! She is an eye popper that is for sure.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:

I'm quite pleased with how she's turning out! That's for sure! She'll be a great addition to my LF black work. She's Orp / Fav crossed, but out 2 generations. If I remember correctly she's about 8 months old, already as big as any of my LF salmon hens that are 1-2 years old...

 

[ashandvine]

The Merlin kids had their first full day in the big coop today.... Gambit is on the left, Merlin on the right. Morgana is hiding in the coop.

The rains have started, and the run is already muddy! GAH! Time for a load of bark nuggets....
I don't think it's broken, I didn't feel any crunching, but he is a hurting unit, that's for sure.

Love the names! The idea of using chips instead of sand is nice, might steal that. Do you just get those from the garden center??

I'm quite pleased with how she's turning out! That's for sure! She'll be a great addition to my LF black work. She's Orp / Fav crossed, but out 2 generations. If I remember correctly she's about 8 months old, already as big as any of my LF salmon hens that are 1-2 years old...

Orps and SF... and black... I am a sucker for blue but I have a black orp cockerel here. I was planning on putting him over the Marans for meaties... now you have me thinking...

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote: Uh oh! LOL


Yeah, I tried sand the first time around...I got it worked into the corners, and then they ate it all before I could get the 2nd load to finish the job! The XL bark nuggets I get in 2 cu ft bags at the feed store here. It works great! The bags are light enough to carry to the coop without having to scoop wheelbarrow loads from a large pile out of a dump truck. I do have to re-do it every year, but it keeps them up off the mud better than anything else I've seen.

 

[PGRanch]

Mine are still babies but I gotta say, I am loving this color that is coming out on this one chick.

 

[n8ivetxn]

Cute pullet