Faverolles Thread

[BuffyBugSlayer]

I feel like I have inadvertently stepped on some toes and that was not my intention. I would like to clarify my question and make it less personal. If a person hatches out a dozen eggs from a flock of multiple hens and multiple cocks from at least two different lines, that the resulting chicks would not be considered siblings (from the same mother and from the same father). Or would they?

 

[UrbanFarmOC]

My 5 month old salmon Faverolles cockrel started crowing a couple of days ago (gulp!) and has tried to mount a few of the hens and pullets. Although he's announcing his rooster-hood quite proudly, he's still lacking many macho rooster traits.... he's a scaredy chickeny chicken, a drama queen (hence he's named RuPaul), and runs away when one of my big girls give him THE stare.

Anyways, I'm happy to report that my immediate neighbors all say they don't mind roosters, and we're not keeping him or the rest of the flock illegally. However, I am in a suburban neighborhood, and am still concerned about him crowing daily at 5:30am and disturbing neighbors. I'm getting him adapted to wearing a no-crow collar now and hope that we can reduce his volume. He doesn't seem that loud now, but I want to minimize if possible. We're excited about being able to keep him though! He's getting quite handsome and his goofy antics make great entertainment. smile.png

 

[mame1616]

I feel like I have inadvertently stepped on some toes and that was not my intention. I would like to clarify my question and make it less personal. If a person hatches out a dozen eggs from a flock of multiple hens and multiple cocks from at least two different lines, that the resulting chicks would not be considered siblings (from the same mother and from the same father). Or would they?

If you collect all the eggs from such a flock, there's a chance that you are collecting eggs that are siblings. The more hens there are in the flock, the less of a chance of that occurring. Unless you know exactly the parentage of the chicks, there's no way you can tell. It's not like mutants are going to occur with sibling breeding, it's just that, Murphy's Law, the flaws tend to show up in force with those pairings.

For example, if the brother and sister each have a set of flaws traits from the parents, when you breed them, THEIR children now have TWO sets of genes for flawed traits. I realize that, by the same token, the ideal traits would also have two sets of genes, but for some stupid reason, the flaws always seem stronger than the ideals.

 

[Farmer Viola]

Sounds like you have a lot of knowledge to work with, but - as the other moms here have stated, you might not want to start something with a new one on the way, Take my word for it - spare time will be a fond memory for a long time yet, even though it's for a great reason!

Cloverleaf is going to start her flock up again this spring, and I know she can put you in touch with other breeders near her who took her birds when she had to get rid of them. Contact her again.

I agree with Keesmom on the inbreeding/linebreeding issue - do it only if you have no other choice. I don't care what breed it is.

Favs ARE hard to get, and hard to get right, but they are worth the work, and the patience of waiting for good ones. We could use another breeder who is knowledgable and conscientious about preserving and improving the breed. You are way ahead of a lot of people who are just starting. The knowledge and experience you've already earned with the other patterned birds will help you a lot towards understanding the pattern - it's the type knowledge you need to work on now. My suggestion to you, as an expectant first-time mom, is to find some good local birds or eggs, and hang with them awhile, regularly taking pics and getting opinions as they grow. I can't tell you how much I've learned by simply observing! The pictures help a lot, too, when I go back to look at them and see each bird at the different stages. When you've got the baby thing down, (well, as much as possible - my girls are grown and I'm still second-guessing myself!) THEN start your breeding program. I know it's hard to wait - patience is the hardest lesson I've had to learn with these chickens, but, you'll be way ahead of the game knowledge-wise, and make smarter decisions which will save you time, money, and frustration in the long run.

Sigh, okay, I am heeding all the experienced mothers advice and will not start a new breeding pen right now...

I don't know why it is so hard for me to let go of this breed, the Javas I could do without but I really adore SFs. I suppose my priorities might change once baby is here, but being a first time mom, it hasn't fully hit me yet all the ways that life is going to change. it's crazy!

Cloverleaf farms told me that her birds got kind of spread out and that there isn't one specific person with just her lines.. I know she is starting up again, but I figure she is at least 1-2 years from wanting to sell any.. I think when the new baby is settled, maybe this summer, I'll try again and get a lot more birds next time so I have a wider pool to choose from.. one female just isn't enough to tell anything! You are right, I have almost no patience.

To clear the air since I noticed several people are commenting on my lines, I added 4 hens last year into my pen which were from Patterson lines. I did NOT have any Patterson roosters in my pen. I have a rooster from 2 other breeders of entirely separate lines and one of my own breeding which was a mix. If you have questions about my birds, please ask me directly and privately rather than posting things on a public forum. I am happy to answer questions but please do not take bits and pieces of my flock line description and then make things up from there.

I apologize if this is directed at me. I did say in one of my previous posts that it looks like I have the start of a cockerel line, but I didn't mean to say that you only produce a cockerel line. With 1 female hatched it is hard to tell anything at all. I would need way, way more females to make a breeding selection and it looks like it just isn't in the cards for me right now.

I was just looking for advice on what birds I have, I didn't even mention your name until I was asked where they are from... you have a solid reputation as a SF breeder and I did not feel like it was negative towards you in any way, but I can see how it might have felt that way. I would still like to purchase more Salmon Faverolles from you in the future so I hope I haven't offended you deeply.

 

[mame1616]

Sigh, okay, I am heeding all the experienced mothers advice and will not start a new breeding pen right now...

I don't know why it is so hard for me to let go of this breed, the Javas I could do without but I really adore SFs. I suppose my priorities might change once baby is here, but being a first time mom, it hasn't fully hit me yet all the ways that life is going to change. it's crazy!

Cloverleaf farms told me that her birds got kind of spread out and that there isn't one specific person with just her lines.. I know she is starting up again, but I figure she is at least 1-2 years from wanting to sell any.. I think when the new baby is settled, maybe this summer, I'll try again and get a lot more birds next time so I have a wider pool to choose from.. one female just isn't enough to tell anything! You are right, I have almost no patience.

Patience is the hardest to learn! If it hadn't been so rewarding, I would have given up on it a long time ago! When you have the right birds in the coop to ogle everyday, you won't even remember how hard it was to wait.

I understand how you feel about the Favs - every time I think I should just ditch this breed for an easier one, my heart hurts! They are so beautiful and funny! I still stand by what I said before - get some good birds from some good breeders, and then sit back and observe. This way, you can still have them, and learn a lot about evaluation of the birds before you start a serious breeding program.

I know it's hard to take the advice from us moms, but we've been there. We're just trying to save you some frustration. When you have a new baby, some days you won't even remember your own name, let alone the kid's! Showers and regular meals go on the wish list. Imagine several weeks of euphoric exhaustion! Trying to keep track of a bunch of birds that all look alike, and trying to pick the best mate for each, is going to be too much for your brain. But, look at it this way - if the birds are already there for you to enjoy and observe, you're actually still doing the prelim work on the program through observation. That, and keen evaluation, of each bird is a very large part of a successful program.

You know we're gonna need pics of that baby now, right?

 

[keesmom]

Sigh, okay, I am heeding all the experienced mothers advice and will not start a new breeding pen right now...

I don't know why it is so hard for me to let go of this breed, the Javas I could do without but I really adore SFs. I suppose my priorities might change once baby is here, but being a first time mom, it hasn't fully hit me yet all the ways that life is going to change. it's crazy!

It will get more complicated when #2 arrives, then maybe #3 and #4. (I knew to stop after 2.) Now is not the time to burden yourself with extra needless tasks. Any of those 3 breeds will still be around in the forseeable future. They may not be a mouse click away but they will still be there for you to start again. There is also no reason you can't keep a few good hens around for layers, then get a cockerel when you think you have time to deal with a new breeding pen.

I had too many pens when my kids were younger. It got to be where it was work and not fun so I got out of all but one variety. Made my life SO much easier.

 

[elizmartin]

Wow, Am excited that Jeanine is considering breeding Favs Again….Rob (chicken rustler, page one Washington thread) lives in South Washington….Ethel, Wa. and has some of Jeanine's best, so does Kim Hunter in Woodinville, Wa. Travis Lacey may have some Salmons, but he did get Jeanine's bantam buff's….Christina Cole in Oregon just sold her last group ( and i have been told she breeds beautiful BLRW too), Michele De Cicco in Washougal, Wa. has some huge, award winning Favs also……Jeanine's birds are represented at the museum between Redmond and Bend, Oregon.

Have You gone to the Oregon page and asked if there are any Faverolle breeders???? Know they are out there…..

 

[FVRM]

Mine have just started laying. anyone have pics of their eggs so i can compare?

 

[LadyCluck77]

Mine have just started laying. anyone have pics of their eggs so i can compare?

These haven't been washed, so please excuse any poopies, all SF except the pale blue one.
An EE egg just

to compare color.

 

[keesmom]

Here are some old pictures of pullet and hen eggs. All I am getting now are eggsicles.

Bantam egg to left of quarter, pullet egg top, hen right.