Faverolles Thread

[Cloverleaf Farm]

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I can't answer that, as I have only let broodies hatch chicks, I've never let them raise them...as far as the difference between broody HATCHED and incubated, I haven't found a difference...

 

[hcammack]

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Your right that is a startling difference! What are they eating that is different? Umm maybe it has to do with the brooder raised ones being warmer and having access to food more often. Some mothers are over protective and keep their babies from eating as much as they should.

 

[thechickonthehill]

They are all eating exactly the same food. The older chicks were actually moved into the baby coop with the two broody hens and their chicks when the older batch was 5 weeks old so they have all been living together in the same coop for several weeks now. The next time I have a broody I may split a batch of eggs and put some in the incubator at the same time I put some under a broody. Then raise the incubated ones in the brooder box for a few weeks and see what the results are regarding their growth rate.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Ok...opinions please...the first two pics are the third roo that I didn't have pics of earlier...he's only slightly smaller than the big dark one...and I don't know why he was holding his tail that low - normally his tail carriage is like the others...

And a couple more pics of the dark roo...he doesn't have the white triangles at the tip of his wings - how big a deal is that?

And, just to have all the pics in the same post...the little roo...

 

[mame1616]

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Wow - who would have thought? Dick's going to have a lot of questions to answer when he gets back on here....

 

[Rock N' Faverolles]

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I don't mind the top male at all but I think I still like the second one the best. What do you mean white triangles? If you mean the coloring on the primaries and secondaries, if it's totally lacking it's a pretty big defect (in my opinion) and I don't know if I'd use it in the breeding pen. If that was the case, I'd stick with using the top one. I'd actually probably end up using both and just marking the eggs and chicks so I knew what chicks came from what matings.

 

[faverolles]

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In my personal opinion The male with the mahogany red on his back is what the standard calls for. I wish I had a male that dark. I feel the lighter one is what most of the judges see around the shows in this country and again, in my opinion will give you better pullets.
Dick

Oh good - whew! Thanks! That's what I was hoping for - the second male is more curious/friendly, has been from day 1, but EVERYTHING else about the first one is better, and he's not "naughty" at all, just standoffish. Which is totally fine with me. If he gets any size on him, I might just use that lighter male for showing for a while, and then sell him at some point, because the third male I have is a lot closer to the first one than the second.

Again I feel the mahogany red male will give you better cockerels when breeding him to non showable hens. The second one I feel would give you better pullets. I wouldn't be to quick to get rid of him because I think you would get better showable pullets from him. Again, only my opinion.
Dick

 

[faverolles]

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Yeah, he isn't the most willing to stand there forever for me to take pics, like the other one is! Thanks - it's nice to have multiple opinions telling me I've done the right thing!

Yes, and even though pictures can be deceptive sometimes, it still helps those of us trying to learn when pictures are critiqued. For me its much easier to have things (both good and bad) pointed out on an actual bird than just reading a description of what they are supposed to look like.

As we all know there is no perfect bird. I've bred some birds where I bred best to best and only got a few decent ones. I've bred other birds using pluses and minuses and have had better results. For example: a short flat backed male to a long flat backed female or a seven point combed bird to a four point combed. You strive for the right balance. You should start with what you have remembering every time you bring in new blood other problems can arise. You need to develop a flock where they are all related. Grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, nieces, nephew, sons, daughters, aunts and uncles. Then you need to close your flock down like Peter has done. It should give you better control and better consistancy in your offspring. It's called years of work and dedication for our Faverolles breed.
In a lot of pictures on this thread I can see faults. If a male has some bad faults he needs to be bred to a female that doesn't have those faults. YOU NEED TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE STANDARD, because if you don't and you breed a bad fault bird to a bad fault bird all the offspring will carry those bad faults and you would be heading down the wrong road. I think all birds are good if bred to the right bird.
Dick

 

[Laurieks]

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/agree
I'd definitely keep the light one for making pullets... too bad we can't specify which sex the chicks will be. My light one attacks me, when he's not sick... he's still getting over a sinus infection. I'm learning a lot this year.

The top guy looks like he has white in his beard.
I'm glad to see that the white wingtips are normal... I was about to cull for it in this guy

On a side note... someone (who found me on the Fav Fanciers roster, right after I joined!) wants to borrow a roo for a few months to breed her backyard flock. They are isolated & healthy, & mareks vaccinated (mine are not), & wants to pay me for the privilege.
1) how do you folks feel about mareks?
2 & 3) would you send out a roo for stud service? If yes, how much would you charge, if anything?

Thanks all!
Laurie

 

[faverolles]

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In my personal opinion The male with the mahogany red on his back is what the standard calls for. I wish I had a male that dark. I feel the lighter one is what most of the judges see around the shows in this country and again, in my opinion will give you better pullets.
Dick

Dick, why will the lighter one give you better pullets? I'm still trying to figure out this genetics stuff. Thanks! - Mary

Going by the standard the male should have dark mahogany on his back and wingbows. I find that most of the pullets they produce are smutty on the chest. For years I got rid of these hens. I got better pullets when I noticed the males were getting lighter where they had bronze on there wingbow and not much mahogany red on their backs. I know some people won't agree with me but I think Faverolles should be double mated, where you have a cockerel pen and a pullet pen. Years ago Bill Woods, who was my mentor said I had a cockerel line. At the time I didn't really grasp what he meant. I think from breeding Faverolles all these years its starting to sink in. I enjoy this breed because of the challenges. White birds are white and black birds are black. All you have to do is deal with type. Don't get me wrong there are challenges but Faverolles are a different entity. There is so much going on with toes, beard, muffs and especially color. I've noticed Faverolles males get lighter with age. I've had lighter males that had black underneath right up to his beard till he moulted. Then I would see his beard getting white and different colors cropping in on the front of his neck. This is why I feel the darker the male the better and how he is bred means a whole lot. Again, this is only my opinion.
Dick