Faverolles Thread

[gootziecat]

Thanks, Sandi.

 

[n8ivetxn]

I had a marans hen last year hatch out a couple of chicks but she wasn't a good mama and I had to take them away. The sussex hen I had last year, what a splendid hen she was, and raised her chicks she hatched (5 or so) and I slipped another 7 under her at night that were day old chicks I had incubator hatched, and she raised them all.

That's awful...bad momma! I was nervous when mine went broody, but I wanted to see the whole process. It was really neat, for somebody who's never seen a hen hatch eggs. I bought a few chicks once, and boy, I had my hands full for about 3 weeks....

 

[n8ivetxn]

As for egg color, my Favs have never laid anything even close to white... most are a deep rose to light brown and are medium sized. Finish on the eggs varies; mostly it is a middle of the road finish- neither shiny or chalky, However, I do have one hen that lays a deep rosy-tan high gloss egg, and I have another that lays a creamy tan chalk finish egg. I do know Dick is going to begin selecting for darker eggs with his flock to help improve earlobe color. (darker shell = more red in the lobe)

That is so interesting... egg color and ear lobes..... who woulda thunk it?

For some reason, I have a tendency to equate egg color with bird quality. That probably isn't the case, I'm assuming. This is what I mean: I have 2 hatchery girls. I have no idea which egg belongs to which chicken, hatchery or breeder stock. But for some reason, when I see nice, pink/rosy looking eggs, I always assume they came from the breeder girls, and the brownish looking eggs came from the hatchery girls. - I'm sure I believe that because I've read that hatchery birds have mixed breeding in the pedigree. Am I wrong in my thinking. - Should I just stop thinking

My eggs have the same variations as yours Sandi - yeah, and that one hi-gloss rosy egg (I have one of those too!) - I wanna know whose that is?! I keep saying one day I'm going to seperate all of them until they each lay an egg....

 

[cubakid]

Are there any nice Blue Bantams out there?

 

[keesmom]

Cloverleaf Farm has blue bantams. So do Andrew Hamilton and Charles Logan in AL.

 

[sandiklaws]

just hatched the first of the year... got 4 this morning and more to come tomorrow night, both my own and some improved Cackle hatchery chicks. Toes/beards/leg feathering look fantastic on all 4 except for one who could have slightly better separation on one foot. Chicks are nice and uniform, super active and VERY fluffy

 

[n8ivetxn]

Nice way to start the season!

 

[gootziecat]

Great! We're all awaiting details and comparisons.

 

[sandiklaws]

OK so 2 of the Cackles have hatched- what a difference in chicks! Cackle chicks are smallish, one has faint grey stripes, and neither are super fluffy... oh and both have 4/5 for toes

I will try to get pictures and post then later today.

 

[sandiklaws]

That is so interesting... egg color and ear lobes..... who woulda thunk it?

For some reason, I have a tendency to equate egg color with bird quality. That probably isn't the case, I'm assuming. This is what I mean: I have 2 hatchery girls. I have no idea which egg belongs to which chicken, hatchery or breeder stock. But for some reason, when I see nice, pink/rosy looking eggs, I always assume they came from the breeder girls, and the brownish looking eggs came from the hatchery girls. - I'm sure I believe that because I've read that hatchery birds have mixed breeding in the pedigree. Am I wrong in my thinking. - Should I just stop thinking

My eggs have the same variations as yours Sandi - yeah, and that one hi-gloss rosy egg (I have one of those too!) - I wanna know whose that is?! I keep saying one day I'm going to seperate all of them until they each lay an egg....

My originals did lay pale rose tint eggs,The hatchery gals I added my second year laid much darker eggs, and were darker themselves. Nothing I have now has more then 1/8th of hatchery blood... but the chicks I hatched today came from my shiny rose/tan girl(s)