Faverolles Thread

[appps]

Honestly, I think some of the girls are more vocal than the boys! They drive me nuts when I have to work around the coop area and just you wait until one lays an egg! The alarms really start going off!

I thought it was just mine! We got our first eggs over the weekend and the noise involved was ridiculous!!

 

[queenchick16]

...

I thought it was just mine! We got our first eggs over the weekend and the noise involved was ridiculous!

Congrats on your first egg
Mine all go crazy. When they all get going it sounds like they are trying out for a broadway musical. I hate to tellthem that they should keep their day jobs...I have one tiny pea comb bantam that I have renamed Tarzan because of the noises that come out of her.it sounds like you have stepped into the African jungle when you go into my back yard.she sounds like some exotic bird or monkey.i have been saved lately cause my neighbor has just had a baby and the mother in law puts their 2 dogs outside when she babysits. They bark constantly, I feel bad for the dogs but it's taking the pressure off me for the time.

 

[appps]

Lol. I really don't remember the first eggs being such a big deal with the bantams. One day there were eggs and that was that. These guys however complained all day. If I went outside Carl would try and get out the fencing to me doing this complaining chatter the whole time a d then that would set the others off again lol It went on all day. Finally ending with three eggs in the nest box, two of which I'm sure were from favs. Thank goodness no eggs today so we had some peace and quiet lol (I can't believe I just said that lol)

 

[lungewhipqueen]

LOL! - Yeah, I have a couple of the "look, but don't touch" girls! I have 2 different groups, I think yours are the same age as my "older" chicks - isn't that a great age? They're just beginning to really feather out and take on individual appearances. I have a total of 6 pullets and 2 roos. Oh, and I have a broody fav hen sitting on one egg! She's the second fav broody I've had this season. I originally gave her 3 eggs, and I marked them with a spot of duct tape, but I think my neighbor must've come over and got some eggs because now I can only find one with a spot of tape I can't imagine what else could've happened to them      I agree, they are lovable birds! 

I mark my eggs with a pencil. That way there's nothing for them to pick at or fall off. I mark them with the date or just a big X. My hens have a tendancy to squeeze in with the broody and add eggs to the same nest. With the marks, I can just pull out the new eggs daily. Nothing more frustrating than a nest full of eggs at different stages of development!

 

[n8ivetxn]

I thought it was just mine! We got our first eggs over the weekend and the noise involved was ridiculous!!

LOL! You can always tell when you get fresh eggs!

Lungewhipqueen - yeah, they must've picked it off, my neighbor said he hasn't gotten any eggs recently

I tried using a pencil before, but my eyes are getting bad - I couldn't see the marks on the eggs, so this time I just used a spot of silver duct tape. The girls have quit laying in that box with the broody - there is an extra large box in the run area and they've decided to use that instead!

 

[lungewhipqueen]

LOL! You can always tell when you get fresh eggs!

Lungewhipqueen - yeah, they must've picked it off, my neighbor said he hasn't gotten any eggs recently

I tried using a pencil before, but my eyes are getting bad - I couldn't see the marks on the eggs, so this time I just used a spot of silver duct tape. The girls have quit laying in that box with the broody - there is an extra large box in the run area and they've decided to use that instead!

Well hopefully your broody gives you a baby/babies soon. Any idea how long she's been sitting at this point?

It's been quite a few years since I had a broody hen and one of my Australorp ladies is sitting now. She's not quite a year old, so I'm hopeful that she'll be a regular for raising chicks down the road. Cuz you can never have too many... right? She's been on her nest about 5 days now. The second day a RIR hen pushed her off to lay an egg and I was worried she wouldn't end up back on the nest... but she did and the others seem to be leaving her alone. She's in a spot on the floor of my feed room under a shelf. It's kinda cute, she's next to a 5 gallon bucket and right on the other side of the bucket is my Muscovy duck who's on her third nest this year! In fact, it was the duck nest that made me realize the hen had gone broody. She'd pushed the duck off and stolen her huge nest of eggs. At the end of the day she was still there, so I put a few chicken eggs next to the nest and moved the hen on to them. She gradually rolled them around to the other side of the bucket but didn't stay on them through the night. The next day she was on them again and other than the time the RIR moved her to add an egg, she's been planted there firmly. She has 7 eggs under there. I figure that's not a bad batch for a first time momma.

I once had a first timer hatch out EIGHTEEN chicks!

 

[Wrightsx4]

My BA hen hatched 7 faverolles eggs for me 9 weeks ago - she was an amazing sitter and did great raising them. Six boys, one girl... you guys who helped me were 100% correct. Is there a place online with photo examples of what is good/bad for this breed? I only know very basic info and I'm trying to narrow down which male I want to keep. I took pics of each one but my camera skills...well, I have none! Lol. I care most about personality but with favs that's not a good criteria - they're all sweet. I'd like to find examples of good or bad toes, head shape, comb... I got the eggs from Fancy Favie (thanks!!!) so I'm sure they're from quality stock. If I can narrow it down to two or three then I'll post pics of them so hopefully you'll suggest which one is the keeper. Of course if anyone is near northwest Michigan and would like any of the other 5...

 

[mame1616]

My BA hen hatched 7 faverolles eggs for me 9 weeks ago - she was an amazing sitter and did great raising them. Six boys, one girl... you guys who helped me were 100% correct. Is there a place online with photo examples of what is good/bad for this breed? I only know very basic info and I'm trying to narrow down which male I want to keep. I took pics of each one but my camera skills...well, I have none! Lol. I care most about personality but with favs that's not a good criteria - they're all sweet. I'd like to find examples of good or bad toes, head shape, comb... I got the eggs from Fancy Favie (thanks!!!) so I'm sure they're from quality stock. If I can narrow it down to two or three then I'll post pics of them so hopefully you'll suggest which one is the keeper. Of course if anyone is near northwest Michigan and would like any of the other 5...

Both sexes should have the five toes, with the fourth and fifth well separated to the leg. Both sexes' ideal comb is five evenly separated points, although this is often difficult to achieve, and is not as important as the toes, which is a hallmark of the breed. Both should have obvious beards by now. As far as coloration on the cockerels, unfortunately you're going to have to wait until they get at least their first adult molt - they just look a mess until then. The females should have a creamy white breast and beard, with the salmon coloring as even as possible from the top of the head to the end of the tale. They are a little young yet to be judging the width of the chest, but you can start looking for a good, wide head, in both sexes. These are stocky birds, whether bantam or LF. The legs should not be too long in proportion to the body.

Truly, one of the pictures I like best is this one, although it is a bit cartoonish. You can see the depth of the chest, the fullness of the beards, the feathering only on the outside of the leg, the five separated toes, the points on the comb, the color placement, (although the female should have more even coloring,) the reddish-bay of the eyes, etc. See the upside-down trapezoid shape of the body?

The ability to judge which chicks are going to turn out great is something we all strive to learn, and something the long-time breeders tell us they are still learning to do, so don't get discouraged! Always ask questions! You've done really well already by starting with good stock.

 

[Wrightsx4]

Thank you mame1616 - I can't wait now til morning to go take a closer look. I do know they all have 5 toes with good separation to the leg - no web. The fourth and fifth toes look sooooo long. They've had nice full beards since hatch. These two guys are very friendly - two of the lighter ones. Wishing I could get them all to stand side by side. I will post more pics as they all get a little older - I'll try to not get carried away. They're just so darn cute.

 

[n8ivetxn]

Well hopefully your broody gives you a baby/babies soon. Any idea how long she's been sitting at this point?

It's been quite a few years since I had a broody hen and one of my Australorp ladies is sitting now. She's not quite a year old, so I'm hopeful that she'll be a regular for raising chicks down the road. Cuz you can never have too many... right? She's been on her nest about 5 days now. The second day a RIR hen pushed her off to lay an egg and I was worried she wouldn't end up back on the nest... but she did and the others seem to be leaving her alone. She's in a spot on the floor of my feed room under a shelf. It's kinda cute, she's next to a 5 gallon bucket and right on the other side of the bucket is my Muscovy duck who's on her third nest this year! In fact, it was the duck nest that made me realize the hen had gone broody. She'd pushed the duck off and stolen her huge nest of eggs. At the end of the day she was still there, so I put a few chicken eggs next to the nest and moved the hen on to them. She gradually rolled them around to the other side of the bucket but didn't stay on them through the night. The next day she was on them again and other than the time the RIR moved her to add an egg, she's been planted there firmly. She has 7 eggs under there. I figure that's not a bad batch for a first time momma.

I once had a first timer hatch out EIGHTEEN chicks!

WOAH!

LOL! That's a good mamma

My Fav broody should be a first time mamma this coming Friday-Sunday, I can't remember exactly, but this weekend for sure! Poor things, they sure look miserable when they sit!

Congrats on your Astralorp broody! - I think they have a good rep for being broody, if I remember right. I know Muscovies do! They'll hatch anything! I have 2 French Marans hens that are super, I don't think I could ask for better broodies. My first Fav broody, in May, she was ok, not a strong mothering instinct, but fair enough, she left them on their own as soon as they had feathers! So, I'll be interested to see how this Fav hen does....

I really need to stop all of this, or else re-home a few birds. My coop and run is getting full!