Faverolles Thread

[LadyCluck77]

I suspect some individuals may vary, but when I had six roosters all together, they had a clear pecking order, but got along reasonably well.
These guys were not adjoining to the hens, but could see and hear the hens. They made noises all day long, and very early in the am. Other than that they weren't bad boys at all.
From my (very limited) experience, it worked out. Just to warn you, mine all did persist to mount the smallest rooster. He was definitely a boy, so it wasn't just a long tailed hen, but the others either thought he was a hen or just didn't care.
He lost some tail feathers, but other than that, he was okay. They didn't exactly hurt him.
We recently gave them all away to a friend to eat, because they were so expensive to feed. We were going through about three times the feed with those hungry guys. If I had unlimited space and money, I would have kept them.

 

[krosfyre]

I have a similar question I have all young bird 17 weeks and 6 weeks but I ordered a fav roo and my speckled sussex turned out to be a rooster. I don't have the ability to build an additional coop so I will now have 2 roosters in with 9 hens (that's if all the ee's are girls still too early on the 6 week old babies). Will I have a disaster on my hands having 2 roosters in the same pen and is there too much of an age difference? I recently had a bit of a respiratory infection go through my flock, and was told I can't re-home or sell any because they could be carriers for life so I really am not sure what I am going to do. So far the SS is a pretty mellow guy around the girls and the babies, but he avoids me like I am toxic lol, I am hoping they will get along but not really sure what to expect in the months to come.

 

[LadyCluck77]

I have a similar question I have all young bird 17 weeks and 6 weeks but I ordered a fav roo and my speckled sussex turned out to be a rooster. I don't have the ability to build an additional coop so I will now have 2 roosters in with 9 hens (that's if all the ee's are girls still too early on the 6 week old babies). Will I have a disaster on my hands having 2 roosters in the same pen and is there too much of an age difference? I recently had a bit of a respiratory infection go through my flock, and was told I can't re-home or sell any because they could be carriers for life so I really am not sure what I am going to do. So far the SS is a pretty mellow guy around the girls and the babies, but he avoids me like I am toxic lol, I am hoping they will get along but not really sure what to expect in the months to come.

I forgot to add a few bits to my earlier thoughts on keeping multiple roosters. With the boys I was keeping, they had a pecking order- there's no question about that. But ultimately they got along in a similar way as the hens do- every so often someone would get a bloody comb for challenging the Alpha but in general they worked it out. I forgot to add to my piece about setting up such an arrangement that it's still good to do the easy conveniences- ways to change the food/water easily , ways to clean it out easily- without entering the coop- especially so you don't have to turn your back on any mean ones- and of course if you're keeping boys only in an area, there is no need for nest boxes. Square footage should be around 4 square feet per bird, if possible, of course with anything chickens the more space, the better. Roosting bars are great if you can add them too.
If you do find any to be super-mean, they might not be worth keeping anyway. I've seen people keep roosters in battery cages, so it sounds like you're definitely providing well for them.

Now, about multiple roosters in a flock: I have a friend who keeps two roosters in his flock. He has a brown leghorn and a gold comet mix boys and 14 mixed breed girls. In his flock, the Brown Leghorn is the "top rooster" One will always ultimately be the alpha, and the secondary rooster may get a little picked on. Some of the hens may prefer the alpha and a few may prefer the secondary rooster. There could be some squabbles over that. My friend does have a means to separate them when he needs to- he had a RIR before who was NOT able to get along with the BL, and my friend built a very small "penthouse apartment" by sectioning off the topmost area of the coop with chicken wire, cutting a hole in the coop- and building planks leading to the run, enclosed in more chicken-wire, where one rooster could be fully separated but still live in the coop and run. He could still see everyone through the wire.
This worked out until the RIR died of natural causes. So that is the backup plan if the present two roosters do not get along- one will go into the old penthouse apartment. If possible, it would be a relief to have some kind of backup- a place to separate one out if you need to. Even if it's just a dog crate in your garage, just in case.

 

[Angiebubs]

I am wondering if a bachelor pad with Salmon Faverolles cockerels would be even easier due to the docile personalities?

I currently have one Lav Orpington roo in with 23 hens. I want to keep 2 boys out of the 10 Salmon Faverolles but need to hang on to some of them to make a decision on which to keep. Right now everyone is together and everything is fine. However, I know as the snow comes, the boys starting hitting the 6 month old mark, we will have problems.

So I am wondering:
A) I have 1 cockerel I know I am keeping. Should I leave him in with the main flock and put the others in the bachelor pad-then try to re introduce one back when I have decided.

B) Move all the cockerels into bachelor pad, when I have decided which 2 I am keeping-re introduce them back to main flock?
I am also considering finding my sweet Lav Orp a new home in the spring as it would make breeding the Favs a lot easier. Otherwise, I may end up turning the bachelor pad into a faverolles breeding coop when I have re homed all the remaining cockerels in the spring.

 

[elizmartin]

My thoughts if the room allows (enough for each to be out of each others way). To have them all in or out removing any that you are sure will not be staying as you decide. leaving one with girls gives him the proprietary edge making it HIS space to defend against a newcomer later.

 

[Farmer Viola]

I am wondering if a bachelor pad with Salmon Faverolles cockerels would be even easier due to the docile personalities?

I currently have one Lav Orpington roo in with 23 hens. I want to keep 2 boys out of the 10 Salmon Faverolles but need to hang on to some of them to make a decision on which to keep. Right now everyone is together and everything is fine. However, I know as the snow comes, the boys starting hitting the 6 month old mark, we will have problems.

So I am wondering:
A) I have 1 cockerel I know I am keeping. Should I leave him in with the main flock and put the others in the bachelor pad-then try to re introduce one back when I have decided.

B) Move all the cockerels into bachelor pad, when I have decided which 2 I am keeping-re introduce them back to main flock?
I am also considering finding my sweet Lav Orp a new home in the spring as it would make breeding the Favs a lot easier. Otherwise, I may end up turning the bachelor pad into a faverolles breeding coop when I have re homed all the remaining cockerels in the spring.

if you are going to have a separate Fav breeding pen, maybe the alternate cockerel could later be introduced back in while only facing the hens, not a competing rooster.

I find that males raised together often have their own pecking order pre-established from when they were just chicks, and they respect that and don't fight much. you might be able to keep your Lav Orp guy with your backup Fav guy in the same area long-term, separating out your breeder Favs.

right now I have 4 roosters in with about 30 females, until breeding starts next year when I'll separate the males to their respective pens (BLRW, Javas, Favs) and leave 1-2 males in with the egglaying flock. I find that the 10 to 1 hen:rooster ratio can be somewhat forgiving depending on the temperament of the roosters, if they were raised together, etc. for example, there are definite submissive roosters who hardly ever mate, and generally avoid the Alpha rooster. basically if there are no problems yet, I would leave them as they are.

this summer, I did have to divide out 12 cockerels as they got to about 4 months old. they were mixed breeds and pretty aggressive towards the females who weren't yet ready to be mated, and then fighting with each other over mating duties. once separated from the girls, all the fighting between them stopped...but they sure did crow a lot!

 

[Angiebubs]

Thanks for the feedback. So right now I have 23 laying hens, 1 rooster, 4 young pullets and 10 SF cockerels. Since we get really cold/nasty winters, I want to be prepared for winter asap.

I am trying to re home some of the cockerels before winter but most people are looking for them in the spring so they don't have to "over winter" and crowd their coops.

With that said, I have one going to a "pet" home this weekend. I have to quickly decide Sat which ones are not up to par for breeding. It is really difficult as they are just 3.5 months old-changing so much! Good combs, beards/muffs, coloring, toes, etc Its hard to tell on confirmation due to them still growing and filling out. Even the one that has SLIGHT web on one of his 5th toe, is gorgeous and the lightest and very sweet. I want to have a bachelor pad for the other boys till spring comes and can re home. I am hoping to re home 3-4 at least before snow comes if possible.

I am fortunate in that I live on 40 acres, (although supervised only free ranging due to bear, racoons, hawks, eagles, fox, etc in our woods) I have a old barn that used to have mini horses, and I have converted 1/4 of it for my aprox 10 x 22 ft coop currently. I am planning on building another coop inside on the opposite side that has a window for the bachelor pad.

As far as leaving them in with the main flock-even if I get down to 4-5 to choose from on top of Lav roo, and put the others into the bachelor pad...I am afraid that will be too many roosters to hens for the winter? I will have 27 hens. I am thinking that 3 roos total should be my max. If I wait and as I slowly decide which roos I should re home, if I then go and add them over to the bachelor pad, won't they then be picked on there?

As far as setting up a separate SF breeding pen-that would be ideal. However, with the -20 winters we have, it makes it difficult to keep water heaters, feed, and warmth for them when they are separated. If I found a good home for my sweet Lav Roo, at least it would make it easier for separating the SF for breeding then putting them all back together for winter.

I currently have 3 SF pullets that I am considering using for breeding, and will be looking for more to add by Spring. I am thinking it would be easier to have just Faverolles roosters then to try and separate out a breeding pen. Still in the planning phase, and have always had chickens as just pets but have fallen in love with SF and want to make sure I start out with the best quality and setup.

Sorry for the long "book".All advice is very helpful! Thank you!

 

[Farmer Viola]

I think that they are definitely too young to judge breeder quality just yet. I am new to SFs, but in my experience breeding BLRW they change so much in the first year that you really have to wait until they are 12-16 months old to really know what you have. For example, my least favorite BLRW cockerel is now 8mos old and is now my #1 pick, never EVER would have guessed that he would grow into the beauty he is today. I am still growing the boys to at least 12 mos before I decide. The male is one half of your entire breeding flock, so he is really important. Body type should always come first, before color or comb or any small defect like webbing. You truly cannot even see their body type until they mature. (small defect = points off, not DQ. consult the SOP for which faults are -points vs DQ)

If you have definite problem cockerels, meaning they have outright DQs (disqualifications) then that is an easy way to get them out early. Past that, grow them all!

 

[Angiebubs]

Farmer Viola-very good point! I really want to re home before winter! Thanks for the advice! I may try this weekend to post pics again on here and get some insight as to which ones I could pass on before winter!

Body Type: I have a couple that seem longer legged than the other stocky ones. Is this any indicator that they will end up bigger? Or the opposite-less desireable body type?

 

[Farmer Viola]

Farmer Viola-very good point! I really want to re home before winter! Thanks for the advice! I may try this weekend to post pics again on here and get some insight as to which ones I could pass on before winter!

Body Type: I have a couple that seem longer legged than the other stocky ones. Is this any indicator that they will end up bigger? Or the opposite-less desireable body type?

I can't comment because I haven't grown enough SFs to say, I hope someone more experienced can help you on that

if you are open to it, SFs are very excellent meat birds. where I live, there are several processing businesses who will humanely kill, de-feather, and gut your birds, delivering them back to you either whole bagged or in their parts (breasts, legs, wings) for $3.20-$3.75 per bird. Very reasonable and a great way to get into eating your own home raised poultry without having to do the deed yourself. There is nothing more rewarding for me than to prepare a meal out of a bird who I know had a great life on pasture, with the highest quality food and a lot of love. I ate my SF rooster at 24 weeks or 6 mos and after resting him in a brine for 3 days and slow-cooking him in applejuice, it was some of the best meat I ever tasted.