Faverolles Thread

[hcammack]

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I am so glad your getting eggs from Dick that is so great!

 

[sandiklaws]

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I am on the opposite side of the country, Cape Cod MA. I actually do like the shape of the first bird in your picture very much. Can't quite see the second properly... however I would gladly take them both come cool shipping weather in the fall/winter, we would just need to figure out how to get them here. I will have some birds from Dicks breeding (under a cochin hen and hatching in 2 weeks), and some from My Pet Chicken. Both Dick and Ed were interested in checking out the hatchery birds, both as a curiosity (who knows they might have something to offer) and to try to figure out who bred them. I feel with a breed like this, you have to look at much more than just pigment alone when culling. Those hens might have some smut in their beards but they might produce something totally different- and black doesn't matter in the beard if you are talking about roos

When breeding anything it is importaint to remember that Phenotype and Genotype often are NOT the same in every animal... this is a fancy way of saying what you see is not always what you are going to get. All too often novice breeders (in any type of breeding be it plants or ponies)will cull an animal that could have had exactly what was needed to fix a trait. When you work on a particular thing in a line you have to ignore all but MAJOR faults... anything that can easily be fixed in a few generations cannot be considered a major fault, and in poultry breeding color is fairly easy to fix in a few generations, providing the basic "design" (i.e. a bird still has the majority of it's coloring be correct) is still there. You cannot judge a bird useless based simply on color IMHO.

 

[sandiklaws]

What we should be working on more as fanciers is overall structure. The European birds have gorgeous type, especially in England... but due to Americas larger size and many hatcheries, I would argue we probably have more birds here than there, meaning more genetic (poorer quality but still) material to work with. The only reasons we do not have birds that can compete when compared with the English birds are lack of knowlegable breeding for type first and color second, and too big of an over all poor quality gene pool. Yes we could purchase a lot of eggs from English breeders (talking thousands here), have a knowlegable person hatch them, breed them, and share the breed stock and in a few short years drastically improve our overall quality... but if the folks breeding do not change how they select what stock they are keeping we will still have inferior birds, and the new birds will gentically drift back to what they were. Breeding goals MUST be specific- putting a hen w/ a roo simply because he is pretty will not do! You need to know what that bird produces and if he has major faults and you are using him anyway, you need to have a long term plan for how to fix them- think in years and decades people, not clutches and seasons. I for one do not plan on showing my birds for a few years until after I get my initial stock shown and appraised, unless I feel the need to have some bird get a better qualified eye on it than mine. I will work toward my goals, and then in about 5 or 6 years, I will begin to show in ernest... so all you that show your stock be on the lookout for me around 2015. I will be the one who came out of the woodwork and swept the nationals

 

[sandiklaws]

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Yes!!!

I am all set on directions as I plan on going w/ Dick and ED... it's going to be fun!!!

 

[sandiklaws]

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There combs are also a bit strange. I may be seeing things but does the bird in the front have any points on her comb it almost looks like a rose comb? They may be capable of producing some nice offspring when mated with your males who knows!

Laurieks can you confirm that the hen has a regular comb, or load a diff pic? I blew up the picture and zoomed in but it got too pixilated to really see.

 

[Laurieks]

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Bravo!!!
I'll be looking for tons of advice when it comes time to cull offspring. I put our darker hen in with the light roo simply because she's got the obnoxious voice & attitude and he's the one who bit me. I am giving some eggs away at out chickenstock, and I pray that they hatch out decent chicks. I will mark the ones from the dark hen. Who knows, they may be the best combo.
Have a great day!
eta:
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yes indeed

 

[sandiklaws]

I seriously love that first hens body type. I visited Dicks house last week and we looked at tons of show photos, and one of the few things that stuck with me was his comments on how American birds tend to be lacking in roundness and have wings that droop... then I see your hen and she seems to have the goods as far as that goes. I would be interested in purchasing hatching eggs from her especially if you put her with a roo w/ the same type. As far as sending her here... I would keep her if I were you. Besides, pigment can sometimes keep changing until they are nearly 2 depending on bloodlines.

 

[hcammack]

Quote:
I am on the opposite side of the country, Cape Cod MA. I actually do like the shape of the first bird in your picture very much. Can't quite see the second properly... however I would gladly take them both come cool shipping weather in the fall/winter, we would just need to figure out how to get them here. I will have some birds from Dicks breeding (under a cochin hen and hatching in 2 weeks), and some from My Pet Chicken. Both Dick and Ed were interested in checking out the hatchery birds, both as a curiosity (who knows they might have something to offer) and to try to figure out who bred them. I feel with a breed like this, you have to look at much more than just pigment alone when culling. Those hens might have some smut in their beards but they might produce something totally different- and black doesn't matter in the beard if you are talking about roos

When breeding anything it is importaint to remember that Phenotype and Genotype often are NOT the same in every animal... this is a fancy way of saying what you see is not always what you are going to get. All too often novice breeders (in any type of breeding be it plants or ponies)will cull an animal that could have had exactly what was needed to fix a trait. When you work on a particular thing in a line you have to ignore all but MAJOR faults... anything that can easily be fixed in a few generations cannot be considered a major fault, and in poultry breeding color is fairly easy to fix in a few generations, providing the basic "design" (i.e. a bird still has the majority of it's coloring be correct) is still there. You cannot judge a bird useless based simply on color IMHO.

I agree with this never said to cull her but her color is off. She does have good type for a hatchery faverolles and if paired with the right male she could be a great start. I got two good faverollles hens from meyer hatchery a few years ago. I have a hen who is very dark in color but I have her in my breeding program because she could possible produce some very good quality males. I agree I remember someone saying that poultry breeding is like building a barn you have to build it before you paint it. I totally agree with your opinion of the type of the american birds being lacking and also that what you see isn't always what you get. I wasn't trashing the hens I think they could produce some very nice offspring. I think she should hatch some chicks and see how they grow out if they appear to have taken a step back and be worse then their parents I would say change hens but if they look to be good birds keep the hens as breeders.

Here are the hens I got from Meyer hatchery

 

[Laurieks]

the combs are indeed the same..just like your Meyer girl.. pics tonite. The dark girl has about 2 feathers on each leg... somehow I missed this before. (need a blush smilie here)

 

[hcammack]

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Its fine I am always discovering new things on my birds. Take toe pictures to please. The top hen I got from meyer isn't great but the second one is stunning one of the best LF fav hens I have seen she got taken by a fox before I became interested in breeding

Wish I had a better picture to show her type.

Henry