Faverolles Thread

[AnonAMauze]

Hi there. I have a couple of questions about Faverolles. First: are they heat and cold hardy? And second: would they do ok in a mixed flock?

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Hi there. I have a couple of questions about Faverolles. First: are they heat and cold hardy? And second: would they do ok in a mixed flock?

They don't do as well in heat, due to the beards and muffs. They do require extra cooling measures in high heat. Depends on the mixed flock, and if they've all been raised together since they were chicks. I do not generally recommend adding an adolescent or adult Fav to an established flock.

 

[AnonAMauze]

They don't do as well in heat, due to the beards and muffs. They do require extra cooling measures in high heat. Depends on the mixed flock, and if they've all been raised together since they were chicks. I do not generally recommend adding an adolescent or adult Fav to an established flock.

Hmm. What kind of measures? I live in northern CA and occasionally the temps do reach the low 100s. Usually we're around 85-95 in the summer. August is the hottest, which is also when we have those spikes into the100s. I also live in a mountainous area with lots of trees and an evening breeze to help keep things bearable.

And I was planing on getting a mixed bag of 36 chicks in March, so they'd all be raised together. Points to post in "The Worst Predator" I lost all my chickens this year.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Sorry to hear you lost all your birds. When the temps get over about 90, my birds start getting lots of frozen peas and watermelon for treats. When it's really hot, I also give them a shallow grain pan (the black rubber kind) of cold water in their run that they can stand in if they want to, and I'll put ice chunks in it sometimes, or freeze water bottles for them to snuggle with. Lots of shade is key. I did lose one bird this year to the heat, when it hit 105 and I wasn't home...

Also, hosing down their run can help...

 

[AnonAMauze]

Sorry to hear you lost all your birds. When the temps get over about 90, my birds start getting lots of frozen peas and watermelon for treats. When it's really hot, I also give them a shallow grain pan (the black rubber kind) of cold water in their run that they can stand in if they want to, and I'll put ice chunks in it sometimes, or freeze water bottles for them to snuggle with. Lots of shade is key. I did lose one bird this year to the heat, when it hit 105 and I wasn't home...

Also, hosing down their run can help...

That sounds easy enough. Thanks for the info. Faverolles are such pretty birds. I'll think about this over the winter and decide later, I guess. My climate is all over the board; cold and snowy winters and hot,dry summers. It's hard to know what to get sometimes since there are so many breeds out there.

 

[gander111]

Oh thanks for the advice. I will only be breeding my Fav and Orp..the rest of the eggs we eat..yummm. I will watch closely as you say..the good thing is that my chickens free range most days and I can always keep my Fav's in the pen/coop with the food..there's lot's of room in there. Also, I have a separate pen I can keep them if need be. Do you know how old they should be when I
add them to my flock?
Thanks again!

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote: You're very welcome. I would suggest coming up with a list of what you want out of your birds....do you want them just for eggs, or for meat as well, do you want eye candy, do you want good foragers, etc...then get an assortment of breeds that meet that criteria. From there, you can decide what breeds you like best. This is what I did. I still have my first hatchery pair of Favs that gave me "Fav Fever" LOL I had the Favs, Orps, Wyandottes, Sex Links, Polish, Rocks, Easter Eggers, and d'Uccles in my first flock. I have also raised true Ameraucanas in both LF and bantam. I have rid myself of them all in an effort to make more room for more Fav varieties.
I do have a handful of birds in other breeds that will live out their days as pets, and a few bantams in other breeds that my son is using for his breeding projects (still have the first chick I ever hatched, the daughter of my hatchery d'Uccles, as well as my very first Ameraucana)...but Favs own my heart...

 

[AnonAMauze]

You're very welcome. I would suggest coming up with a list of what you want out of your birds....do you want them just for eggs, or for meat as well, do you want eye candy, do you want good foragers, etc...then get an assortment of breeds that meet that criteria. From there, you can decide what breeds you like best. This is what I did. I still have my first hatchery pair of Favs that gave me "Fav Fever" LOL I had the Favs, Orps, Wyandottes, Sex Links, Polish, Rocks, Easter Eggers, and d'Uccles in my first flock. I have also raised true Ameraucanas in both LF and bantam. I have rid myself of them all in an effort to make more room for more Fav varieties.
I do have a handful of birds in other breeds that will live out their days as pets, and a few bantams in other breeds that my son is using for his breeding projects (still have the first chick I ever hatched, the daughter of my hatchery d'Uccles, as well as my very first Ameraucana)...but Favs own my heart...

Well, of the 36 I'm getting next year 24 will be for meat. This has been decided by other powers in the household. The last 12 are my choice of anything I want, so long as they are not bantams. I would like to have layers that are good foragers (they'd have about 5 acres to roam on, if I can train them right ^.^') but still eye-candy. Do you have any suggestions that meet these criteria?

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

If I were going to do a mixed flock again, I would have an assortment of Wyandottes, mottled Javas, Buckeyes, and Barnevelders.

Also...food for thought...since you still have some time to discuss things with the "other powers in the household"...

I don't know how much room you have for growing meat birds, BUT some things to consider when you are raising birds for meat...

I am assuming that you are talking about your standard Cornish X meat birds...which are butchered at an average of 43 days old...that's still a chick, they are still peeping when they are butchered. You have to butcher them that young, or they die, since their chick-sized organs are trying to support a full grown size body. Also, studies have been done that prove these birds are in constant pain, due to their rate of growth...they have offered feed medicated with pain control next to unmedicated feed, and the birds went for the pain control spiked food every time.

IF there is any way to sway the others in your household, I would HIGHLY recommend raising males of a heritage, or dual purpose breed for meat. It will take longer to raise them to butcher weight, and yes you have to feed them longer, but it's very, very worth it in the long run...

 

[hcammack]

I currently have a funny little mixed flock. I have 3 orpingtons, 1 Marans, 1 Austrolorp, 1 EE, 1 RIR, and 1 Barred rock. The I have a batch of chicks which includes 2 EE's 2 Buff Brahmas and a 1 Dominique. That is what the motley crew is made of for now. I may get rid of the chicks and the older orpingtons and replace them with a nice batch of faverolles pullets and do some breeding. That is what I am hoping for at least.

I agree about the meat birds. Cornish X's suffer a lot while growing out and have leg and organ problems. I would go with heritage breed cockerels or some freedom ranger colored broilers. I hopefully will have the chance to raise and process some of the freedom rangers next spring.