Faverolles Thread

[bruceha2000]

She sees me, hops into my hand and lays the egg!! gotta love these birds!

OK then, can you teach my chickens that little trick? They aren't laying yet but when they do it sure would be convenient. Egg carton in one hand, chicken in the other. No frozen, messy or broken eggs

 

[hcammack]

Let the girls out for a little jaunt around the yard and decided to snap some pictures. Got a few of the group and also of some pullets that I didn't picture before.

Here is a dark salmon girls from Dick




Who says Faverolles can't be sassy?


The whole group






Here is a pullet from Cindy. She is a light salmon so huge! I call her Gigantor or Moose.


Look how wide she is!


The group again. The one closest with her butt facing the camera is runtie. You can tell Gigantor towers above the other pullets.


The other pullet from Cindy.

 

[n8ivetxn]

Let the girls out for a little jaunt around the yard and decided to snap some pictures. Got a few of the group and also of some pullets that I didn't picture before.

Here is a dark salmon girls from Dick




Who says Faverolles can't be sassy?


The whole group






Here is a pullet from Cindy. She is a light salmon so huge! I call her Gigantor or Moose.


Look how wide she is!


The group again. The one closest with her butt facing the camera is runtie. You can tell Gigantor towers above the other pullets.


The other pullet from Cindy.

Those are some nice lookin' girls! Despite the disaster last week, Cindy may be shipping me a couple more pullets - I hope I get one like that...

"Gigantor" - makes me think of the movie, Night at the Museum with Ben Stiller -Octavius calls him Gigantor!

 

[n8ivetxn]

Here are a few pictures of my little blue Faverolle bantam, with a Swedish Flower LF.




Little Tiny Tot..

Very sweet baby too

They are sooo tiny!

- You know, I'd be afraid to hold one

I've never held a new chic - In the last pic I can see a thick line of fuzz on the leg! I'm sure *she* will be a very nice pullet

In the first pic, the little Swedish Flower looks like it has some very heavy "eye make-up"...... One of these days I'm gonna get me some blues

 

[thechickonthehill]

So... they 'got away' and became just pretty birds?
I have eaten a few birds here and on other farms where I lived but they were not heritage birds... not that I can recall anyway. Would you mind explaining what you think the huge differences were? IDK if i am offending Fav keepers here by talking about eating them but I know that is what any cull here will be for. How many of you raise for meat or for show... or just for cute and fluffy fun? I need to make a living with my birds or at least a means for my family as well as have fun with the fluff so i thought I would ask. I understand not everyone eats their birds. Not trying to upset those of you who don't.

How long do you grow them out till-- weight or age?

I eat all of my culls - haven't bought chicken from the store in over 2 years now. I usually wait until about 5 months of age to process. I also have found the Favs to be meatier and tastier eating than other breeds (I've had Marans, Cochins, EEs, Brahmas). I like them best roasted slow and low (about 300 degrees) in the oven after rubbing with butter and herbs. Yum! I have found that letting them "age" for about 3 days in the refrigerator before cooking seems to help make them more tender.

Here is a link to a good article about cooking heritage birds: http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/cookingwheritagechicken.pdf

 

[ashandvine]

Thank you for that link and feedback. I have Marans now that I am going to cross to an Orp for meat this spring. It will be our first move in the direction you are now. I know heritage grow slowly, so what are the risks of losing a good breeder to the table at 5 mos instead of 7? I'd like to learn a bit more about culling out of the egg. I plan to set the largest eggs and then cull for toes first but I am still not sure what i should be looking for on so small a bird. I don't plan to kill but grow outs for food are separated from breeders or at least marked different so I can tell them apart. Thoughts on knowing cockerels from pullets and how early I can tell. I only have the three here so I am hoping for a trio.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

If you have something that could potentially be a good breeder, don't cull until 8 months at MINIMUM. The longer you grow out the boys, the better. 5 month culls are ones that are obviously not going to make it to the breeder pen.

 

[sandiklaws]

The SOP says that Favs lay a medium egg. Most of my girls lay a large to XL egg. The average egg out of my main breeding pen is 58-63 grams.

which is why I want some of your eggs

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote: LOL I will start my waiting list in late December / early January for this next spring...between molting and broodies, I'm happy to get 2 eggs a day out of that coop right now! LOL Sucks to put them in the fridge though...

 

[elizmartin]

Well back to the discussion if Fav.males get along....I have opened the pen where my new boy was living by self and the big group area.....Welllll, its been several hours now and he's had several altercations with the girls who flew at him and openly put him in his place, (gee what did i do?) but the 3 Pasofino Brothers (about 8-10 mo???) look at him for a moment and act like he's no big deal, and walk on.... of course they are all young still, but the brothers are breeding and do care for the girls....

Re eggs, I have a few Barnys, Ameraucanas,Anconas,misc. and then the Favs.....The Favs are the only ones laying right now.......