Faverolles Thread

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:

I think the slow development is just typical SF.

But the question was related to the hatchery birds growing much faster than the breeder birds. Most say it is the other way around.

Bruce

I would guess that the hatchery birds mature faster, because they are bred more for production, rather than being true dual purpose birds, that need more time to mature.

 

[bruceha2000]

I am so glad those girls made it to PA. What a debacle, good grief..... They were a "priority" shipment, bumped for a shipment with dry ice??? What the heck? - Unless it was human organs they were shipping, they had no right to bump *live* animals....poor things.

I expect that, as in all things, money talks. Some business pays them huge amounts of money annually to ship dry ice so when they say - "hey we need a 'special'" they get it over a few chickens from a small customer.

But I agree, it is sad. It isn't the same as someone's new shirt from LL Bean getting held up a day or two. It would be different if you KNEW that if they get bumped they are put in a proper holding area and taken care of by people who know chickens. AND they call you and say your shipment is being held at "this location". No news, is not NECESSARILY good news and it is quite emotionally taxing worrying they are lost in the system somewhere.

Bruce

 

[NovaAman]

Hi everyone! I haven't been on the thread in a long time!

Anyway, I have two boys. I got them as 3 day olds on June 23 this year, so this makes them 4 months now. They are not crowing or showing any teenage roughness or rampaging hormones. So, I am going to go with breeder birds do mature much slower. Here are my boys.

 

[4hchickmama]

So we had our first rain and I don't think my two pullets knew what to do. Despite me putting them back in the shelter several times with the other chickens, they decided to hang out in the rain with the ducks. Silly little birds. It was wet, but fortunately not too cold.

 

[n8ivetxn]

Mine came at 5am too....I was soooo excited i could hardly contain myself VBG,,,,,I tried to take pics but they just looked frumpy, scared and wondering what the heck happened. They were in good weight( heavy)...Someone did lay an egg yesterday so with the 5 Cindy sent i have 6 in the bator.

Am through with the Mahogany eggs for the year...so hope i will get a few more blacks eggs and maybe will add the largest, heaviest Salmons eggs too.....i did get one Salmon chick from my new group, most darling lil fuzzzzball everyone else runs around on hyperdrive, but this chick is like Winny the pooh Bear...

BTW, i had been using large livestock bowls this summer for water for the free rangers but have now placed a large rock in them. the chickens end up standing on the edge and when the water level gets lower it tips over on top of them....all summer they were fine but had 2 just this week caught under. Always check overturned pans.....

Hope all is well, and dry (monsoon season here now)....eliz

Congratulations! - I was so relieved, I could finally sleep again

 

[n8ivetxn]

Are you married? Perhaps your spouse knows about this "more chickens" desire Been calling your boss saying "Tell Rita she has to work this weekend."

Hmmm, now that you mentioned it....

.... We're not married (yet!), but we do work at the same place!!

 

[n8ivetxn]

Maybe it is because:
- I only have 12 and they have plenty of room
- They all came together as day olds

But mine seem to be ethnically blind. They all hang out with"whoever". I've been working on their nesting box this weekend (which I hope they will soon need) and 7 of them showed up in the shop. Hard to tell in the picture but both the Astralorps are there as well as the Cubalayas, 1 EE, 1 Ancona and one Partridge Chantecler - no Favs. The other 5 were elsewhere. They also sleep all mixed up and it is not the same birds next to each other every night.

Here is a picture of them "helping" me. As you can see, I have MANY unfinished projects and those are just the ones in the workshop. The community nest box is in the upper right, the pointy board is the left side of the box as seen from the "egg collection" side. They came and went a few times. I had to throw them out when Andromeda (the orange EE) started pecking the foam board.




Bruce

"Helping"

- You're lucky, my girls are all prejudiced I suppose... I have 3 groups that have "their spot" on the lofts. If you don't belong to that group, you better not go there!....And, there is an order when it comes time to go in... The elders first, followed by the next group and so on down to the youngest or lowest... Don't get out of order, you'll be severely reprimanded!

 

[n8ivetxn]

But the question was related to the hatchery birds growing much faster than the breeder birds. Most say it is the other way around.

Bruce

My bad

.... My first quad of favs are hatchery, I'm sure. They feathered and laid quick.... I have a breeder boy that is 5 1/2 months old, hasn't crowed yet, doesn't chase girls and has the feathering of say, a 3 month old

 

[n8ivetxn]

I am so in love with my bantam faverolles, now i am wanting more- so who has a small number of eggs available? These are from dinamoe, and just adore them- sammy the cockerel is a slow maturer i guess, but he knows when to protect his girls, when one of the EE's and his little lady were having words, he quietly went over and stood between them- and i guess gave her a serious stink eye cuz she left...

That's funny

How old is this little guy?

 

[n8ivetxn]

I would guess that the hatchery birds mature faster, because they are bred more for production, rather than being true dual purpose birds, that need more time to mature.

Either that, or people often say that hatchery birds can have a little mixed breeding in the background....like with breeding cows - if you have a little mixed blood, they call it "hybrid vigor" because the offspring grow and gain better than purebreds....