La Flèche rooster info

[Shawna_scott]

Hi, I was given a la Flèche Rooster today. I enjoy incubating and hatching with my variety of hens and diff roosters. I like seeing what they grow up to look like. Anyways, I thought he would be an awesome new addition. I have literally never seen or heard of the breed until today when I was offered him. I would love any knowledge, facts, opinions or info anyone can give me about the breed. Thanks in advance!

 

[Trish1974]

He's neat! I've never heard of that breed.

 

[cgmccary]

I am a breeder and exhibitor of large fowl La Fleche. Yours looks like a cockerel and not a rooster/ cock yet. La Fleche are a dual purpose fowl. They are known as prolific layers of large white eggs and their meat qualities are reknown. In fact, they are known as the finest tasting chicken in the world being described as being at the head of table fowl. La Fleche are an ancient breed dating back at least 500 years in France. The famous French King, Henri IV (1553-1610) favored La Fleche as one of the breeds for his table. They were in the original APA Standard in 1874 (the first one was the Standard of Excellence). I keep La Fleche for both meat and eggs. They are the chicken we eat each week here at home.

La Fleche in French literally means, “The Arrow.” The breed got its name from a town in France with the same name. The town lies near the famous racing city, Le Mans. La Fleche, the town, received its name from the Church of St. Thomas. It is said that St. Thomas was accidentally killed by a badly aimed arrow of a fowler, who did not see the saint, while shooting at a peacock in the ancient Mylapore neighborhood, City of Chennai, India. Thus, the town was named by the church, “the arrow,” for their saint, and the beautiful breed in turn took the town’s same name.

At one time, in the category of what was called “grazier fowl,” La Fleche wandered in the vineyards and orchards eating the fruit that fell off as well as the insects and small weeds that grew beneath the fruit trees and vines -So they are exceptional foragers - I find this to be true.

They can be rather flighty (especially the young ones which I describe as "absolutely crazy") and though they tolerate confinement, mine seem to thrive better free ranging. Right now, I have about 150 young and old La Fleche running around in the forest edge and pasture around my home and more chicks growing in pens. They are rather slow growers taking some time to fully mature and probably why they are not very popular on homesteads as many of the faster growing American breeds. They are excellent flyers so you need a top on any pen you keep them in.

They are the only breed in the APA standard of Perfection with a "rather large V-comb" on the male (and they have the largest V- comb of any other breed). Your male's comb will increase in size all the way until he is 2-3 years old. It is good that at a young age, it is as small as it is. A larger V-comb on a young adult male would become almost too large.

I am interested in where you got your male, what State you reside, etc. There are only about three separate strains of La Fleche in the U.S. the best I know. Your cockerel looks nice!

 

[PamFlo]

I would like to locate a breeder of La Fleche to be able to obtain some breeder stock. Right now I have French Black Copper Marans that I use as layers and making capons. My focus is to build a better meat chicken focusing on foraging capons. If you could direct me to a breeder, I would appreciate it. I am located in middle Tennessee.

 

[Trish1974]

Maybe ask @BlackHackle :
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/breeder-directory.1260648/page-4#post-20233393

 

[BlackHackle]

http://www.americanheritagefarm.com/contact-us.html

 

[Shawna_scott]

I am a breeder and exhibitor of large fowl La Fleche. Yours looks like a cockerel and not a rooster/ cock yet. La Fleche are a dual purpose fowl. They are known as prolific layers of large white eggs and their meat qualities are reknown. In fact, they are known as the finest tasting chicken in the world being described as being at the head of table fowl. La Fleche are an ancient breed dating back at least 500 years in France. The famous French King, Henri IV (1553-1610) favored La Fleche as one of the breeds for his table. They were in the original APA Standard in 1874 (the first one was the Standard of Excellence). I keep La Fleche for both meat and eggs. They are the chicken we eat each week here at home.

La Fleche in French literally means, “The Arrow.” The breed got its name from a town in France with the same name. The town lies near the famous racing city, Le Mans. La Fleche, the town, received its name from the Church of St. Thomas. It is said that St. Thomas was accidentally killed by a badly aimed arrow of a fowler, who did not see the saint, while shooting at a peacock in the ancient Mylapore neighborhood, City of Chennai, India. Thus, the town was named by the church, “the arrow,” for their saint, and the beautiful breed in turn took the town’s same name.

At one time, in the category of what was called “grazier fowl,” La Fleche wandered in the vineyards and orchards eating the fruit that fell off as well as the insects and small weeds that grew beneath the fruit trees and vines -So they are exceptional foragers - I find this to be true.

They can be rather flighty (especially the young ones which I describe as "absolutely crazy") and though they tolerate confinement, mine seem to thrive better free ranging. Right now, I have about 150 young and old La Fleche running around in the forest edge and pasture around my home and more chicks growing in pens. They are rather slow growers taking some time to fully mature and probably why they are not very popular on homesteads as many of the faster growing American breeds. They are excellent flyers so you need a top on any pen you keep them in.

They are the only breed in the APA standard of Perfection with a "rather large V-comb" on the male (and they have the largest V- comb of any other breed). Your male's comb will increase in size all the way until he is 2-3 years old. It is good that at a young age, it is as small as it is. A larger V-comb on a young adult male would become almost too large.

I am interested in where you got your male, what State you reside, etc. There are only about three separate strains of La Fleche in the U.S. the best I know. Your cockerel looks nice!

Hi I just seen this today, busy summer. Thank you for all of the information. You are correct about him not yet being full grown. He recently began crowing and mating. I have about 100 chickens of various breeds. I just like them for eggs and mainly as pets. I incubate some of the eggs too. I don’t know where he originally came from. I gave a lady my Easter egg bantam rooster and she told me she was getting rid of hers because he was getting beat up by her hens. When she showed me a picture of him I just had to have him. She said someone had given him to her as well. We allow all of our chickens of all ages to free range. We absolutely love him though and have named him fletcher so he is with us for the long haul.