La Fleche Thread ~ PIC of my Black La Fleche

[gunnarwordon]

Ask me this fall. I'm getting eggs next week and planning on breeding them for meat production. All the older books on the breed mention the high quality of their meat, and newer publications refer to them as purely ornamental, so I hope their finer points as meatbirds has not been bred out of them in recent years. Anybody else know?

yes, I was told that they are strictly ornamental, but then also told they taste delicious.....

 

[chickmashnoon]

Anybody in the midwest here selling la fleche chicks or hatching eggs? I've got 9 eggs, but the PO did a number on them so I want an eye on backup birdies. Plus I want some unrelated stock to cross with whatever pops out of these eggs, if they remain viable.
trying not to count my chickens before they hatch . . .

 

[flowerchild59]

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Clubs/Dork/DorkHome.html

If you look through this site you will find a breeder in Illinois that is listed and also had la fleche as a breed.

 

[pgpoultry]

I can be of no help whatever in your quest, chickmashnoon, but I DO hope that you get your eggs/birds. I cannot recommend this breed enough.....mine have proven to be the best foragers I have ever had, never aggressive, and, though a little nervous, are nothing like some of the books suggest as 'untameable'. Mine come when called, pen themselves up promptly at dusk. and are no more difficult to handle than any of my other chickens.

 

[chickmashnoon]

pgpoultry, thanks for feeding my bird urge I can hardly wait till my eggs hatch! How well do yours lay? Altho eggs are not my focus, I have read mixed reviews on how high their egg production is and wonder, if like their meat qualities, it may have been affected by breeding only for standard. From my researches, it also appears that the european La Fleche are bigger than the lines in America, but I guess I will find out since I took Flowerchild's advice and looked up the breeder in illinois ( and emailed him). There is also a gentleman in indiana that breeds them too. The current ones in the incubator are from a private breeder in Missouri, so I am thrilled to find a few breeders "close" to home.


BTW, thanks Flowerchild for the Dorking link!

 

[flowerchild59]

It's amazing how much time I actually cruise the internet, but usually useless stuff I come across, but occasionally I come across something like the guy who has la fleche in Illinois and might come in handy sometime in the future. I was glad to help out. Good luck finding la fleche.

 

[pgpoultry]

I hope you find La Flèche, chickmashnoon.

I have 4 young hens and they lay 5-6 days in the week (almost white eggs).

As for size and weight....mine are what I would describe as medium size ,but I'm comparing largely to huge Brahmas.They are a similar size to my LF Naked Neck hens. When handled, they don't feel very heavy, but I've never weighed one. The roo is bigger, longer and slimmer in shape with an amazing array of vocalisations, and is not an aggressive type at all. They all have lovely black feathers with green/blue tinge.

Whereas my Brahmas and Naked Necks tend to hang around the door all day for feeding, the La Flèche wander miles, in with the sheep, up in the trees, on the roof of a tumble-down building (excellent flyers), but always present to the coop before dusk.

You will enjoy them.

 

[DaveK]

I am wondering if it is Phil Bartz as the Illinois breeder? I do not know him personally but have recently seen somewhere an address in Tennessee which is consistent with someone else mentioning that they thought he had moved. There are a few breeders out there but if they aren't putting themselves "out there" you'd never know. As to meat and eggs and temperament; if anything is affecting any one of these in stock obtained I would wonder if it was breed crossing at some point in the past. There are birds out there who have Minorca influence somewhere in their past and a recent exhibitor of La Fleche was showing very handsome birds with some subtle Minorca characteristics. When stock lacks vitality folks do what they can but those infusions could certainly affect the qualities that the La Fleche as a breed were originally known for.

 

[chickmashnoon]

Yes, it was Phil Bartz, and he is now in Tennessee and no longer has La Fleche, but he did give me some other names of people who might stll have them. The frustrating thing is that most of these people like you mentioned DaveK, aren't putting themselves out there. I guess I just need to start going to poultry shows. Just in case anyone else is looking for this breed, I'm gonna pass on the info Mr Bartz gave me.

" You might try Mike Tolka down in the Southern IL area. Not sure of the exact town. He would be listed under the Illinois State Fair Open Poultry Show winners listings and that would give the county and town I think. There is another guy in on the WI/IL border that has been showing them at the Illini Poultry Show each Sept in Belvidere. I am sorry but, I don't recall his name. If you google Illini Poultry Show you should get info for Van Fleet's. They run the show and would be better able to tell you that guys name. Not sure where you have gotten your eggs or chicks but, I got my first one's from Duane Urch in Owatonna, MN. You could also try Steve Gerdes in Toluca, IL. Best of luck."

I've emailed the Ill state fair poultry organizers and asked if they can pass on my contact info or give me the contact info for the guy that shows in Belvidere. I've heard really good things about Duane Urch/turnland bird, so maybe I'll try to contact him. Altho I should probably let these hatch and see how I like them before I invest alot into them. I've got 5 out of 9 eggs that are developing, so I guess that's not too bad of odds for "tester" birds.

 

[pgpoultry]

Here's what La Flèche like doing....perching in trees