La Fleche Thread ~ PIC of my Black La Fleche

[Yellow House Farm]

He's a good kid, pretty quiet. He goes to lots of shows. His stock is nice. Like all La Fleche stock in America, it needs breeding up, but it's one of the best places to begin.

 

[Canieldonrad]

greetings from Columbus. The la fleche look much better than I imagined. In fact his birds look to have wonderful shape, and I purchased more than originally expected. Most have proper combs, a couple have spikes in places. However, they still seem to retain the duplex. The urch male looks fantastic, the female is half naked. I very much look forward to hatching this spring and pictures will come as soon as I get home.

 

[Canieldonrad]

Oooooh and Keith Bramwell said he knows of someone in Arkansas. Whom I may contact in the coming days... ya I should add that bit in too.

 

[cgmccary]

Daniel, now we can discuss our La Fleche too. It is exciting having someone to talk with about La Fleche!

More to come . . .

 

[Canieldonrad]

Sounds good! You mentioned low wing carriage. These all seem to be about spot on. For now at least. All of them follow along the body with the tip leading to the vent. So far, these should hold up nicely in the offspring. I can definitely spot some Minorca characteristics in the birds I bought from Bill. But they are faint and can be worked around. Worst being the tendency of over excitement. They seem to have good structure for a start. But definitely have a ways to go. Frame is there, just tight.

I'm weighing the option of stud mating the Urch male over all of the females. It does seem to have better type. And the vigor may be worthwhile.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

It is great that this is happening. La Fleche need a champion or two in the most desperate way. Brilliant!

 

[cgmccary]

Sounds good! You mentioned low wing carriage. These all seem to be about spot on. For now at least. All of them follow along the body with the tip leading to the vent. So far, these should hold up nicely in the offspring. I can definitely spot some Minorca characteristics in the birds I bought from Bill. But they are faint and can be worked around. Worst being the tendency of over excitement. They seem to have good structure for a start. But definitely have a ways to go. Frame is there, just tight.

I'm weighing the option of stud mating the Urch male over all of the females. It does seem to have better type. And the vigor may be worthwhile.

Hey Daniel: do post more pictures when you have time and settle them in. I wanted to see Bill's birds. What are the Minorca traits you see in his birds?

I accept the flightiness. It is fine with me. I move slower around them when they are penned. I find that the La Fleche are not much different than the rest of my flock if allowed to free range. Right now, my La Fleche females free range (and are only locked up at night). They are at the door with the Buckeyes each morning-- no difference. The La Fleche pullets and hens will run to me and even eat out of a pail held for them (like the Buckeyes) and are not skittish outside. They are a little more flighty on the roost than Buckeyes (but what gets tamer than them?) as it is getting dark (I have a group of La Fleche females that roost high on a shelf -- over my head by a foot in my largest coop).

IMHO, La Fleche are something to behold when free ranging. Beautiful. I could watch them for hours.

 

[Canieldonrad]

Spikes popping up in the centers. Not the typical nub, but 2-3 small spikes, I culled all of those from pens already. Legs seem quite long. I'd range them but I'd fear them getting onto neighbor properties. I culled one female out of a pen and shes already taken to the rafters in my building.

My Buckeyes were slightly skittish. But after coming back I have to shove them away from me anymore.

 

[cgmccary]

In my experience, young birds, Buckeyes or any, are usually more skittish and wild. It is probably a survival thing. Most Buckeyes mellow as they mature. The whole show experience certainly calms a many of them.

With my La Fleche, I culled all that had the extra spikes combs except one but he was from a particular pairing -- I wanted to choose at least one from that group of cockerels. I plan to do some large hatchings and thought this coming season I would let game hens raise some on free range and see how they do. I only incubator hatched and brooder raised my La Fleche last year.

 

[Canieldonrad]

Here is pen 1.

Cockerel, Hen, Pullet. Could not get them to stay still long, pics are not great. But they are pics.