Salmon Fav. ?'s

[stormylady]

Hi there, I have a 14 weeks old Sal. Fav. girl Bailey, she is sooo cute but very short which I understand is the norm. right? She still sleeps huddled on the floor with some younger chicks, she can't get out of the pop hole by herself she just stands there and hops up and down till I go get her and bring her out. This is her

Now I have 2 more that I hatched out of eggs from a BYCer and they dont' seem as "squat" as bailey is yet, They are very boistress, and skiddish at 5 weeks old but so was Bailey, but now she is a little puppy dog now, alway underfoot! She is also the underdog and is always picked on! and she knows that I will protect her, so she stays close, shes no dummy, My question is Am I going to have to make special provisions for the Sal. Favs, or will they eventually catch up with the other chicks, Im sure there body type (or hers?) anyway. will prevent her from flying for sure but she can't even hop out of the pop hole alone so .
!. They have an outdoor ramp, Am I going to have to put one up for the SF on the inside for them?
2. Should they be separated from the others because they are so docile and take everything that all the other chicks dish out to them, ( Bailey is finially getting better at picking out the chicks she needs to stay away from but she doesn't always get away from them before getting a sharp peck on the head the poor girl was almost bald on the top of her head from the others pecking and pulling out her head fluff. (No blood shed tho) just alot of screaming, she starts when she sees them coming! and doesn't stop until she is as far from them as she can get.
3. At what age do they mature? Start Egg laying? I heard they were very slow at maturing what does that mean exactly, not that she is not worth the wait! lol. Im also keeping the little pullet and Roo that I hatched out of eggs, for breeding too, at what age do the boys mature at , are they slow to mature also? and how well do they lay?
Ive heard both ways, Very pretty birds but don't lay well, and very pretty birds that lay very well, Hendersons chart says very good?


I really like the Salmon Fav. breed but I should have done more research on them! Anybody got any advice they would care to fill me in on? Anything about the breed in general or personal experience with them would be most appreciated! Thankyou Sandy.
Oh and she is a LF not bantam is that helps.

 

[pinkchick]

Hi there!

I cannot ever say this enough........I LOVE my Salmon Faverolles!!!!!!

They are very timid and yes they can be the underdog so I keep my Fav's seperated from my other birds.
Some of my breeders that where killed earlier this year started laying spot on at 6 months old and a couple of others started around 7 months, I did have one that started laying at almost 9 months and she ended up being my best and most consistant layer. I just wait for nature to take its course and they start laying when they start laying, each bird is different. LOL, if I had to lay an egg everyday for the rest of my life I would put it off as long as I could!

They are excellent layers and excellent layers in the winter months.

My Rooster (RIP LOLLIPOP) was trying to make nice with the girls at 18 weeks. My 2 boys now that are 3 months old are trying out their mojo on the gals and the gals are having nothing to do with it.

I know this didn't answer your questions exactly but hope that it gives you something to go on. Waiting for chickens to mature is like a good suspense movie

 

[jimnjay]

I am assuming your Favs are Standards. I have only had bantams and they were the best fliers in my group of various Fetherlegged birds. They are squatty bodied but if not to fat they should be able to jump, fly to a roost. You might tryplacing her on a roost at night to see if she will learn to go up. I do have the ladder type of roost and they all did fine hopping up to the top rung. Wish I could help you more. My bantams laid at 20 weeks on the dot but maybe the smaller birds develop more quickly.

 

[EweSheep]

I agree with JimJay.

They do seem to be the "underdog" in most breeds because of their docile nature. My Fav Bantams were small but so cute! I loved my Favs and I think they are great in smaller flocks which you dont have a whole bunch would gang up on her.

Pecking order is always the culprit in most cases. If they are not smart, she might need to go to dunce school!

Here's the pic of the Favorelle bantam I had:

 

[stormylady]

Hi pinkchick, thanks your inform. was very helpful, I think that I will just leave up the chick pen for her and the other two, that way they have a safe place to go. Its just a sectioned off area in the run that has a small piece cut out of the wire just big enough for the smallest chicks also Im going to put a ramp up on the inside of the coop for them too, (she might just be lazy but you know!). Good to hear about the laying too, but truth be told if Bailey never laid the first egg she would be a perfect pet! LOL. The little boy that I have (Oliver) Ollie for short, is only 5 weeks but he is a cocky little guy, Sweet but a scaredy cat! But still likes to strut his stuff!

JimJay, yes they are Standard size, but she really can not fly, she does good to hop high enough for me to see her in the pop hole door. Bailey is not fat, but she as very short legs, and very big or I should say fluffy wings, (fluffy all over really) she is kinda built like a penquin at this point anyway. I bet she will be very nice when she grows up. I think that your idea of putting up a ladder type roost for her and some of the chicks she sleeps with is an excellent Idea, Im going to get started on that right away, I did try and put her up on the reg. roost and she just steps off and lands smack on her face and belly, so kinda afraid to put her up there and leave her go.
Hey there Ewesheep, Your Bantam Fav. is soo cute! Yep and she is the underdog well her and Uno my speckled sussex! Bailey is more spoiled than the rest of the chickens, even Honey comb if you can believe that! LOL and she is no Dummy, when I call her name she comes running , (she gets to be outside in the yard) when Im out there. and she knows it! Any other info that anyone has for me about them is always needed and apprieated. Sandy

 

[jimnjay]

Sandy, I have to tell you that with some attention you Faverolle Roo will most likely be the best boy you will ever have. He will be gentle with the girls and an excellet guard of the flock. I get more faverolles in November and I can't wait to have a Faverolle rooster again. My Black Beard was just the best boy and the most enjoyable chicken in the whole flock.

I do seperate by birds by breed so they never had to cope with others but I have let juveniles grow out in the Faverolle pen with no problems.

 

[EweSheep]

Personally I never owned any roos except a Black one which my friend had him for a while before I dispersed the breed.

Now you guys dont get me started getting back into Faverolles! I would not mind having just one or two of them but I got my limit here in what I want to have. All in all, I have nothing but good memories of having and raising Faverolles.

 

[stormylady]

Ahhh Ewesheep, I think I heard you just say you wanted another Fav.? How can you resist, and next spring hopefully Ill have some nice babies for ya! They won't be Bantams but with such a gentle little thing you could fit a large bird or 2 in there! LOL Sandy