Chickens on the homestead

[frustratedearthmother]

Does your blue roo have the blk beard like the Salmon does?

By golly I never paid attention - I'll look when I go back outside in a few minutes.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

His beard is more the color of his main body color... even though it's looking pretty rough right now!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Ooh he's handsome!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I do like the Faverolles. I have another 'regular' colored Roo somewhere, lol. My birds are all free ranging and all mixed up right now. Last weekend I put him in a pen with three hens and he flew out - big dummy! Next time I'll go ahead and clip his wings.

 

[NH Homesteader]

How big are they?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

They're a good sized bird...not huge, but definitely a nice meaty carcass. It's been a while since we processed one, but it was nice!

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGD/Favs/BRKFaverolles.html "When considering weight on the Faverolles it is of the utmost importance to remember that the bird was originally known for its table qualities. Density and mass of the bird are what should be looked at. They are not tall birds, like Rocks, but at the same time they are not short and close to the ground. The breadth of the chest and legs is where the mass comes in. Ideal weights are suggested in the American Poultry Association Standard for our American birds. Cocks: 8 lbs. Hens: 6 1/2 lbs. Cockerels: 7 lbs. Pullets: 5 1/2 lbs. The Standards of other countries call for more or less within a pound. But, it is stated in several writings from the early 1900's that bigger usually means a cost in the quality and type of the bird."

 

[NH Homesteader]

Oh awesome I like them!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

They're good birds....never make trouble. Sometimes they get beat up a little bit because their 'face fluff' kind of blocks their vision and they can't defend themselves against something they can't see! But, they're eye candy and I like 'em!

 

[samssimonsays]

I've had several breeds throughout my chicken keeping years and finally identified what I wanted in my flock and bred to get it. I wanted large breed laying hens that would reliably go broody. I also wanted a flock that was very good at free-ranging most of their food. A few years ago I bought 25 Icelandic hatching eggs through Craigslist and hatched out I think 14 of them. I loved my Icelandic flock! But those little birds could fly quite high and laughed at my fencing. The roosters ultimately ended up sleeping in the trees and could leap at least 14 feet up in a single jump. They had to go. I live in a close suburban neighborhood and it just did not win me any points with the neighbors. But I managed to get a batch of mixed breed chicks before I rehomed or ate all the Icelandics. We ate all the roosters and I rehomed the purebred hens. I still have some gorgeous Icelandic rooster tail feathers in my hat.

Icelandics are very colorful and great free rangers and very reliable broodies. They are about halfway between a standard chicken and a bantam in size. Too small to be dual-purpose in my opinion. So I bred them up in size using some larger heritage breed laying hens. Each year I bring in a new rooster of a large laying breed variety and now my hens are almost all standard size. My flock is completely self-sustaining with the exception of bringing in new genetics with a rooster each year. Interestingly, I've never had to pay for a rooster. People gladly will give it away to a good home. People who order chicks will generally get a packing peanut rooster in there and in the suburbs roosters are not popular.

Got my first broody of the season starting today. Once I know she's solid I will move her to a pen in the backyard. The new rooster is an Easter Egger and I love a colorful egg basket as well.

Oh, and I try to get rose combs or pea combs because our New England winters can be rather cold.

Bummer... I just got Icelandics and I was NOT told about this... Nore had I read it anywhere. :/ Guess we will see!

 

[freemotion]

Bummer... I just got Icelandics and I was NOT told about this... Nore had I read it anywhere. :/ Guess we will see!

As they say, your mileage may vary and I hope it does! If I didn't live in such a close neighborhood I would absolutely keep Icelandic. I really liked them. They really know how to feed themselves and they are good mothers.