Salmon Faverolle Chicken – Breed Profile & Facts

When you venture into poultry farming or keep a chicken as your pet, the main element that will determine your profits or companionship level is the chicken breed you choose for your coop.

There are several elements that determine the best breed for you, including its temperament, how big it grows, its egg production, and ease of care, among others. If you are looking for dual-purpose breeds, you will come across Plymouth Rocks, Barnevelders, Wyandottes, and Rhode Island Reds.

However, if you are looking for a profitable yet unique dual-purpose breed, consider the faverolles.

To guide you in making the right choices, below are the answers to almost all questions you might have on the faverolles chicken breed.

Where Do Faverolles Chickens Come From?

The faverolles chicken is a beautiful breed from France. The breed was developed in the 1860s as a utility fowl in the villages of Faverolles and Houdan, located in north-central France. The name ‘faverolles’ for this breed comes from the French villages from which it originates.

Though the chicken is now a dual-purpose breed and sometimes raised for novelty or exhibition, multiple breeds were used to develop it as farmers looked for a chicken that fleshed out well and laid many eggs.

The multiple breeds that make the faverolles chicken include the Crevecoeur, Malines, Flemish cuckoo, Dorking, Houdan, Brahma, Coucou de Rennes, and perhaps, the Cochin.

In 1886, the faverolles breed reached the UK before making its way to the US in the early 1900s. Though there are several colors for the species, the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection does not recognize all the colors. The body accepted the salmon variety of the favorites chicken in 1914, with the white variety accepted in 1981.

How to Recognize the Faverolles Chicken?

The faverolles breed comes in blue, splash, cuckoo, ermine, white, black, and salmon. Perhaps, the main thing that stands out for the faverolles chicken is its beard. Unlike other chicken breeds, it has an adorable-looking beard on its fluffy face.

Its single comb has five points, with its face having the same red as its face. The wattles are small and sometimes non-existent. The beak of a faverolles is a horn/pinkish color while its eyes are reddish.

The body of a faverolles is broad and deep, almost trapezoid in shape. Its breast and back are broad with a depth through the keel. These characteristics, along with their loose feathers, make these chickens look bigger than they are.

The faverolles’ feathers are rich with a honey salmon color over the wings, back, and head. The breast of the salmon chicken variety has a straw or white color speckled with salmon, while the lower half body and breast and muff have a lighter cream or straw color.

The legs of a faverolles are feathered with five toes on each foot, a genetic characteristic of the Dorking from which the chicken was originally bred. Its legs and skin are white. The rooster has a black undercarriage and breast with a straw-colored saddle, back, and feathers.

Chicks are creamy-white with fuzzy, muff legs. The wings of faverolles have rich golden bows with triangular white tips. The leg feathers are black, while the tail primaries are beetle green.

How Big Do Faverolles Grow?

In general, faverolles chickens are heavy, making them good sources of meat. According to data from the Poultry Club of Great Britain, cockerels weigh 3.4-4.53kg (7.5-10 pounds), while cocks weigh 4.08-4.98kg (9-11 pounds).

On the other hand, pullets weigh 3.17-4.08kg (7-9 pounds), whereas hens weigh 3.4-4.3kg (7.5-9.5 pounds). The faverolles chickens mature earlier than most breeds but are not ready for the table until they turn 6-8 months. They will start laying eggs at 20 weeks when they reach puberty.

Are Faverolles Chickens Easy To Care For?

Yes, faverolles chickens are pretty easy to care for and can even be kept by beginners. In fact, the hens and roosters can be kept as pets since they love cuddling and are great with kids. Faverolles chickens will love chattering and talking to you, but they are not excessively noisy.

They will be loudest when giving a predator warning or laying eggs. This makes them ideal when living in urban settings because they will not cause much disturbance to neighbors.

Faverolles chickens are active. They will always seem to be rushing around your coop checking out things. You will often notice them bumping into each other in a hurry to get somewhere. This rush and their appearance give them a somewhat clownish demeanor.

Faverolles chickens are drawn to leaf piles because they are good at foraging and will happily make a mess. This might mean cleaning up after them.

If you raise your flock from when they are hatched, faverolles chickens will bond to you. Thankfully, they are ‘’people’’ chickens, so they will still be attracted to you, follow you around, and allow you to hold them even if you do not raise them from chicks.

Thankfully, faverolles chickens handle confinement well and can therefore be kept by farmers with limited space.

In winter, faverolles chickens need extra care to prevent frostbite with their large and medium combs. Consider getting radiant heating for your coop to keep your birds safe. Faverolles are also not renowned for their heat-hardness.

This means they will not do so well in the summer heat, primarily because of their dense feathers. In summer, provide clean, fresh water for your birds to keep them cool.

Most domestic animals will leave your faverolles chicken alone but be careful with cats and dogs. If you have foxes and hawks in your area, take extra precautions to protect your flock from these predators.

What Do You Feed Faverolles Chickens?

Some farmers assume that you need to feed faverolles chickens something spectacular for them to grow big. However, this is not so because the birds are naturally fleshy and heavy. As chicks, faverolles chickens will need a quality crumb feed containing no less than 20% protein.

This gives them the nutrients they need until they reach sixteen weeks. At this age, you can transition your chickens to a pellet feed supplemented by grit and oyster shells in separate bowls.

The chickens are good foragers. If you let your faverolles free-range, they can supplement their diet with greens, bugs, and seeds that will be quite nutritious for your birds. Always ensure your flock has clean water within easy reach.

What Kind Of Coop Do Faverolles Need?

As medium-sized birds, faverolles need at least four square feet per bird in the coop. In the cold months, the birds will snuggle together to keep warm. In the summer, they spread out because of their dense feathers.

You should thus have enough room in your coop to accommodate their spreading out in the summer to keep them happy. A cramped coop will lead to bullying and feather picking in your flock.

For the perches, aim for 8-10 inches for faverolles chickens. If you can give them several perch heights to choose from, this will be better for your flock. You need 12 x12 inch nesting boxes for the chickens.

Faverolles love being comfortable so provide a lot of nesting material for them to nest in. Have not less than eight square feet of run space with a three-foot fence to keep them penned in.

Having quiet spaces for the birds to hide when needed is important because faverolles are docile breeds that can be picked on when keeping different breeds together.

What Health Issues Do Faverolles Have?

Faverolles are strong and healthy birds that are not susceptible to specific genetic issues or diseases. Nonetheless, the many feathers of these birds make them prone to mite and lice infestation.

Therefore, you should regularly check under their wings and around their vents to ensure they are parasite-free. Poultry dust is also essential to keep your flock free of mites and lice.

Check the legs of a faverolles for mites as well. Most heavily feathered birds tend to get scaly leg mite that is hard to detect under the feathers. If you find mites, resist the urge to remove your bird’s leg scales. Instead, apply Vaseline while rubbing it upwards to get the jelly under the bird’s raised scales. This suffocates the mite when repeated regularly.

How Many Eggs Do Faverolles Lay?

Though the faverolles chicken does not lay as many eggs as the Isa Brown, it produces just enough eggs for farmers who do not want to bury themselves in too many eggs.

It is a consistent egg layer that will produce eggs even in the winter. Faverolles lay 3-4 medium-sized tinted eggs per week and an average of 180-200 eggs annually.

Can You Eat Faverolle Eggs?

Yes, you can eat faverolle eggs. They are rich in protein and large enough for your table. The eggs can even be sold for some income for your household.

Are Faverolles Good For Meat?

Because of their compact and deep bodies, faverolles chickens are good meat producers. As heritage breeds, they grow more slowly compared to most modern broilers.

For instance, the American varieties take 6-8 months to attain a decent body size for your table. Thankfully, they are very flavorful and tender birds for those willing to wait.

How Long Do Faverolles Chickens Live For?

Your faverolles chicken will live for 5-7 years with proper care. To ensure the best quality of life for your chickens, trim their muffs. This will help them have a clear vision of their surroundings and live their full lives.

Trimming the muffs also prevents eye infections that will significantly shorten the lives of faverolles chickens.

Are Faverolles Chickens Friendly?

Yes, faveroles chickens are very friendly, comical, and curious. They are exuberant about life and will wildly dash around your yard, happy to be alive. They will enjoy talking to you and are very cuddly because of their fluffy feathers. Occasionally you might get a grumpy faverolles chicken but it will often become friendly as it gets used to your presence.

Faverolles chickens are also very docile. As such, it is best to keep them with non-aggressive birds like the Sussex, Brahmas, naked necks, and Buff Orpingtons if you are mixing your flock. Housing them in the same unit as aggressive birds will see them become bullied because they will be at the bottom of your coop’s pecking order.

Can Faverolles Chicken Get Wet?

Yes, the feathers of faverolles chickens can get wet. Thankfully, they are so dense that the water will rarely get to the skin of your birds and induce hypothermia.

Moreover, chickens will naturally avoid excess moisture, so you do not have to worry about their feathers getting too wet that the skin gets cold.

How Much Do Faverolles Chickens Cost?

Faverolles chickens are no longer considered endangered species, but they are quite rare. They are now considered ‘threatened species’ by The Livestock Conservancy because they have not been extensively bred.

As such, getting a faverolles chicken for your coop is often more expensive than buying other breeds. Thankfully, the cost will be worth the many eggs, unmatched companionship, and sweet meat the faverolles will guarantee.

A faverolles chick will cost you $5-$8. You can source your bird from poultry outlets, breeders clubs, or internet dealers. Nonetheless, be careful to ensure the source of your faverolles chicken is registered and deals with healthy chicken. If you plan to breed your birds, take time to study the chick’s bloodline to ensure you get the best flock.

Conclusion

If you have been looking for a dual-purpose breed for your chicken farm, the above information has hopefully answered the questions you had. As one of the most popular pets, the faverolles chicken is also a good choice for anyone looking for a pet.

Though primarily made for French markets, this chicken breed is becoming quite common worldwide. Thankfully, its hardiness means it can thrive in almost all environments. Consider adding a faverolles chicken to your flock, and you will be glad that you did.