The Faverolles chicken breed was produced in France in the city of Faverolles. These birds had very tasty meat, which was added to the best expensive dishes. In some countries, these chickens are bred only for various shows, because they are unusually beautiful. In this article, we will consider the varieties and characteristics of these chickens.
Characterization
The description of the breed suggests that, among other chickens, the faverols are distinguished by their proportional body structure, a special cover of feathers and unusual paws. Their heads are small and flat. The beak is pale yellow or pinkish. The mane is of normal size, level and fairly low. The neck is small, strong and large, with a magnificent crest that goes all the way to the back.
The plumage of the bird is varied. The eyes are small, red with an orange tint. Her earrings are not fully developed. The trapezoid-shaped body is slightly elongated.
The approximate weight of a chicken ranges from 2 to 3,5 kg. Rooster weight can be 4-5kg. The chest is large and strong. The back is slightly elongated. It adjoins a strong and strong loin, on which a large number of feathers are located. The belly of chickens is large and full.
The body structure of birds is heavy and massive. The tail rises upward. The main feathers are small. Roosters have short, twisted braids. Roof-shaped tail. The wings are quite high and adjoin very close to the body. The legs of the birds are short but well formed. The legs are covered with thick feathers. The sole is white with a normal size.
These chickens differ from other species in that they have a fifth toe, which is located near the back toe. Their nails are large and rather long.
The plumage of chickens is beautiful and tender. In winter, the fireballs are not at all cold due to the fact that they have a lot of feathers. The base of the body is thin. Creamy white skin. Chicks are born with a golden coat. You can’t see the floor of the chicken right away. Only after 2 months can significant differences be found. Cockerels show a beard, and the feathers become darker than those of hens. They can be of different colors. The most popular colors are salmon and silver.
Temperament features
The nature of the chickens is quiet and reserved. Birds are quite strong and resistant to different weather conditions. They can easily get along with each other in the poultry yard. Chickens trust and easily get used to their master. Able to recognize him in a few days.
Chickens are especially observant. The rooster is more restrained and non-hostile. He does not fight with other males. The temperament of the breed is naive and open. Birds quickly get used to the hands and love their master.
They love to watch what is happening around. At the same time, they always remain cold-blooded and unfussy.
Pros and cons of the breed
Chickens, like other animals, have their advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages of fireballs are:
- quiet character;
- beautiful appearance, if properly cared for;
- hardy to bad weather conditions;
- grow quickly and give offspring, very prolific;
- due to the large fluff, individuals do not freeze in winter, even if the house does not warm up well;
- carcasses after slaughter retain a good presentation for a long time;
- chicken meat is tasty, with small fibers;
- can lay up to 180 eggs per year.
The disadvantages are:
- predisposition to obesity;
- you can’t buy this breed everywhere, as it is rare and expensive;
- Birds are difficult to care for and the house needs to be cleaned frequently.
Varieties
The standard are blue fireballs. They are very expensive compared to other chickens. They can have a mixed shade, such as blue and salmon. They look very festive and unusual. The Colombian faveroli has silver-colored feathers, and the main feathers are white with black tips. The Adler breed of birds also has such a feather shade.
Roosters and hens do not differ in tone from each other. The plumage of the male is fuller and richer. According to these criteria, it is easy to distinguish a rooster from a chicken.
The bird category salmon faverol is also called lahshüner. Roosters and hens differ from each other in that females have salmon or pink fluff with a red tint. The belly and chest are lighter than everything else. The base of the pen is white. The neck and tail are a rich brown color, which gives off to redness. Belly, chest and legs have a shade of milk. Roosters are distinguished by the fact that the base of the tail, chest, beard and belly are black. The spurs are black or brownish with a red tint and inclusions of yellowish and white. Feathers in the back of a pale beige tone.
On the neck and feathers of birds there is a black-green stripe with a brilliant sheen. A person considers such chickens to be especially beautiful because of the special and original shade of feathers. They love to eat and are prone to being overweight.
The Colombian Faverolle is also known as the silver because its color is silvery white. The shade of hens and roosters is no different from each other. On the head and tail there are black stripes, as well as shades of blue and green. The edges of the feathers are white. The wings that the faveroli flap are black, and their edges are white. The rest of the feathers are white, without foreign inclusions. Birds that show a gray pattern are considered unfit. If the bird coloring of the feathers on the head is only black, and the rest of the feathers have a yellow tint, then such birds are also considered unsuitable for further use.
Dwarf fireballs were bred by German agronomists. Their weight is only 1 kg. The color of the feathers is very similar to ordinary chickens.
How to choose?
You can distinguish the sex of fireballs by the following criteria:
- males have brighter and richer feathers than hens;
- in roosters, the body dimensions are much larger, the body is square, in laying hens it is in the shape of a rectangle;
- in a chicken, the body structure is denser and more massive;
- in laying hens, the tail has a roof-shaped shape, in a rooster, a tail with small braids with bends.
It is possible to determine the sex of chickens only a few months after birth. This is pretty easy to do for the following reasons:
- in cockerels, a beard is shown, the fluff on the tips of the wings is darker when compared with hens;
- in chickens, feathers appear faster than in cockerels;
- the crest in males develops more rapidly, its shade is darker, the paws are larger compared to the hens;
- males are more pugnacious and lively.
Here are some tips for choosing firerolls:
- for breeding, it is not advised to take males that do not have patches of red on the feathers and in the back;
- chickens must be taken only in salmon color and without black feathers in the abdomen;
- only males that have small brownish spots in the neck area will be suitable for breeding;
- body shape should not be unnaturally long;
- the back and rear base of the body should not be voluminous or concave.
Content
Adult birds need proper nutrition. Choose dry food or compound feed. In summer, they need to eat green grass such as nettles, clover, dandelions. From cereals, preference should be given to oats and wheat. From legumes it is necessary to give peas.
Before walking, you need to inspect the area for poisonous herbs growing there.
On average, chickens should eat no more than 150 g of grain and feed per day. If the bird is inclined to be overweight, then the rate of food intake is reduced to 80 g. In winter, it is better for them to give vegetables such as pumpkin, zucchini, carrots, beet tops and carrots. It is also useful to give pre-dried needles of spruce, fir or pine.
If chickens begin to give a small number of eggs, then oatmeal and various vitamins should be included in the main meal. If the food is raw, then it is better to warm it up. Birds eat on average up to 4 times a day.
You need to alternate between dry and wet food.
Chickens immediately after hatching eat crushed boiled eggs, cottage cheese products, porridge and corn. After 10 days, they can already be transferred to regular feed intended for chickens. They are fed up to 8 times a day, at regular intervals. From day 30 they eat 4 times a day. After 60 days, they usually eat 3 times a day.
Faverolles don’t like cages because they don’t allow freedom of movement. Chickens need to be walked quite often. Because of this, they are less susceptible to disease, give more eggs. Chickens in search of living creatures do not dig the ground, which their owners really like. It is not necessary to fence the area where the fireballs walk very high, because they prefer to walk than fly.
Fireball chickens should be kept separate from other breeds of chickens. They live in a spacious room. In the chicken coop, you need to put dry straw or sawdust as bedding. They do not like it when the room is very humid and stuffy.
Individuals do not like dampness. You need to pay attention to this when cleaning the chicken coop. You can not keep a lot of birds in a small area. This is fraught with various diseases. To prevent the chickens from scattering the feed, you need to hang a small feeder from above.
Breeding
Faverolles are considered meat chickens. Their category is very early. Chickens are gaining weight well. They can be exterminated by 4 months. The meat of these birds is considered exquisite, tender and juicy. It contains small fibers. Gourmets especially love this meat. His skin is easily torn off, the bones are small in size.
Hens can lay up to 180 eggs in the first year. In the second year, their number decreases to 130.
The weight of one egg is 60 g. Kura can lay about 3 eggs in 2 days. Their shells are strong. It is mostly brown in color. Less often you can find a yellow and pink egg. Faverolles produce eggs well in winter. They can lay eggs from a year and a half.
Purebred chickens are rare to find. The older the chicken, the more expensive its cost.
February is the best time to raise chickens. It is necessary to keep at least 5 and no more than 10 roosters and hens of another line in the hen house. This is necessary in order to bypass mating between a close genus, which can lead to imperfections in chickens. Eggs must be kept for no more than 14 days at a temperature of + 10 ° C.
Chicks are very often raised in incubators. The temperature regime in it should correspond to + 37,6 ° C. Chicks are born after 22 days. Babies are placed on a soft bed. The temperature regime when placing them should be + 38 ° C. If the day is very short, for example, in winter, the chickens need to be given additional light by highlighting.
Owner feedback
Fireball chickens are in great demand among farmers. Reviews about chickens are extremely positive. Farmers celebrate their tasty, juicy, dietary meat and beautiful appearance. Chicken meat cooks well and quickly. Especially praise the rich broth. With the age of chickens, it does not turn out to be hard and tough.
It is also noted that the fireballs gain their weight well. They lay a lot of eggs. They have very little hair on their bodies. The skin is much thinner and lighter than other categories. The carcass seems pleasant to the touch. It has a soft pink color. Farmers also note in chickens that they can adapt to any climate.
For more about fireball chickens, see the video below.
