Salmon faverolle is an awesome, chatty and comical bird. This is among the friendliest chicken breeds I know of that you can trust near you your kids.
These chickens are very curious and will often love to hang around you or have a nap on your lap. Fevarolles are good with children and make good house pets.
I know you are curious just like the fevarolle chicken to know more about this breed. So, in this article, we are going to cover everything you need to know about these chooks.
This will help you to determine whether this is the right breed for you or not.
Let’s get started!
Salmon Faverolle Chicken Background
These fluffy feathered chickens trace their ancestral origin in a small village called Feverolles in France. They were named after this village since this is where they were actually developed in the 1860s.
French farmers needed a bird that could offer more meat, eggs, mature fast. Chicken meat and eggs were in a high demand at the time. Additionally, they wanted a bird that could be exhibited in poultry shows.
The demand for more meat and eggs was triggered by the rising population that needed to be well fed. There was a growing market in Paris and the loophole needed to be sealed.
It is strongly believed that Brahma, Flemish Cuckoo, Dorking, French Rennes, Houdan and Malines chickens contributed their genes to come up with the modern day Salmon feverolles chicken breed.
It may be very possible that more than the mentioned breeds were used. However, there exists no solid evidence to substantiate this because there are no available records of this breed available in the archives.
The development of the Salmon feverolles saw Houdan chicken ran out of favor which had previously dominated many coops. These birds were equally fine in confinement as well as on free range.
Unlike the Houdan chickens that only did well on free range, feverolle chickens made it easier for those who wanted to raise chickens confined in cages.
In 1886, the first feverolles arrived in the UK. Poultry enthusiasts in England quickly embraced these chickens and developed a new strain that had longer tail feathers.
Dr. Phelps of Glen Falls New York was the first to import these birds to the United States in 1900s. Until then, these birds have continued to gain fame among chicken hobbyists and are now a favorite choice for members of the 4-H club.
Characteristics of Feverolle chickens
Salmon feverolle hens are gowned in a brown and creamy white plumage. The breast is white or straw speckled with salmon.
Breast, muff and lower body are much lighter while the under feathers are grayish in color. Back, head and wings are characterized by a honeyed salmon color.
Feverolle roosters are much darker with brown, black and straw colored feathers. Physically, they are much bigger and heavier than the hens.
They have muffs making their faces look broad, chip-munkish and with a gamey appearance. The comb, wattles and earlobes are red in color.
Comb is single, small or completely submerged in the feathers and has five well- marked points on it. These chickens have feathered feet with five toes on each foot exhibiting the Dorking chicken genes.
Their beaks are short, strong, slightly curved and are pinkish or horn colored. Eye color is reddish bay although there might be a difference between strains.
The color of the legs is white so is the skin. Salmon feverolle chickens have a short tail and an almost flat back. In addition to that, they are deep feathered and furry in nature.
This huge chicken is deep and broad with a giant appearance that can easily intimidate children. Salmon feverolle roosters weigh 8lbs while the hens weigh 6-6.5lbs.
Breed Standard
The American Bantams Association classifies the salmon feverolle chicken as feather legged; PCGB recognizes it as soft feather heavy while the APA classifies it as a Continental breed.
Although there are many color varieties, the Salmon and White are the only recognized color varieties in the United States.
Other Salmon Faverolle chicken color varieties are: Cuckoo, Mahogany, Splash, Black, Ermine and blue.
The Salmon feverolle was recognized by the APA in 1914 while the White feverolle getting recognition much later in 1981.
Bantam feverolles were developed in 1925 by dedicated chicken breeders. Male bantams weigh 30oz while the bantam hens weigh only 26oz.
Temperament and Hardiness
Feverolle chickens have gained fame and popularity for their extreme docility. They are calm, sweet and cool chickens that prefer human company.
The roosters are not rowdy and are the kind that you will let get near your kids. These chickens pose no threat to other chickens and are easily bullied by top ranking hens on the pecking order.
Salmon faverolles prefer to be with their kind because they are often harassed and intimidated. If not with you or a fellow salmon, they will interact with other calm chickens like the Speckled Sussex or Serama hens.
These cute chickens will not mind following you around chatting as you go on with your daily chores. They love it most when cuddled and sat on your lap.
They will bond with ease if hand fed and snacked with tasty treats like rice, cabbage and those tasty mealworms. Brand the cute chicken names and learn to call them.
Salmon feverolles are fluffy and dense feathered making them cold hardy. The thick coats, feathered legs and tiny combs make these critters extremely winter hardy and cold tolerant.
Although feverolles have proven to be heat tolerant chickens, they require special attention and good care if you have to raise them in a hot climate area.
Their fluffy feathers will make them very hot during summer or on a sunny day. More shaded areas and plenty of cold drinking water will offer much help.
Additionally, you can allow your pet Salmon faverolle hen join you in the swimming pool to help cool her body and help control chicken parasites like lice.
Salmon feverolle chicken breed thrives and does well when raised in confinement as well as on free range. However, they are not very savvy and will be easily picked by chicken predators like skunks and weasels.
The ability to do well on free range as well as when confined is good because it will give you an alternative to choose the most suitable method best for you.
Free ranging is good because it will help bring down the cost of feeding these friendly chickens. On the backyard, they will collect worms, seeds, grubs and munch on weeds. This will help control the number of insect pests and weeds on your vegetable garden.
Egg laying and uses
At the age of 20 weeks or five months, Salmon feverolle pullets are sexually mature and ready to lay. During this time, pullets are often seen visiting nesting boxes scouting for the best place to lay the eggs. Additionally, they will often mate with the roosters while the cockerels will begin to crow.
In a year, female salmon feverolle chickens will lay180-200 medium sized eggs. This translates to 4 eggs per week. The egg shell color is tinted to light brown. Inside eggs is white with a large yellow yoke.
If you want to hatch Salmon faverolle chicks, feverolle hens are not very broody and you may be required to power on your egg hatcher. However, when they get broody they set well and make prudent mothers.
Chickens and chicks for sale can be bought from any tractor supply store near you. They are also available in reputable chicken hatcheries like Murray McMurray and Sugar Feather Farm.
These chickens are classified as a dual purpose breed meaning that apart from being faithful layers, they are good meat birds.
They have a white skin where the pin feathers are less seen after the carcass is plucked clean. Mature roosters dress out at 8lbs and hens at 6.5lbs.
Salmon faverolle lifespan
Salmon feverolle chickens have a lifespan of 5 to 8 years. These chickens can live longer than this especially when raised as pets.
Pet chickens enjoy the best care where they are well fed, housed and have chicken diapers put on. They are allowed to live in their master’s house and even enjoy a swim to cool their bodies.
If by any chance a rooster turns out to be aggressive and rowdy, he is culled and butchered for meat. Under good care, these chickens can live for more than 10 years.
Health Issues
Salmon faverolle chickens are strong, hardy and robust chickens. They adapt easily and do well in cold climate just like the Orloff chicken breed.
However, their fluffy feathers are sometimes heavily infested with chicken lice. The feet and legs are prone to scaly mites that hide under the leg feathers.
To control these external parasites, use small amounts of diatomaceous earth powder in the chicken dirt bath.
DE is a good chicken mite treatment and it kills these notorious parasites by removing body oils and moisture from their bodies.
Internal parasites like gape and thread worms are another health hazard. These worms live inside the chicken’s intestines where they feed and multiply.
Worm infested chickens are weak, emaciated and lay fewer eggs or even stop to lay at all. If the worms are left uncontrolled, they can lead to other health issues or death.
Seek advice from a qualified bird vet near you on the right chicken wormer to administer. Worms can also be controlled by confining the birds and raising them in cages and closed chicken runs.
Because these chickens are thick feathered, they are prone to heat stress during summer and on sunny days.
Ensure your flock of hens has enough shaded areas to shelter against direct sun. Also remember that these cute chickens tend to drink a lot when hot to cool their bodies.
Provide plenty of clean drinking water in a clean chicken waterer for them to quench their thirst and keep the body well hydrated.
Why choose the salmon faverolle?
Salmon feverolles are good and hardy chickens. These birds are easy to keep and cheap to maintain since they do well in chicken cages as well as when allowed to free range.
They are a good dual purpose breed meaning they can offer much meat and a substantive amount of eggs.
Feverolles are very friendly and make good house pets. They are talkative, calm and even the roosters are known for their extreme docility.
They are good in mixed flocks and can be kept in small barnyard flocks. The hens make wonderful moms and raise the baby feverolles well.
Final Thoughts about Salmon faverolle
Salmon faverolle is a good and reliable chicken breed. These chooks are very friendly and pose no threat to your little children.
These feathered friends make sure that nothing from your kitchen goes to waste. Those celery chops, asparagus, broccoli and left over cheese makes a tasty treat for them.
Do you have the Salmon feverolle chickens? Share your thoughts on the comment section.
Sharing amounts to kindness!