Early settlers relied on their chickens for eggs and meat. Over time, commercial producers have found these rare breed chickens uneconomical. New strains have been developed which excel at either egg-laying or producing fine carcasses. Dual purpose types have fallen out of favor and some of these are in danger of disappearing altogether.
One breed which is now rare is the Faverolle. The name comes from a town in the north of France where the breed was first developed. The Faverolle has been around since the mid 1800s. It has some distinct characteristics. Fluffy feathers puff out to form muffs around the ears. The feathers continue down the face to form a beard. It is one of the few chicken breeds to have five toes instead of four. The feet are also feathered.
Faverolle bantams are available. The standard size are big birds. Cocks reach eleven pounds in weight while hens are about nine pounds. This provides a very substantial carcass for the table. It is a true dual purpose as it produces abundant eggs. These are medium in size and creamy white to light brown in color.
The Faverolle is slow to mature. The most common color is the Salmon. No other breed has this attractive coloring. The salmon hens have snowy white breasts while the rest of the plumage is honey-salmon laced with white. The cocks have iridescent black where the hens are white. The backs and small wings are a burnished bronze.
The Silver-grey Dorking is another rare breed which has contributed to the development of both the Faverolle and the Light Sussex. It dates from Roman times and, like the Faverolle, has five toes. While most breeds with red ear-lobes lay brown eggs, the Silver-grey Dorking lays white eggs. As a table bird, it is large and succulent.
It is a dual purpose breed and lays around 140 eggs each year. It has a heavily fleshed frame of top quality white meat. The legs are very short. The large comb is susceptible to frostbite and the bird needs to be able to get out of the cold when necessary.
As well as the Silver-grey, there are white, dark, red and cuckoo varieties. They need space to run to fully develop their frame and musculature so are best kept in an open-range system. A more dominant breed may intimidate them in a pen and limit their food intake. They then grow weedy and don't fill out as well. It is a very attractive bird with cocks having pure white saddles and hackles, and black breasts and abdomens. The Silver-grey variety is the heaviest reaching about nine pounds in weight. It is a friendly chicken, great for families with children as it becomes very tame.
The Campine is much smaller. It is thought to have originated in Belgium in the Campine district. They may have gold- or silver-colored plumage while some have zigzag patterning. Despite being on the small side, the eggs are large and white. Maximum weights for the Campine are only four or five pounds. They are inquisitive and alert but don't make good pets as most are flighty. Being small they are economical to keep but are not very robust. They need to be able to get out of the cold. Rare breed chickens are great fun to keep. They supply eggs and meat in plenty for a family. By having some of these rare breed chickens, you will be keeping alive the heritage and culture of our ancestors.
One breed which is now rare is the Faverolle. The name comes from a town in the north of France where the breed was first developed. The Faverolle has been around since the mid 1800s. It has some distinct characteristics. Fluffy feathers puff out to form muffs around the ears. The feathers continue down the face to form a beard. It is one of the few chicken breeds to have five toes instead of four. The feet are also feathered.
Faverolle bantams are available. The standard size are big birds. Cocks reach eleven pounds in weight while hens are about nine pounds. This provides a very substantial carcass for the table. It is a true dual purpose as it produces abundant eggs. These are medium in size and creamy white to light brown in color.
The Faverolle is slow to mature. The most common color is the Salmon. No other breed has this attractive coloring. The salmon hens have snowy white breasts while the rest of the plumage is honey-salmon laced with white. The cocks have iridescent black where the hens are white. The backs and small wings are a burnished bronze.
The Silver-grey Dorking is another rare breed which has contributed to the development of both the Faverolle and the Light Sussex. It dates from Roman times and, like the Faverolle, has five toes. While most breeds with red ear-lobes lay brown eggs, the Silver-grey Dorking lays white eggs. As a table bird, it is large and succulent.
It is a dual purpose breed and lays around 140 eggs each year. It has a heavily fleshed frame of top quality white meat. The legs are very short. The large comb is susceptible to frostbite and the bird needs to be able to get out of the cold when necessary.
As well as the Silver-grey, there are white, dark, red and cuckoo varieties. They need space to run to fully develop their frame and musculature so are best kept in an open-range system. A more dominant breed may intimidate them in a pen and limit their food intake. They then grow weedy and don't fill out as well. It is a very attractive bird with cocks having pure white saddles and hackles, and black breasts and abdomens. The Silver-grey variety is the heaviest reaching about nine pounds in weight. It is a friendly chicken, great for families with children as it becomes very tame.
The Campine is much smaller. It is thought to have originated in Belgium in the Campine district. They may have gold- or silver-colored plumage while some have zigzag patterning. Despite being on the small side, the eggs are large and white. Maximum weights for the Campine are only four or five pounds. They are inquisitive and alert but don't make good pets as most are flighty. Being small they are economical to keep but are not very robust. They need to be able to get out of the cold. Rare breed chickens are great fun to keep. They supply eggs and meat in plenty for a family. By having some of these rare breed chickens, you will be keeping alive the heritage and culture of our ancestors.
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