Is My Salmon Faverolles a Roo or Just a Strange Color??

[ChickieChickieMama]

I got this little darling from Ideal approximately nine weeks ago with a big handpicked mix of pretty pullets. Of course, she's been my baby from the start, incredibly friendly and cuddly, which I have heard is typical of the breed. But this isn't my first rodeo and I know now that sadly it likely means she's a cockerel. Because all of my favourite little cuddly sweethearts turned out to be cockerels.

Sigh. On top of that, her colouring is so strange and doesn't seem to match anything I've read about online even for other colours of Faverolles...though there aren't great descriptions or pictures that I have found yet. However, I've read a few other posts where folks say that the hatcheries sometimes have some strange crosses behind the scenes which can lead to some abnormaly coloured hens.

That being said, she looks pretty "pullety" to me, haha. No bright red comb, no wattles, no hackle feathers (and even though she has lots of black, it is all over rather than just on her chest and wings as a cockerel would have. She's got a fluffy muff and beard though, and all the long toes you'd expect from a faverolles.

So...thoughts?

 

[sylviethecochin]

If she's a Faverolle, she's a he. Black breast feathers mean male in any partridge line.

On the other hand, this is Ideal. What are the chances of her being a crossbreed?

 

[Sandstorm]

Here are some examples of hatchery quality salmon Faverolle pullets. All 4 are salmon Faverolles that we got from our local tractor supply company. I'm sorry but you have a rooster.

 

[ChickieChickieMama]

Here's a better picture of this chickie's back. See how all the feathers look like pullet feathers? Straight tail no curve, all rounded feathers, no points. I'm so confused.

Is it possible this is not a Faverolles? Or a weird cross breed? Do any hens end up with black chests ever? Her markings don't seem to have any rhyme or reason....definitely don't look like partridge to me. And they don't look like the Faverolles cockerels I see when I Google...

Can you tell I'm desperate here?

For background, my first chicks I bought five pullets and three Bantam straight run - I ended up with six cockerels and two hens - and two of the so-called pullets weren't even the right breed.

Round two, I got much luckier and sound up with only 2 of 4 straight runs as boys, as well as two more hens. By this point, I realized my first ones were all boys (and I've gotten good at seeing the difference between pullet and cockerel feathers!) so I frantically ordered 13 sexed pullets from Ideal to balance my flock so I could hopefully keep at least a few roosters since I've grown attached and like their benefits to the hens.

One didn't survive transport. The rest are this little one's crew. As it is there are two others already with a little more pink in their combs than I'd prefer. But this one just has me so confused!

And if it is a cockerel, does everyone have this bad of luck or is it just me?!

 

[Hensndoes]

It's a cockerel. Salmon faverolle Roos still have some salmon color on their backs. Legs are less fluffy than mine but hatchery stock varies.

Sorry you're having such bad luck! I had the opposite problem. Ordered straight run expecting 50% male and got 90% female. Had to build another coop! Now my broody has set and I'm trying to figure out how to keep 1 or 2 of her babies

 

[ChickieChickieMama]

It's a cockerel. Salmon faverolle Roos still have some salmon color on their backs. Legs are less fluffy than mine but hatchery stock varies.

Sorry you're having such bad luck! I had the opposite problem. Ordered straight run expecting 50% male and got 90% female. Had to build another coop! Now my broody has set and I'm trying to figure out how to keep 1 or 2 of her babies

Do you have any pictures of your cockerels at this age so I can move on from denial to acceptance?

Also, if you happen to be in Northern California, I could help you with your over abundance of pullets problem!!!

 

[Hensndoes]

Do you have any pictures of your cockerels at this age so I can move on from denial to acceptance?

Also, if you happen to be in Northern California, I could help you with your over abundance of pullets problem!!!

Lol! Sorry I'm in NEw England. Otherwise I'd be more that happy to help. One of my pullets went broody so I gave her a clutch of what will be olive eggers that can be sexed by feathers (just like your cutie) and I'm trying to figure out how I can keep one of the pullets!

As for a picture- I don't but google is pretty snazzy. You know- if Roos aren't restricted you should keep him. They have a reputation for being very easy boys. I have 2 Roos and absolutely love them.

 

[PachecoPeeps]

Here's a better picture of this chickie's back. See how all the feathers look like pullet feathers? Straight tail no curve, all rounded feathers, no points. I'm so confused.

View attachment 1480471

Is it possible this is not a Faverolles? Or a weird cross breed? Do any hens end up with black chests ever? Her markings don't seem to have any rhyme or reason....definitely don't look like partridge to me. And they don't look like the Faverolles cockerels I see when I Google...

Can you tell I'm desperate here?

For background, my first chicks I bought five pullets and three Bantam straight run - I ended up with six cockerels and two hens - and two of the so-called pullets weren't even the right breed.

Round two, I got much luckier and sound up with only 2 of 4 straight runs as boys, as well as two more hens. By this point, I realized my first ones were all boys (and I've gotten good at seeing the difference between pullet and cockerel feathers!) so I frantically ordered 13 sexed pullets from Ideal to balance my flock so I could hopefully keep at least a few roosters since I've grown attached and like their benefits to the hens.

One didn't survive transport. The rest are this little one's crew. As it is there are two others already with a little more pink in their combs than I'd prefer. But this one just has me so confused!

And if it is a cockerel, does everyone have this bad of luck or is it just me?!

Male feathering doesn’t usually start being visible until they are 12 weeks. Sometimes a little earlier and sometimes later. You can’t base your guess on male feathering yet but soon you should know.

 

[Chickassan]

I'm saying messy colored boy and i'm making the call based on the pattern on the neck feathers all my boys have that charcoal pencily pattern. I'm posting a pic of one of my young ones at 28

days old you can see the pattern i'm talking about.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

I'm pretty sure the combs were very noticeable at 8 weeks see the one (bad) pic that I found at that age below, but it looks like there was a noticeable difference in comb at 4 weeks in the pics below. Rooster feathering was't noticeable until about 12 weeks ....I think.

My cockerels were more stand off-ish, where as the pullets are more friendly also my birds are hatchery birds from Cackle Hatchery, just as an FYI

Hope some of these help.

Here is what my cockerels looked like at 4 weeks, for comparison:

pullet on the left, cockerel on the right at 4 weeks:

Cockerels on roost at 8 weeks, not the best pic

pullets at 4 weeks: