Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
of their meaty bodies. They have skyrocketed in the industry to become the top-selling fryer
or broiler chicken.
These birds are not proficient egg layers, but they do produce brown eggs. They are not
friendly poultry, so they are not the best choice for a pet. Cornish chickens tend to be noisy.
They do well in confinement, but they need exercise to help them keep their muscular, meaty
shape. They are also energetic birds that are always on the move.
Brahma
The name of this bird comes from the River Brahmaputra in India. Brahmas are sometimes re-
ferred to as the “King of Chickens” because of their large size. They come in an assortment of
colors, including buff Colombian (meaning they have black tails or black-tipped feathers on
their tail), gold, and white. Their coats can be light or dark in color. They have red eyes and a
small, single pea comb. Their legs are feathered.
Brahma roosters are docile, even somewhat submissive compared with other breeds, and they
weigh between 10 and 12 pounds. Hens weigh 7 to 9 pounds, and bantams weigh about 38
ounces for a male and 32 ounces for a female.
Brahmas are good egg layers and produce about 140 brown eggs yearly. Although they are
large birds, they are gentle and easy to handle. They take up to two years to mature. Brahmas
need a dry environment, but they can fare well in hot or cold climates. They do not fly and are
content behind a 2-foot fence.
Faverolles
This chicken is a crossbreed developed originally to produce hearty, plump birds. The lineage
of the Faverolle is most likely a mixture of several breeds, including Houdan, Dorking,
Malines, white-skinned light Brahma, and the common five-toed fowl. The colors are black,
buff, laced blue, salmon, white, and ermine (a light-colored bird). They have light red eyes
and a single comb.
The weight of the male bird is 9 to 11 pounds, and the female is 7 ½ to 9 ½ pounds. Bantams
are about 2 pounds. Their legs are lightly feathered, and they have five toes. They are product-
ive egg layers and lay about 100 light brown eggs each year, even through the winter months.
These active birds are always on the go and need room to roam. They are gentle and some-
