Salmon Faverolles
Dual purposeFranceBeginner friendly
The Salmon Faverolles is the class clown of the chicken world: bearded, muffed, five-toed, feather-footed, and endlessly enthusiastic about whatever you're doing. Bred near the French village of Faverolles to keep Paris in winter eggs, it still lays gamely through the cold months.
Eggs per year
150–200
Egg color
Light brown
Egg size
Medium
Hen weight
6–7.5 lbs
Temperament
Comically sweet and chatty
Broodiness
Sometimes broody
Did you know?
Faverolles hens are so gentle they routinely land at the bottom of a mixed flock's pecking order — many keepers keep several together so they have allies.
Salmon Faverolles egg production
Expect roughly 150–200 light brown eggs a year from a Salmon Faverolles in her prime — about 3–4 a week, or 13–17 dozen over the course of a year. That makes it a solid, dependable layer. Production naturally dips during the annual molt and the short days of winter, and eases off as a hen ages past her second or third year. Most pullets lay their first egg somewhere between five and eight months old.
Temperament & handling
The Salmon Faverolles is generally described as comically sweet and chatty. These are calm, people-oriented birds that tolerate handling well and settle into a backyard flock without much fuss — a big part of why they're such a common first breed.
Climate & care
Rated cold-hardy, the Salmon Faverolles rides out hard winters well as long as the coop stays dry and draft-free — keep drinking water from freezing and watch combs and wattles for frostbite in a deep freeze. It can struggle in extreme heat, so prioritise deep shade, ventilation, and cool water through the hottest part of summer.
Broodiness & raising chicks
A Salmon Faverolleshen may go broody now and then, but it isn't something to count on — if hatching chicks matters to you, plan on an incubator and our incubation calculator.
Space & feeding
A Salmon Faverolles hen is a large bird at 6–7.5 lbs. As a rule of thumb, a small flock of 6 would want around 24 sq ft of coop and 60 sq ft of run, with about 2 nest boxes and 5 ft of roost. Size it to your own flock with the coop size calculator, and estimate the monthly feed bill — and your real cost per egg — with the feed cost calculator.
Is the Salmon Faverolles right for you?
A great fit if…
- You want a dependable supply of eggs
- You're new to chickens and want a forgiving bird
- You want a calm bird that's good around children
- You want both eggs and a solid table bird
- You get real winters and need a hardy bird
Think twice if…
- You're in an extreme-heat climate
- You want the absolute maximum egg output
Salmon Faverolles FAQ
- How many eggs do Salmon Faverolles chickens lay?
- A healthy Salmon Faverolles hen lays about 150–200 light brown eggs a year — roughly 3–4 a week, or 13–17 dozen over a year. Output drops during winter and the annual molt, and eases as a hen ages.
- What color eggs do Salmon Faverolless lay?
- Salmon Faverolless lay light brown eggs, medium in size.
- How big do Salmon Faverolles chickens get?
- A Salmon Faverolles hen weighs roughly 6–7.5 lbs — a large bird — with roosters running a little heavier.
- Are Salmon Faverolless cold-hardy?
- Yes. The Salmon Faverolles is rated cold-hardy and rides out hard winters well, provided the coop stays dry and draft-free. Keep water from freezing and check combs and wattles for frostbite in a deep freeze.
- Are Salmon Faverolless good for beginners?
- Yes. The Salmon Faverolles is a forgiving, comically sweet and chatty breed that suits first-time keepers well.
- Do Salmon Faverolles hens go broody?
- Sometimes. A Salmon Faverolles hen may go broody now and then, but it isn't guaranteed — plan on an incubator if hatching matters to you.
The Salmon Faverolles shows up in
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Keeping Salmon Faverolless?
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