chickens : Java and La Fleche

Java chickens

Java chickens thrived in the United States between 1850 and 1890. 

They are an ideal farm bird as the hens are ample layers, and the birds are tender and juicy table fare. 

Java chickens come in black and mottled colors.

They were popular in New York and New Jersey in the mid to late 1800s because their black pinfeathers could easily show consumers if the birds had been plucked correctly.

As the chicken industry grew, chicken entrepreneurs decided they could conceal white-feathered birds more easily if the plucking was sub-par.

This practice nearly caused the Java to be driven to extinction as there was not much demand for them any longer, and larger chicken breeders stopped breeding the birds.

Despite this, the breed persevered, and small farmers raised the Java because their dual purpose suited their needs. 

Even today, the young cockerel makes for a good roaster, and the rich brown eggs provided by the hens are tasty and bountiful.

Java roosters weigh about 9 ½ pounds, and Java hens weigh about 6 ½ pounds. 

They are easy to care for, and their docile nature makes them a pleasant family pet. 

These birds have a clean leg, yellow skin, and dark shanks. 

They have a single comb and red earlobes. 

This bird will provide you with plenty of food and companionship.

La Fleche chickens

Originating in France in the 1600s, the La Fleche chicken comes from the Valley of La Sarthe. 

This breed has been around for centuries. 

They come in white, cuckoo, and blue lace, but black is the most common color, and it is the color they are most known for among chicken breeds.

La Fleche is a hardy table bird. Males weigh 8 to 9 pounds, and hens weigh 6 to 7 pounds.

 Bantams weigh in at 3 pounds. 

Although their coat is a deep black color, this breed has remarkable white meat as a table bird. 

If you are looking for a proficient egg layer, the La Fleche hen lays 180 to 200 large eggs each year.

Their eggs are white to light brown color.

As a pet, La Fleches are not people friendly. 

They are somewhat shy, yet docile. 

They are active and thrive as free-range birds because they enjoy foraging for food.

 La Fleches move around and like to roost in trees. 

You can train them to return to the coop each night by feeding them at the same time each day. They will be hungry and will learn that feeding time is in the evening. 

This is the easiest way to gather your flock at the end of the night.

La Fleches have a long, V-shaped wattle, and their comb has dual spikes or horns. 

They have even been referred to as the “Devil’s Head” because of their shape. 

Their earlobes are white, and their legs are clean with four toes.