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La Fleche Chicken Breed Info

Modified: Feb 8, 2023 by Phil · This post may contain affiliate links ·

The La Fleche chicken is a French dual-purpose breed. They are beloved for their delicious meat, slow development, and easiness of fattening. Because of their slow growth throughout their lifetime, you should adjust their diet to suit their growth.

A beautiful La Fleche Chicken standing on fallen leaves.
Image source: Instagram

They are an endangered breed and very rare in the United States. Hens will lay around 180 large white eggs per year and are not likely to go broody.

Jump to:
  • La Fleche Chicken Breed Quick Info
  • Origins of La Fleche Chicken
  • Some Things to Know About La Fleche Chicken
  • How Easy is it to Keep La Fleche Chickens?
  • Special Care and Considerations for La Fleche Chickens
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La Fleche Chicken Breed Quick Info

La Fleche Chicken Description

La Fleche Type/Size:Standard
Feather Color:Black
Leg Type:Clean
Leg Color:Slate
Skin Color:White
La Fleche Ease of Raising/Keeping:Medium
La Fleche Special Care Needs:Yes
Is the La Fleche breed a common, rare, or protected breed of chicken?Rare, “critically endangered” status

La Fleche Use

MeatYes
EggsYes
Dual PurposeYes
La Fleche Temperament:Flighty, active
La Fleche Ability/Likelihood to Free Range:Yes

La Fleche Egg Production

Egg ColorWhite
Egg SizeLarge
Estimated Number of Eggs Per Year180
Likeliness to Brood Eggs/Raise ChicksLow

La Fleche Meat Production

Dressed Weight Male5.5 lbs
Dressed Weight Female5 lbs

La Fleche Climate Tolerance

HeatGood
ColdModerate

La Fleche Age to Maturity

Number of Months to Reach Full Size6-7 Months
Number of Months to Start Egg Laying6 Months
Number of Weeks/Months to Reach Meat Harvest Size6-7 Months

La Fleche Size at Maturity

Male8 lbs
Female7 lbs

Origins of La Fleche Chicken

A La Fleche rooster and hen wandering in a backyard.

The La Fleche chicken breed originated in the Valley of Sarthe in France. They resulted from crossbreeding Black Spanish, Crevecoeur, and DuMans chickens.

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The breed made its way to America in the 1850s and was recognized there as a standard breed in 1874. They had moderate success in the United States but then lost popularity as faster-developing, hardier meat birds became common.

Today, they remain rare and are on the Critically Endangered List of the United States Livestock Conservancy.

Some Things to Know About La Fleche Chicken

A beautiful La Fleche Chicken in a backyard pasture.
Image source: Instagram

The La Fleche has a unique “V”-shaped comb that resembles horns. This is why they are named La Fleche, or “the arrow” in French (though they are also named after a town).

They are a medium size with glossy black plumage, white earlobes, and a full, curvaceous tail. The La Fleche has stout, dark grey legs and a red face, as well as large red wattles. They have a similar appearance as the Spanish chicken, except for their combs.

How Easy is it to Keep La Fleche Chickens?

A beautiful La Fleche Chicken walking on frozen ground.
Image source: Instagram

La Fleche chickens are good foragers and active birds. They are not aggressive towards people but are cautious and not good pet chickens. They do well in warmer climates but do not do well in the cold.

They love to forage and even roost in trees, so they enjoy large expanses of land and are very independent. They are good flyers and are known to avoid human contact, so they require a high fence and extra attention if they free range. They also do well in confinement.

Special Care and Considerations for La Fleche Chickens

The La Fleche chicken is a generally healthy breed. They tolerate heat very well but do not do well in the cold, so they require special care in cold temperatures, such as putting vaseline on their combs and wattles to prevent frostbite.

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La Fleche Chicken Breed Info pinterest image.

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