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Crevecoeur Information
Crevecoeur
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Egg Laying
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| Meat Production |
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| Show Status |
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| Aggressiveness |
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| Broodiness |
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| Space Needs |
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| Bantam Version? |
No
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| Preferred Climate |
Any
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Crevecoeur Qualities
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The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy has listed the Crevecoeur as endangered worldwide.
The US has less than 500 breeding chickens. Bred as a dual-purpose bird, The Crevecoeur serves
mainly as an ornamental show bird today. It does, however, lay 120 medium eggs per annum and
matures into a meaty fowl in a reasonable amount of time. Crevecoeur chickens boast a short
grained, extremely white meat on small boned skeleton. They have a high percentage of meat to
total carcass weight.
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Crevecoeur Temperament
| Although described as an active breed, Crevecouers bear confinement well and rarely go
broody in the coop. Owners characterize them as calm, friendly, and easy to handle. However,
some Crevecoeur breeders report that certain individuals have an aggressive side. Crevecoeurs
like to move but rarely forage in spite of their constant activity. Quiet, deliberate, and not
prone to flightiness, Crevecoeurs do well in a backyard setting. |
Crevecoeur Appearance
| The Crevecouer standard sized rooster weighs eight pounds and the hen seven. The
bantams run around two pounds. Crevecoeurs have a lordly appearance in their full black
crest with matching beard and muffs. Their plumage, jet black with a greenish tint,
distinguishes them on the exhibition floor. Crevecoeurs have red V comb that looks like
horns on the rooster. The hen conceals her smaller V comb with her crest. Both rooster and
hen have small red wattles and earlobes. Their black beak with shades of horn color at the
tip produces a stately but somewhat menacing appearance. Crevecoeurs support themselves on
gun blue legs not favored in American meat markets but suitably matched to their striking
plumage. In many ways the Crevecoeur resembles the Houdan breed except they have four toes
in contrast to the five toed Houdan. |
Crevecoeur Upkeep
| Keep your Crevecoeurs warm. Frostbite easily occurs on the vulnerable crests and V
combs of Crevecoeurs. Build a dry, draft-free coop. Crevecoeurs have little tolerance
to cold, rain, and wind. Many owners report lackluster egg production for the breed;
however, others report a consistent egg per day. Feed a good layer food and supplement
with extra protein and calcium for better egg production. Artificial lighting added to
the morning hours always helps as the days get shorter. Run your Crevecoeurs on wood
shavings to protect their show plumage from dust and damage. Move the run occasionally
to prevent the build up of parasites in the soil. |
Crevecoeur History
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The breed originated in Normandy, France. The name means “broken heart”
after the town by a similar name. Most Crevecoeur historians classify them as
France's oldest and most foundational breed originating in the 17th century.
Feed-efficient breeds have replaced the Crevecoeur as a meat fowl and have
relegated it primarily to the exhibition hall. In the late 1800's Crevecoeur
owners crossed Crevecoeur with the Dorking breed to produce a larger
Crevecoeur. Today's Crevecoeur has considerable size over the Crevecoeurs of
the last century. Their leg color, slower maturation rate, and susceptibility
to colds has precluded them from major meat production. The American Poultry
Association accepted them as a breed in 1874.
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Crevecoeur Pictures
Crevecoeur History
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