La Flèche
Gallus gallus domesticus
✨ Fun Fact
La Flèche was so prized at the French royal court that it was served at banquets for Louis XIV. The breed's unusual horn comb gave it the nickname 'Devil Bird' (Poule du Diable).
An ancient and imposing French meat breed from the town of La Flèche in the Sarthe department, once considered the finest table fowl in France and supplied to royal banquets. La Flèche is distinguished by its unusual V-shaped horn comb — two straight points rising like devil's horns — and its entirely jet-black plumage with a strong beetle-green iridescence. A large, active bird, it was the backbone of the famous Le Mans capons (castrated males raised for the French luxury table).
🏷️ Breed
La Flèche
💭 Temperament
Active, alert, robust, independent, can be flighty
📏 Size
Large (3.6-4.5 kg)
⏳ Lifespan
5-8 years
🎨 Colors
Jet black with beetle-green iridescence
🌍 Origin
France — La Flèche, Sarthe; ancient breed, documented 16th century
🏠 Habitat
Free-range strongly preferred; large active bird needing space
🍽️ Diet
High-quality layer and grower pellets; excellent free-range forager
🎯 Purpose
Meat
🥚 Egg Colour
White
👑 Comb Type
V-Shape
🏅 EE Class
Large Fowl