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The brood of imported hens, sometimes called faverolles because the breed was developed in the 1860s near the French villages of Houdan and Faverolles, came in at $181.50, the same price as 2015.

French hens — the Houdan variety — were up 10 percent.

Alléno approves of this breed, but his real desire is to revive a far rarer bird, the Poularde de Houdan.

The Houdan has the size, deep compact body, short legs, and fifth toe of the Dorking.

Houdan, hōō′dang, n. a valued breed of domestic fowls, orig. from Houdan in Seine-et-Oise.