Bresse Chickens

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AmericanBresse said:
It was a neighbor's dog hunting it now, with the help of law enforcement....mark
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So sorry. It is so sad when people don't contain their animals. Accidents and escapes can happen, and have happened to me too, but the majority of my problems come from people who just don't care if their dogs run. I had to build a tall fence with Hotwire.
 
I hope you find out whose dog did this. What are the legal ramifications for them.....are they criminal or simply civil?
 
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http://americanbresse.com/Contact.html http://americanbresse.com/Tzaddik_Farm.html

Made an inquiry to http://americanbresse.com/Tzaddik_Farm.html about a week ago as the site said they are about to offer dressed bresse in the San Diego CA area. I asked how they were growing out their birds and following response was given
by Jon who will be harvesting their first batch tomorrow. Kudos to them for bringing the first Bresse to market in the US............mark The conversation is reprinted here with Jon's permission.

Mark,

I grow out my Bresse inside a grow out pen and pasture. I feed grow crumbles, and I fatten for two weeks on milk, wheat flour and corn meal with Barley meal. I purchase flour and the milk at Costco corn and barley from the feed store. The birds gain almost 2 lbs on this fattening diet and marble the fat throughout the muscle. The fattening process is the secret, it is the same as was used 100 years ago here in the US for fattening heritage birds back then. Look up on the Internet fattening chickens. They are considered milk fattened if the majority of the liquid they take is milk during this time. It cost almost $2 to fatten one chicken but gains 2 lbs in weight. I hope this answered you question.
Jon
Hey Jon, Thanks for sharing the way you you grow out your Bresse for market. When will your dressed Bresse be available, price per pound or per bird? With head and feet or clipped below the drumstick without the head or something different? Will they be available to ship anywhere?
Exciting to see them used as intended in the US Kudos and Thank You.mark

Mark, the first bunch are due for processing this Monday, they are being processed under the USDA exemption so no out of state sales.We haven't decided on a per lbs price but looking at $10 per lbs. on the processing I dont think leaving the head on at his time would increase sales in the USA but the feet probable. Thanks for your interest
Thanks Jon,
That clears up a lot of the questions most of us Bresse fans have concerning the artistry and tradition of the French bresse farmers systems of rearing these great birds. Would you mind if I posted your answers to the BYC group with your site address as well. Lots of folks on there hunger for more information and of course a taste of the finished product.
We all owe you a lot for trailblazing these birds to market I'm sure this is just the beginning, I wish you the best luck and success in your venture. Perhaps at some point we could take a Tour De Bresse and sample some of the best chicken in the world and some California sunshine, what could be better..............mark

Hi Mark,

Thank you for your kind words, there are a lot of things I would like to improve on how I am growing out these birds both in economy and practice. I have problems with predation from Coyotes and Bobcats when I have them pastured, I purchased a guardian dog cross and that has helped kept the predators away. I pen fatten the birds instead of crate. I would prefer to not feed commercial crumble feed while growing out but the number of birds I have and the limited fenced pasture dictates. Grain and insects is preferred and more economical. It is important I believe to give a bland diet in fattening of milk and high carbohydrate grains and limit the corn meal to no more than 25%. I have fed brewers spent grain( mostly Barley) to a small group I was fattening as a test. The low carbohydrate grain did not add weight to the birds but did add a interesting malted taste to the flesh. If you make it to California stop by and feel free to use any of this on BYC it would be appreciated.

Thanks Jon


Jon
 
Very good information! Thanks for sharing. I don't have the predation issues myself as I live in the middle of the city. I have more of a space issue. I plan to provide a pastured type diet by growing fodder for them. They will have access to my property, but I halve a half acre total, so certainly won't be able to dedicate that amount of space to one breed. I am going to build a hoop coop. Not sure if I will be able to use the crate method either, so penning them would work. Pardon me for thinking out loud, lol.
 
I have some hatching right now in small numbers. This group may be the only group I have this year so I may not grow any out to taste...It will be for breeding only, unless I have all roos!
 
Sonew mine were fast growing and were laying at 16-17 weeks. And the chicks are hardy. Mine however don't take great to broodies so I lost a few wandering out from hens. But you will find out this year!
 
chiqita said:
Sonew mine were fast growing and were laying at 16-17 weeks. And the chicks are hardy. Mine however don't take great to broodies so I lost a few wandering out from hens. But you will find out this year!
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I cant wait! I only have 4 right now but am supposed to get alot of bresse chicks soon I hope :D
 
My current brood of 50 is the nastiest meanest batch of birds I have ever had the displeasure of raising. They went cannibal from day 5. Stomping, pecking, and killing every chick that wasn't a clone of the mass. They are on par as far as growth rate and feed consumption of any Cornish x I ever raised. They are almost fully feathered at three weeks and they attack me every time I feed and water them, which is often. I will start free ranging them next week and grow them out until the smallest bird is at a minimum three pounds. Then the entire brood is going to freezer camp, blue legs and all. What was I thinking? I hate the French! They better be delicious!
 
Wow I've been lucky, had nothing but the most friendly of chicks hopping on my hands and arms when I feed them and no canibals, growing well, and the best foragers on the place. Maybe your's will mellow after they get to range...........mark
 

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