American Bresse - do I race over to buy these??? Quick!

[Just Ranchin]

We would really like to raise these. How has it been going?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

We would really like to raise these. How has it been going?

They are about 8 months old now, and doing pretty well I think - although the pullets have stopped laying eggs. Might be just the season, or the fact that two of them went broody then killed all but one of the chicks....., or some other factor, so they look and act ok, but I'm not very happy with them at the moment. I want EGGS darnit!

The spring pullets in my main flock (mixed heritage breeds) are laying fine while all of the older birds have gone into molt. But these Bresse.... just enjoying freeloading at the moment. I'll see if things improve in the spring.

The one chick is about a month old now and thriving. I have her and her momma separated in their own pen, but where they can interact with the Bresse cockerel and other two pullets.

This cockerel, George, has been somewhat aggressive and almost graduated to my stewpot for an early taste of Bresse meat. However, he has since settled down and he and I have an understanding. He stays out of my way, and I won't whack him with the ceiling fan duster. I keep it handy when I'm in the pen working with them, and he avoids me whenever that fluffy stick thing is near my legs. LOL. It's working out, but he'll have a date with destiny as soon as I get a good bunch of chicks out of him.

The other cockerel, Sam, is currently a member of the big heritage flock (about 45 hens and two other roosters). He's very mannerly and is coming along fantastic. He and the other roos get along famously - NO fighting at all that I've seen and he's breeding with the girls. He'll get his turn with the Bresse girls as soon as I have a flock big enough for two roos, or when George meets his fate, whichever comes first.

I just wish I knew for sure why the Bresse girls have stopped laying, when my other pullets have not.

 

[Just Ranchin]

Thanks for the detailed update! I am sorry about the chicks and the lack of laying. Interesting. Good to hear you had some go broody though. All your other hens are still laying. Hmmm. I really want to get some of these but haven't been able to locate any so far. I am tired of lack of meat on our duel purpose chickens. They have gotten better over the years but not like it appears the American Bresse are. This is a great bit of info that really helps. I hope it starts working out for the better for you. If you think about it please update again later.

 

[LTAY1946]

They are about 8 months old now, and doing pretty well I think - although the pullets have stopped laying eggs. Might be just the season, or the fact that two of them went broody then killed all but one of the chicks....., or some other factor, so they look and act ok, but I'm not very happy with them at the moment. I want EGGS darnit!

The spring pullets in my main flock (mixed heritage breeds) are laying fine while all of the older birds have gone into molt. But these Bresse.... just enjoying freeloading at the moment. I'll see if things improve in the spring.

The one chick is about a month old now and thriving. I have her and her momma separated in their own pen, but where they can interact with the Bresse cockerel and other two pullets.

This cockerel, George, has been somewhat aggressive and almost graduated to my stewpot for an early taste of Bresse meat. However, he has since settled down and he and I have an understanding. He stays out of my way, and I won't whack him with the ceiling fan duster. I keep it handy when I'm in the pen working with them, and he avoids me whenever that fluffy stick thing is near my legs. LOL. It's working out, but he'll have a date with destiny as soon as I get a good bunch of chicks out of him.

The other cockerel, Sam, is currently a member of the big heritage flock (about 45 hens and two other roosters). He's very mannerly and is coming along fantastic. He and the other roos get along famously - NO fighting at all that I've seen and he's breeding with the girls. He'll get his turn with the Bresse girls as soon as I have a flock big enough for two roos, or when George meets his fate, whichever comes first.

I just wish I knew for sure why the Bresse girls have stopped laying, when my other pullets have not.

My breese girls will be a year old Dec 5. 7 of them. They give me 3-6 eggs a day. I've got some in an incubator now. First attempt to hatch some. I won't know if they are fertile or not for a few days yet. They are part of a mixed hatch. I've filled two incubators with a combination of American Bresse, Dark Cornish, and White Giants. Not enough of anyone breed to fill a box in a week so I'm just hoping to get a handful more of each. Those 3 breeds will be crossed with each other to see what happens. I have 7 or more Breese Roos I'm putting into a coop with slightly older Delaware hens. I think that will be an interesting meat bird. There's only one way to know and that is do it.

 

[Just Ranchin]

My breese girls will be a year old Dec 5. 7 of them. They give me 3-6 eggs a day. I've got some in an incubator now. First attempt to hatch some. I won't know if they are fertile or not for a few days yet. They are part of a mixed hatch. I've filled two incubators with a combination of American Bresse, Dark Cornish, and White Giants. Not enough of anyone breed to fill a box in a week so I'm just hoping to get a handful more of each. Those 3 breeds will be crossed with each other to see what happens. I have 7 or more Breese Roos I'm putting into a coop with slightly older Delaware hens. I think that will be an interesting meat bird. There's only one way to know and that is do it.

Please do an update at some point!

 

[LTAY1946]

Please do an update at some point!

We will. It's going to be an adventure.

 

[LTAY1946]

They do!
From what little I've read, true Bresse chickens come from the Bresse region of France, and their breeding is kept under strict guidelines. "American" Bresse are genetically no different than the French flocks, I believe; but they cannot be classified as true French Bresse since they weren't bred on French soil. They aren't recognized yet by the NPIP. Yeah, look at me being all expert and stuff on these chickens. pffffttt!

I couldn't resist the opportunity, so I went and picked them up. I'm so excited!!!!!
Meet the "Frenchie" tribe:
View attachment 3538319

Those are good looking birds. I think the legs on yours are a darker blue than on mine. I may order 12 more str run come spring. That way I'll have a little larger gene pool I hope. Lack of diversity in the American Bresse gene pool is one of the weaknesses of the breed. Several breeders have given up trying to breed them as a breed. That is one reason I want to create crosses with them.

 

[LTAY1946]

I just wish I knew for sure why the Bresse girls have stopped laying, when my other pullets have not.

I remember how short the days got when I lived in MO. There is a simple mechanical timer that you can put in the coop with an LED bulb that will give artificial daylight. A hundred watt bulb uses little electricity for 3 extra hours a day. Just turn the light on 3 hours before daylight and left them roost as the sun goes down. That's what I was taught and it worked. This year I may put them in with the 3 meat breeds only and not my layers. I'm getting to many eggs as it is so I'll let the layer hens keep them until spring and summer. The egg market collapsed. This is similar to what I have. I found mine at a local hardware store. https://www.amazon.com/Century-Indo...=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&th=1

 

[LTAY1946]

Here's a menu from a French Restaurant that has Bresse Chicken on it. I found it interesting.
It was posted on line by Greenfire Farms that imported the Breese breed. I think they have imported 3 different batches trying to expand the gene pool. Even in France the gene pool may be much smaller than old line heritage American breeds.

 

[Just Ranchin]

Those are good looking birds. I think the legs on yours are a darker blue than on mine. I may order 12 more str run come spring. That way I'll have a little larger gene pool I hope. Lack of diversity in the American Bresse gene pool is one of the weaknesses of the breed. Several breeders have given up trying to breed them as a breed. That is one reason I want to create crosses with them.

That's a good idea to cross them. Hadn't even thought about that yet. Where do you order them from if I may ask?