American Bresse?

[EnnieM]

Hey guys. So I recently got some American Bresse from a quality breeder (not a hatchery). My plan was originally to raise & butcher. But it got me thinking… Are they nearly as “desirable” as the French Bresse? Is there any money in selling hatching eggs or chicks compared to standard breeds in the US? I’m also curious as to what your opinions are on taste vs. CX broilers.

 

[Chickengnome91]

I've heard they are pretty rare/desirable as a eating bird but i personally dont even know any breeders. I would love to get my hands on eggs or a pullet on day lol

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

I cannot speak for the taste of Bresse meat vs Cornish X as I have never tried Bresse and am currently vegetarian. The clarification of "American" Bresse is due to French breeders stating that for a Bresse to be called such, it has to be raised in France. To my understanding it's similar to true Kobe beef having to have been raised in Japan versus American Wagyu. American Bresse and French Bresse should be the same genetically. If you're located in the US it's just more proper to sell it as American.

 

[Dinoroar]

I have eaten bresse rooter and it tasted fine to me. I haven’t eaten Cornishx so can’t really compare. I’ve had people request chicks so I plan on separating mine into a breeding pen at some point. I’m guessing demand for chicks & hatching eggs would vary by region.

 

[OrtumAntiqua]

Hey guys. So I recently got some American Bresse from a quality breeder (not a hatchery). My plan was originally to raise & butcher. But it got me thinking… Are they nearly as “desirable” as the French Bresse? Is there any money in selling hatching eggs or chicks compared to standard breeds in the US? I’m also curious as to what your opinions are on taste vs. CX broilers.

Hi. I've had the opportunity to eat a French Bresse chicken in France at Bocuse Restaurant. It was pretty darn good but they are raising them much differently than most of us here in the states. Generally the Bresse are called "American Bresse" here in the states because aside from their specific genetics, in France they are not called "Bresse" unless they are raised in a specific region by specific methods. They are expensive in France even and the farmers leave the feet, head and neck feathers on so the purchaser can confirm It's genetics by sight - blue legs specifically. They are smaller birds but have the genetic ability to store fat so as they are finished on milk and barley all that flavorful fat gets stored around their muscles. They are known good dual purpose birds. They are friendly and docile and good layers I've heard. My chicks are extremely lively and exhibiting a ton of foraging instincts. Flying around their coop like maniacs at 3 weeks. I'm trying to raise a small flock to french meat standards though I don't know if I'll be able to find Mare's Milk to soak their finishing barley in...Compared to CX, smaller bird that will take longer to mature, less breast meat and more dark meat. If raised on forage and grain, they should have a more earthy "dark" flavor to the meat. They will have a much stronger genetic drive to forage and "act like birds" as opposed to the CX. Way more complex and flavorful overall in my opinion. It was covered in black truffles but I swear the meat itself had a pleasant nutty mushroom character to it.

-Not sure if you can see the feet on these chickens but there is Paul Bocuse (RIP) and a pile of Bresse Chickens...

 

[chooketychook]

I have 3 La bresse hens and a rooster I’m breeding them for chicks which will ultimately become our meat.
I am also going to sell hatching eggs and chicks.
As for taste I can’t vouch for that yet but I believe the it’s the special diet that gives the bresse that award winning flavour.
My breeding group are just eating a normal healthy diet but I will raise the offspring a diet as close to the bresse diet as possible and finish them as is done in France.

 

[OrtumAntiqua]

I have 3 La bresse hens and a rooster I’m breeding them for chicks which will ultimately become our meat.
I am also going to sell hatching eggs and chicks.
As for taste I can’t vouch for that yet but I believe the it’s the special diet that gives the bresse that award winning flavour.
My breeding group are just eating a normal healthy diet but I will raise the offspring a diet as close to the bresse diet as possible and finish them as is done in France.

It's great to see someone else trying this. I used the diet on some Freedom Rangers last year (I couldn't get my hands on Bresse chicks in a timely manner but wanted to practice) and the meat was extraordinary. I've got 33 Bresse at about 70 days old right now foraging and then I'm going to start fattening them. The best I can figure for the fattening stage is to continue their crumble and add steam rolled barley and some cracked corn. I occasionally will try to soak the grains in left over milk but don't have the time/money to do that every day. I read some older french guides that called for the barley to be soaked over night in Mare's milk. I have some fermentation experience and it seems to me that depending on what temp that soak happens, there may be some lactobacillus fermentation going on since the bacteria is present in barley (I used to make sour beers (Berliner Weisse) using the resident bacteria in the grains). Maybe not a super important point but I thought is was interesting and maybe helps the overall health of the chicks and makes it easy for them to digest the grains and convert them into flavorful fat.

I'm also going to move them to a smaller pen to limit their ranging and hopefully create the "calm, dark, quiet and cool" conditions ideal for building intramuscular fat development.

Would love to stay in touch and compare notes as you go along. Good luck!

 

[24chikns]

I've heard they are pretty rare/desirable as a eating bird but i personally dont even know any breeders. I would love to get my hands on eggs or a pullet on day lol

I have American Bresse pullets for sale