Breda Fowl thread

[TNBEARCHICK]

thought I would share a few photos of my girls today

 

[dutchbunny83]

I don't know weight on mine, and they're not full grown yet, but I don't think they're small. They're very lanky (tall, long) compared to other chickens I have and larger than the other breeds I have around the same age. My boys are larger than my girls.

 

[Sylvester017]

To GaryDean26 & DutchBunny83: Thank u 4 confirmation on Breda temperament & size. In pics the Breda cockerels always look way larger than the pullets & researched that Breda hens get around 4 lbs. Some smaller LF can be flighty & somewhat wild or wary in nature like Fayoumi or Jaerhon but I get the impression Breda are friendlier.

It would be cruel in our small urban backyard to have heavy LF mixed w/ gentle bantams/medium LF so keeping all under 5 lbs has worked best. We're not zoned for roos. We made an inexperienced mistake getting a Marans pullet & a White Leghorn pullet who both grew huge & eventually took advantage of bullying the 2 Silkies. The Marans disappointmented us in temperament & eggs so she was easy to part with but our White Leg was a sweet alpha for 3 years even though she was large but after her last moult she got aggressive & was re-homed. We miss her XL white eggs.

The Silkies give cream/tinted eggs & the eggs are big for bantams. Our Buff Leghorn is smaller than the White Leg was & lays medium pink eggs & is much sweeter/calmer. Of course our APA Ameraucana blue egg layer is the sweetest (albeit kookiest) bird in the yard & not interested in flock politics. To have white eggs again we thought the gentle Breda would be good to integrate into our currently good-tempered flock.

Ur comments are welcome - Thank u.

 

[dutchbunny83]

I am surprised you are having trouble with your silkies being beat up on. I have all of mine from 4 week old chicks to full grown larger hens to my pair of turkeys all together and no one bothers anyone. I've even had multiple roo's at a time (though once they crow they have to go so they're usually only 5 months old). I wonder why. Maybe free range time? My run is 20'x20' but I leave the door open to it all day unless we're going away for the weekend or something. They all put themselves to bed in the coop together though. My turkeys even had another coop, but they decided they like being with my chickens and go in there.

I found out we are allowed to have roosters as part of our zoned 10 birds, but opting not to to keep peace with the neighbors as everyone's backyards touch in the like a square. Plus, if you include meat chickens, turkeys, quail & ducks I am way over my limit of 10 anyway so the less attention I bring to that the better So roo's still have to go.

 

[DutchChicky]

@GaryDean. I wouldmlove your input, even just as a sounding board
@ Warbirds, I send you a pm.
If anybody needs breeding advice, if I can help I definitely will, the Dutch standards I have.

 

[GaryDean26]

@GaryDean. I wouldmlove your input, even just as a sounding board

You have it then.

 

[Sylvester017]

I am surprised you are having trouble with your silkies being beat up on. I have all of mine from 4 week old chicks to full grown larger hens to my pair of turkeys all together and no one bothers anyone. I've even had multiple roo's at a time (though once they crow they have to go so they're usually only 5 months old). I wonder why. Maybe free range time? My run is 20'x20' but I leave the door open to it all day unless we're going away for the weekend or something. They all put themselves to bed in the coop together though. My turkeys even had another coop, but they decided they like being with my chickens and go in there.

I found out we are allowed to have roosters as part of our zoned 10 birds, but opting not to to keep peace with the neighbors as everyone's backyards touch in the like a square. Plus, if you include meat chickens, turkeys, quail & ducks I am way over my limit of 10 anyway so the less attention I bring to that the better So roo's still have to go.

Hi dutchbunny83 - Thx 4 sharing as I love to know how others care for their birds. I think the problem we're having is not enough room to allow the different breeds to be independent of each other. The entire lot is only 60' x 90' which contains a small cottage w/double garage, a front lawn, side yards each only 5' wide before touching the neighboring fences, & a smaller backyard than the front. In the back after adding a small coop, a small run, and 3 fenced raised garden beds, doesn't leave much area for the chickens to free-range but they do their best.

I researched that Silkies or bantams tend to get bullied by larger breeds in a mixed flock but sadly didn't see that info until after we got LF. The Marans have a sneaky pushy temperament that will take advantage of bullying any chance they can. I confirmed this w/ a friend who said hers was unpleasant too. She took my re-homed Marans who like her own continues being unpleasant nipping at the gentler EEs and smaller Leghorns in the flock. I had a wonderful 3-yr White Leg who was a great alpha leader of the Silkies until she came out of her last severe moult and got aggressive. We loved her and gave her a chance to settle down but since the flock dynamics weren't changing neither did she. She was re-homed to my friend who said she's been good mixed w/ 2 Sexlinks of equal size. Currently we have 2 Silkies (cream tinted eggs),1 APA Ameraucana (blue egg) and 1 rare Buff Leg (pink egg) who have gentler temperaments than the 2 LF that were re-homed & the Silkies are in charge being the oldest hens now.

The re-homed Marans was 7-lbs and no match for our 2-lb Silkies. We won't add any breed over 5-lbs to our remaining flock because even a gentle-tempered heavy LF can eventually be tempted to take advantage of bullying smaller 2-lb bantams. My Silkies are feisty and in charge but no match for any bird over 5-lbs that decides to get aggressive just because they can. When it's advised not to mix gentle or bantam birds w/ larger LF it's wise counsel. Although our Marans and White Leg seemed peaceful w/ the Silkies for a while, it was a matter of less than 6 mos when everything changed.

We had a sweet-tempered Dominique before she died young from a seizure. If we can't get a gentle Breda we may go w/ another Dom but we'd really like white eggs again. Breda is the only white egg, gentle, smaller LF we've found to be under 5-lbs. Smaller LF like Campine, Fayoumi, Jaerhons, etc, are usually independent aloof wilder types, so Breda impressed us w/ the gentler docile nature. I'm not particularly fond of feathered legs but am used to caring for feathered Silkies so that's the only very slight drawback I foresee w/ Breda. Also it seems confirmed that Breda are good in both hot and cold temperatures.

Everyone's input is welcomed!

 

[dutchbunny83]

Sounds like a good set up, hope they all start getting along for you!
I'm the opposite, I don't like the white eggs, but the Breda were too pretty to pass up!
I have someone coming tomorrow to look at my 5 Blue Breda that are 21 weeks old-- 3 boys, 2 girls. Couldn't find much interest around here so I listed them as $60 for all 5. I'd be willing to go down to $50 just to have them go to a home, I'm really hoping he's not trying to split them up and send to an auction for a profit, but I guess that's out of my control....

 

[Sylvester017]

Sounds like a good set up, hope they all start getting along for you!
I'm the opposite, I don't like the white eggs, but the Breda were too pretty to pass up!
I have someone coming tomorrow to look at my 5 Blue Breda that are 21 weeks old-- 3 boys, 2 girls. Couldn't find much interest around here so I listed them as $60 for all 5. I'd be willing to go down to $50 just to have them go to a home, I'm really hoping he's not trying to split them up and send to an auction for a profit, but I guess that's out of my control....

I wish I wasn't on the West Coast so I could pick up a couple as they would be LOVED & spoiled here & NEVER used 4 table meat! I would much prefer a buyer putting them up 4 auction to go to someone who really wants them 4 breeding - as opposed to having the rare beauties being bought 4 table meat!

I am so jealous as Blue would've been my 1st color choice, then Black. Don't sell low. Pet quality rare breed pullets shouldn't be ANY less than $25 each and MUCH more if SQ. Maybe half that amount 4 each cockerel. So $60 is a steal even if only pet quality which doesn't sound like what u have but very nice quality. But I realize u have kind of an awkward need to dispatch them soon. Much success 2 u.

 

[dutchbunny83]

My Breda are gone

I should be happy, but I miss them. My poor lone girl that's left is crying, I feel so bad for her.
The buyer said he had never heard of them, but likes rare breeds so when he saw my ad he looked them up & realized what they were worth & wanted them. Just praying he keeps them and doesn't try to flip them for profit because in the past 5 months I got so attached to them. They were really, really pretty too. I've seen other's and they didn't have the coloring or as heavily feathered shanks as mine did. He lives out in the country so he can keep roosters, so hopefully he will breed them.
I also have an Exchequer Leghorn that started crowing this week. I only hatched a pair, but I am keeping the girl, so I couldn't find anyone who wanted just the cockerel. Originally asked for $10, dropped to $5, and no takers since it wasn't a pair so I told him he could take him for free as long as he gave him a good home. He was a gorgeous rooster, way too pretty to eat. DH is mad at me I gave him away, but we can't be having him crow early in the morning.....

Now I just need someone to buy my pair of turkeys!!!