Bresse Chickens

[racinchickins]

I can't imagine you would get much out of 8 week old Bresse. They get big fast, but they aren't Cornish cross.

 

[ronott1]

I can't imagine you would get much out of 8 week old Bresse. They get big fast, but they aren't Cornish cross.

I was thinking the same thing. 16 weeks is more like it for cockerels.

 

[PetRock]

We just processed 2 Bresse cockerels on Sat. 1 was 24 weeks and the other was 20 weeks. Both weighed 4.2 lb processed.

 

[jcinadr]

I might get a few more bresse roosters than expected from the hatch...those will be butchered at 8 weeks old when I have the equipment here and two others butchering their birds with me..50+ that day!

8 weeks old will be small BUT better than housing them all Fall and Winter..not worth it for a few roos crowing up a storm..

Capons https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/675898/graphic-pics-of-my-day-learning-to-caponize are another way to avoid the crowing. Still would need to feed and house them for the winter. That is not much of a problem where I am, but not sure how hard it is to winter chickens where you are at.

I dealt with 14 roos this weekend. Was learning, so there were a few causalities. At 7 weeks, there is not much meat on them. That said, I am hoping to push my butcher date on them mostly into 2015. I wanted to butcher after 9 months (8 is the traditional breed spec minimum). Will only be at 7 months at year end.
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One way to get around the casualty outlook - do the procedure at 8 weeks, and butcher learning experiences.

 

[LindaB220]

Capons https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/675898/graphic-pics-of-my-day-learning-to-caponize are another way to avoid the crowing. Still would need to feed and house them for the winter. That is not much of a problem where I am, but not sure how hard it is to winter chickens where you are at.

I dealt with 14 roos this weekend. Was learning, so there were a few causalities. At 7 weeks, there is not much meat on them. That said, I am hoping to push my butcher date on them mostly into 2015. I wanted to butcher after 9 months (8 is the traditional breed spec minimum). Will only be at 7 months at year end.
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One way to get around the casualty outlook - do the procedure at 8 weeks, and butcher learning experiences.

That sounds like a win-win situation. Good luck.

 

[ronott1]

We just processed 2 Bresse cockerels on Sat. 1 was 24 weeks and the other was 20 weeks. Both weighed 4.2 lb processed.

Nice Job!

Do you think the 24 week old did not grow from age 20 weeks to 24?

 

[PetRock]

Nice Job!

Do you think the 24 week old did not grow from age 20 weeks to 24?

He was the wider of the 2 but shorter. He was showing lots of raging hormone behavior so maybe that was what most of the food he ate was fueling. The younger one would probably have filled out more if he had another 4 weeks to grow. I had 3 cockerels and opted to keep only 1. It was a hard decision to make. The one I ended up keeping is younger and as tall as the tall one that we processed. He is milder in temperament which is a big reason why I kept him over the oldest cockerel. I almost kept both of them but just watching the behavior of the 24 week old changed my mind. I have been trying to only keep mild mannered ones. My original cock was nasty and 1 of his sons was even nastier. With all things being equal, nice cockerels win over mean ones. I still have 2 or 3 young ones here in town. I keep going back and forth on whether to breed them again or sell all of them. The farmers who own the property where my breeding flocks are housed do not like the Bresse. They are flighty and excel at escaping their pens the boys have not been the friendliest birds, and my friends don't like how they taste. We each took 1 of the processed cockerels and I made sure they got the youngest boy. I am hoping that he is more tender than the ones we processed last time. I love the chicks and the pullets/hens. If I end up with a respectful cockerel, I really want to keep breeding them.

 

[ronott1]

He was the wider of the 2 but shorter. He was showing lots of raging hormone behavior so maybe that was what most of the food he ate was fueling. The younger one would probably have filled out more if he had another 4 weeks to grow. I had 3 cockerels and opted to keep only 1. It was a hard decision to make. The one I ended up keeping is younger and as tall as the tall one that we processed. He is milder in temperament which is a big reason why I kept him over the oldest cockerel. I almost kept both of them but just watching the behavior of the 24 week old changed my mind. I have been trying to only keep mild mannered ones. My original cock was nasty and 1 of his sons was even nastier. With all things being equal, nice cockerels win over mean ones. I still have 2 or 3 young ones here in town. I keep going back and forth on whether to breed them again or sell all of them. The farmers who own the property where my breeding flocks are housed do not like the Bresse. They are flighty and excel at escaping their pens the boys have not been the friendliest birds, and my friends don't like how they taste. We each took 1 of the processed cockerels and I made sure they got the youngest boy. I am hoping that he is more tender than the ones we processed last time. I love the chicks and the pullets/hens. If I end up with a respectful cockerel, I really want to keep breeding them.

Do they like the Pita Pintas for meat?

I am curious about the comparison for taste.

 

[PetRock]

Do they like the Pita Pintas for meat?

I am curious about the comparison for taste.

We processed 27 birds and most of them were Pita Pinta mixes. We did mark the 2 Bresse and 2 of the Pita Pintas for a taste comparison. Each family has 1 of each and we plan on cooking the 2 at the same time/same manner. How do you recommend that we cook them? My DH is voting for the pressure cooker but I can only fit 1 at a time.

 

[sonew123]

Capons https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/675898/graphic-pics-of-my-day-learning-to-caponize are another way to avoid the crowing.  Still would need to feed and house them for the winter.  That is not much of a problem where I am, but not sure how hard it is to winter chickens where you are at.

I dealt with 14 roos this weekend.  Was learning, so there were a few causalities.  At 7 weeks, there is not much meat on them.  That said, I am hoping to push my butcher date on them mostly into 2015.  I wanted to butcher after 9 months (8 is the traditional breed spec minimum).  Will only be at 7 months at year end.
---
One way to get around the casualty outlook - do the procedure at 8 weeks, and butcher learning experiences. 

Very true but...I dont want to strictly feed meat birds pelleted food when Id preferr them finish out in a grass filled penned area bugged filled...with house leftovers and with goats milk and scratch besides pellets it gets -40 below here ALOT!!! All extras get butchered in September