The American Bresse...

[Kikilu]

I have just put blue bresse in the incubator yesterday and hoping for sustainable meat birds.
Hoping this thread keeps up and has some tips. I’ve read about the French method for finishing but always looking to see what people’s personal experience is.
I plan to hatch out and finish some in the corn/milk way and get a strong flock going for ongoing meat. Hoping I like them after the comments

 

[Penpal]

It would be nice if you started a new thread when you start your flock.

 

[mendozer]

I have just put blue bresse in the incubator yesterday and hoping for sustainable meat birds.
Hoping this thread keeps up and has some tips. I’ve read about the French method for finishing but always looking to see what people’s personal experience is.
I plan to hatch out and finish some in the corn/milk way and get a strong flock going for ongoing meat. Hoping I like them after the comments

where did you get your eggs from?

 

[Nolakennedys]

Who here raises them? Who here raises them using the "official" protocol? And who here has actually eaten them? Just for kicks...is there anyone who has eaten them raised "officially" and has also had them raised in the "regular" way, which to me means free ranging and supplementing with meat bird food.

@BarnyardChaos mentioned getting his new birds and I had just started looking into raising Bresse. I had no idea that they were raised differently until he mentioned it in another post.

The way they are raised leads me to wonder if chickens of other breeds would taste different as well if they were raised with that protocol...or do Bresse truly taste different regardless of the method in which they are raised.

I am currently in the process of raising them. Started with a total of 10, have 9 left - 2 roos and 4 hens are my breeders from two different bloodlines best I can tell. Current flock is numbered at 32 American Bresse so far with a dozen or more in the incubator still. We started in early november. Hatch rates have been 70% plus. Got a new incubator and it accidentally baked 32 fertile eggs about 20 being bresse..

ETA: Have not eaten one yet. Have not done the "official protocol" either. I will do my first cull when these 32 are about 5 months old.

 

[chanceosunshine]

I am currently in the process of raising them. Started with a total of 10, have 9 left - 2 roos and 4 hens are my breeders from two different bloodlines best I can tell. Current flock is numbered at 32 American Bresse so far with a dozen or more in the incubator still. We started in early november. Hatch rates have been 70% plus. Got a new incubator and it accidentally baked 32 fertile eggs about 20 being bresse..

ETA: Have not eaten one yet. Have not done the "official protocol" either. I will do my first cull when these 32 are about 5 months old.

Thank you for sharing. I'd love to hear how they turn out for you!

 

[mendozer]

I've got 18 eggs in the incubator right now, set to hatch 2/24. I'm excited. My plan was to keep one rooster with a few hens for re-hatching some next spring perhaps and do this yearly.

 

[chanceosunshine]

I've got 18 eggs in the incubator right now, set to hatch 2/24. I'm excited. My plan was to keep one rooster with a few hens for re-hatching some next spring perhaps and do this yearly.

That is exciting! Keep us posted. Where did you get your eggs?

 

[mendozer]

That is exciting! Keep us posted. Where did you get your eggs?

Someone in my area of the Puget Sound moved here from Ohio and brought them with. So it's from her flock. She's out of Olympia. Didn't show up on an official breeder page, just craigslist

 

[Pipica]

I've got 18 eggs in the incubator right now, set to hatch 2/24. I'm excited. My plan was to keep one rooster with a few hens for re-hatching some next spring perhaps and do this yearly.

Hi, I bought 15 (received 19) chicks from GFF last Wednesday and I’m expecting another shipment next Wednesday. I hope you don’t mind me tagging along as I’m new to Bresse breed. I splurged on them figuring that thats enough to have my pick for the breading stock. My intention is to go the French way … all the way, lol.

 

[CSKA]

I have eaten about 2 dozen of White American Bresse. They taste pretty good at 5-5.5 months. The meat sweet and little gammy. I just feed them just regular laying feed and scrap from the kitchen.

What live/dressed weight did you get at 5/5.5 months? Do you remember?