A Barbezieux Thread.

[stevekwan]

good luck with them, and keep us posted on their progress won't you?

Sure will! We ended up loosing one over the weekend. They all looked fine when we went to bed and woke up with one dead one. Gold Feather sent a few extras, so we still have more than we ordered. I am thinking it got trampled, not a health issue. Other than that, they are doing well! The chicks are small and growing noticeably slower than other breeds.

 

[Perris]

Sure will! We ended up loosing one over the weekend. They all looked fine when we went to bed and woke up with one dead one. Gold Feather sent a few extras, so we still have more than we ordered. I am thinking it got trampled, not a health issue. Other than that, they are doing well! The chicks are small and growing noticeably slower than other breeds.

I lost a 3-day old chick to unknown cause too, and I wondered if it had been trampled. Slow growing is good for an unusually large breed, otherwise they risk leg weakness. My 7 month cockerel is now practically twice as tall as the Swedish Flower hens, and takes frequent rests during the day, down on his hocks or fully down. It seems to be a bit of a strain on his toes too, balancing that weight with such a high centre of gravity!

 

[charleston]

Hello! I am getting 12 Barbezieux and 12 Bresse chicks in two weeks. What have you fed the Barbezieux at each stage to get the desired meat weight? I have read through this thread. Any more pointers to give? Also, what size nesting box does a Barbezieux need?

 

[Perris]

hello @charleston - welcome to BYC

I am not growing to get a desired meat weight, just strong healthy birds. They had chick feed and fermented whole grain as chicks, plus whatever they ate while foraging dawn to dusk, and since then forage + the fermented grain feed I give all my flock, with some supplementing for protein and minerals through the winter when weeds and bugs were few. There are a number of articles and threads on growing meaties that would probably suit your purposes better; click on the tabs on the top banner to find them.

For nesting box I'd go a bit bigger than normal. Good luck!

 

[charleston]

All great to know. Thank you! Do you think a 16" square nesting box would be good?

 

[Perris]

yes, I'd have thought that would be fine.

 

[lwbootheiv]

Has anyone here crossed a liege fighter roo over a barbezieux hen?

 

[K8Aspen]

I got 9 Barbs and 2 Bresse in a mixed box from Gold Feather Farms and I love them, growing fast, large and beautiful. I LOST MY bresse cockeral to an overzealous neighbor dog, but have have everyone else still. I think I have 8cockerals and 1 pulled in my Barbs, I guess we will be finding out how the roos taste relatively soon. In the same batch and a couple of subsequent ones, I've also gotten Marans and another Bresse. I am hoping to make a home based meat bird that can handle the higher elevation where I am at. We are at over 7500 ft, and Cornish rarely make it past a few weeks old. I will post photos of all of my Barbezieux this weekend when I can get them away from my Mosaics, Bresse, Marans and Orloffs.

 

[piminuse]

Chiming in since my barbs have made it to the 6 week mark and are now outside! These will be this year's "special" meat birds--hoping to have a cockerel or two for the Thanksgiving table.

For reference: I started with a SR of 6 from someone who got them from a Gold Feather mix and didn't want meaties. I ended up with 2 cockerels and 4 pullets, though one girl has since passed from a coccidious outbreak.

Behavior: kind of flighty--not super into being handled, but once in hand they are (mostly) docile. They're inquisitive and curious of what I'm doing whenever I'm cleaning or refilling feed/water. They remind me a bit of Mediterranean breeds like the Andalusian. They talk A LOT and my monster of a cockerel is very chatty which makes me suspect he'll be an early crower (yaaay). They prefer to be up high and roost on the upper most branch in their brooder.

They are on starter feed and will be moved to an organic, high protein feed at 8 weeks. Entertaining the idea of fermenting their feed. Plan on finishing the french way with plenty of dairy!

 

[CNJ]

Hi all, I just ordered some Barbezieux eggs from ebay. I hope they hatch. I was wondering if anyone tried cross breeding with Jersey Giants. I want to try.