American Bresse?

[JeffPr]

Anyone raising these as meat birds?
I’m thinking of trying a dozen next year

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I've raised Bresse twice, roughly 6 years apart. Recently, I decided to stop raising pure Bresse and focus on crossing hens with other dual-purpose breeds because I wasn't finding the pure Bresse's growth significantly outpacing that of other dual-purpose crosses. There also just doesn't seem to be much of a market for them in my area, so that also limited my options with the breed.

That said, my plucker made short work of plucking them and they produced a well-balanced and aesthetically-pleasing carcass. And they're tasty - arguably less flavorful than Marans, but I think folks used to eating Cornish X may find the milder flavor of Bresse more appealing.

Best of luck!

 

[JeffPr]

I’m not focused on growth rates.... I am not looking for a “Frankenstein “ chicken like the CX.

I’m looking for a pure breed that can raise their own. To eliminate buying chicks each year. That will free range to offset the feed costs of keeping them longer .

I eat a lot of pheasant, so no need for the “store bought “ flavor/texture.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I often suggest you try a few different breeds, raise them together to get a decent comparison, and see which makes you the happiest under your conditions. We all have our favorites but your favorites need to be determined by your preferences and what does best (whatever "best" is for you) under your conditions.

Many hatcheries have "specials". They may be called frying pan specials or something similar.' They always have extra males left over because so many of us prefer pullets to cockerels. Read carefully, but they will often send you their choice of several different breeds of cockerels at a pretty good price. That may be one way of sampling a few different breeds, but that would be the hatchery's choice of breeds. Or order your choice of certain breeds.

Each hatchery has their own flock and their own person who selects which chickens get to breed. That means the same breed can be different from different hatcheries. That means if you try cockerels from a certain hatchery and like them, you need to order those from that hatchery in the future. You may not like what you get from a different hatchery. That's a big reason I have such trouble recommending a specific breed. They are not all the same, depends on the source.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I've never tried them, but always raised my own meaties, through selective crossing of Heritage breed varieties.

Buff Orpington, Barred Rock, Brahma, Easter Egger, & Australorp are a few I have found best for meat when crossed together.

The birds also end up with a more Gamey taste, & smell like Turkey. But I think that also depends on the diet abit too. Flavor is something I try to select for too, with multi generation crosses.

 

[Nomadicus]

I have Bresse now but have not processed any yet. I'm about to pen a rooster with 10 Delaware hens and do a test of those. l don't think I will ever use pure Bresse for meat but rather a cross. I'm not real happy with the line of Bresse I have as a pure strain. They grow so slow as compared to the Delawares and other old dual purpose breeds.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I'm giving it a shot with American Bresse. I have a starter group of 3 hens just started to lay in July, and two roosters (keeping one as a backup; he's been integrated to my mixed heritage breeds flock). I may fill the incubator in October or November and see what happens. Also looking for other bloodlines to add to my little group. Might trade one of the roosters; he's a dickhead, and as soon as I get some chicks hatched from him, he's either going to a new home or into my stewpot and I'll get my first taste of their meat.

 

[Nomadicus]

I've got only 7 Bresse hens left and I have one of the better I think roosters with them. When the weather improves I'll set some. I think to set any now would be a disaster. I also am going to cull some of the Delaware hens and all the roosters but one and use Bresse rooster with them.