Back in Bresse!

[Blue Legs]

I've had a few Bresse crosses this summer... Bresse rooster from the not-so-reputable place in Mississippi over a variety of hens including some bresse girls. The crosses did not mature as quickly as the true bresse birds did were all harvested except 2 a few months ago. I'll try and get pics of the hybrids I kept. I'm also working on a small breeding project involving Jersey Giants and the bresse, trying to grow a larger breasted delicious chicken that isn't a cornish x poop machine lol

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Ah, I think I know the breeder you're talking about. What breeds did you cross to for the hybrids you processed?

 

[Blue Legs]

I was never POSITIVE, as alot of my egg layers drop down beige-ish medium sized eggs, but, due to the presence of head gear or lack thereof, I was able to determine whether or not they were-

austrolorp or buff orpington or plymouth rock crosses
or
silver or golden laced wyandotte

Of the two I kept, one appears to be a buff orpington x bresse, and the other appears to be a golden laced wyandotte cross. I now have 3 bresse roosters, 2 home grown from my stock and 1 imported from Mississippi, along with 3 different generations of bresse. In the spring time, I plan on crossing some of the bresse with the Giants in a seperate pen, and doing some more straight bresse.

A question. Have you, or anyone else raising bresse for food, noticed any variability in color or texture of the meat. My last harvest of bresse was very inconsistent, with some birds having the lovely orange I got the first time, and others having white/pink, generic meat. I'm hoping to breed that boring flavor back out of them, I raised both batches the same

 

[AgnesGray]

There are two Bresse Farm that I ordered from, one with out the s on farm. I ordered eggs from both farms, but I had better results from the one with out the s from Florida http://bressefarm.com/
This is his listing on ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/133717318505?hash=item1f222c5b69:g:UMUAAOSwk4hcfc~Q

I had a bad experience with the other farm ( https://www.bressefarms.com/). I placed two separate orders for a doz and both times, zero fertility. I found out latter that the Breese Farms from Mississippi had a bad reputation.

Its best if you can order live chicks from the original importer Green Fire Farms. https://greenfirefarms.com/available.html
But one chick cost $29 and it cost $35 extra to ship to Hawaii.

I had one hatch with crooked toes from Breese Farm, but his offspring had straight toes. I think it may have been a vitamin deficiency. He has both imports from Green Fire Farm.

I won a Greenfire Farm auction of them yesterday and so ordered some from the guy you suggested just a few minutes ago to incubate together. Also bought a small batch from another place in Georgia. It's between them and more bielefelders in 2022. Thanks for the tips!

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I'm happy to update that all of the birds are growing well and that a pullet laid her first egg yesterday...almost 4 months to the day since she hatched!

So far, the girls are a little on the flighty side, but very meaty compared to my other dual-purpose birds (especially the breast). The boys are generally more laid-back, but are beginning to have dominance skirmishes.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I won a Greenfire Farm auction of them yesterday and so ordered some from the guy you suggested just a few minutes ago to incubate together. Also bought a small batch from another place in Georgia. It's between them and more bielefelders in 2022. Thanks for the tips!

How'd your hatch go?

 

[AgnesGray]

How'd your hatch go?

The greenfire farms hatch didn't go well, but the other did. They are filling out nicely and already look like little feathery meatballs. So much healthier looking than cornish x. I'm excited about them!

How old is yours that started laying? I am wondering when we will be able to hatch some more. I got two adult hens in a lot with some other birds also. They're amazing foragers, but a little bit on the wandery side.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

@AgnesGray, sorry to hear the GFF hatch didn't work out. I'm loath to have eggs shipped after the many busts I had last year, but I will probably have to in order to get the breeds I want.

The pullet is 4 months old. I was surprised to find an egg this soon...pleasantly surprised.

Glad to hear that you're enjoying your birds!

 

[AgnesGray]

@AgnesGray, sorry to hear the GFF hatch didn't work out. I'm loath to have eggs shipped after the many busts I had last year, but I will probably have to in order to get the breeds I want.

The pullet is 4 months old. I was surprised to find an egg this soon...pleasantly surprised.

Glad to hear that you're enjoying your birds!

I was disappointed about the GFF eggs as well. Their shipper had an adhesive between the layers that got all over the eggs. I'm sure that didn't help.

4 months - wow! That's on par with leghorns POL age! Nice!

 

[CNJ]

A question. Have you, or anyone else raising bresse for food

I crossed my Breese rooster with a Cornish x hen and I am happy with the results. I had some born with white, yellow and blue legs and all of them are nice and plump. I still don't know how long they will live, and how well they will lay. At least the majority of them sleep on a 2 feet high perch, but a couple of the biggest ones sleep on the ground.

They should start laying next month, I have a pure Breese rooster that grew up with them that I will use to lock down the blue legs. I will line breed them to set this line.