Breda Fowl thread

[Sylvester017]

Mine dig like the others, they stay close to the coop and shed,deck, and don't fly away. 2 of mine are semi feral and they don't fly away . They have been here since November and I keep all new hens locked up for a month with my others so they know the coop is home before I let them free range.
Mine too are very docile, they do not pick fights nor cause any trouble. They are very inquisitive and follow me around

GaryDean26 when they were raising Blue Breda, said that Breda are very feed-driven and follow you around everywhere for the next tidbit they find in your shovel or the treat you handfeed them. Very pesty friendly breed. GaryDean said when Breda startle they jump straight up so watch your chin! But then they settle back down immediately. Whereas an Easter Egger or Ameraucana will spook and keep running until they bump into something that finally stops them LOL! A Breda can spook and immediately calms down but the poor EEs and Amer's keep running and running -- poor dears.

 

[maryellen21]

Besides vent sexing, anyone know a reliable way to sex breda chicks?

 

[boskelli1571]

Besides vent sexing, anyone know a reliable way to sex breda chicks?

Other than waiting patiently for the neck and tail feathers to develop - I don't....

 

[Sylvester017]

Besides vent sexing, anyone know a reliable way to sex breda chicks?

When I looked for our first Breda pullet, I was told by two different breeders that you can't tell pullets from cockerels for certain until about 4 months old. Some breeders know their line pretty well and still won't ship until they are certain of the sex. I found size of bird isn't an indicator either. I've had a Blue cockerel, Blue pullet, and Cuckoo pullet. The two pullets were different in size. Our Blue was smaller than our very tall Cuckoo. If the juveniles have tails before the other juveniles in the same hatch, more than likely they will be pullets since the cockerels will not have long tail feathers yet, but start showing a lot of saddle feathers.

Cuckoo juvenile pullet first day of arrival already has a nice tail - the split in her tail feathers eventually filled in


Split juvenile tail feathers (which eventually filled in)


Blue Breda first day of arrival with nice rear tail feathers


Curious Blue Breda juvenile pullet first day of arrival with better pic of her full tail



Blue Breda cockerel approx. 41/2 months with sparse short tail feathering but noticeable saddle feathers growing in

 

[maryellen21]

Oh darn. I'll just wait till the tail feathers show then

 

[jerryse]

Besides vent sexing, anyone know a reliable way to sex breda chicks?

You should be able to sex cuckoo by the head spot like the Barred Rock method . Females have a small neat head spot and cockerel a large irregular head spot plus lighter legs on cockerels . Both due to males having 2 barring genes .

 

[maryellen21]

My Breda chicks are not cuckoo unfortunately. , mine are black and mottled chicks. I was just curious as 2 of them their tail feathers are set different then the other 2

 

[maryellen21]

 

[chicken danz]

I haven't had any luck sexing Bredas as babies. But normally in most all chickens the tails on a pullet develop earlier than a cockerel's does and often cockerels are much slower feathering in on their back. I can't guarantee this works with them. I hatch so many birds it's not practical to sex them.

 

[Sylvester017]

You should be able to sex cuckoo by the head spot like the Barred Rock method . Females have a small neat head spot and cockerel a large irregular head spot plus lighter legs on cockerels . Both due to males having 2 barring genes .

At least this will be somewhat helpful for those sexing the Cuckoo but even with this method there can be rare errors as irregular splashing has occurred on females in the BR method w/ Dominiques.