Breda Fowl thread

[DutchChicky]

Babies are growing up

 

[GaryDean26]

Here is a photo I took in January of my cockbird that I have been meaning to share.

 

[Sylvester017]

Here is a photo I took in January of my cockbird that I have been meaning to share.

Beautiful photo that shows the gorgeous lacing. Have his vulure hocks and toe feathers been worn down? I know my Silkie toe feathers get sparse from all their free-range digging and scratching.

How is he taking the TX heat? Our flock has been standing under the Mister in the shade of the canopy in our 100 F SoCal heatwave.

It's a shame dsfranco on this thread wanted to sell off his Breda flock and so reasonable too - the whole lot from breeders to chicks and he had such beautiful birds from what I could tell of the photos.

I love what I read about the temperament of Breda and that they are generally a non-aggressive bird that seldom goes broody, and lightweight so they're easy on the feed bill. And beautiful eye candy to boot! Can't imagine a more perfect bird to keep. Do the Breda have health issues or low egg productivity that is a problem or some other issue? I know a couple LF Orloff breeders have stopped breeding because of low stock diversity and low egg production and some health issues (sitting on their haunches - whatever that is?). But the European Orloffs are robust and gorgeous in comparison.

Your boy is so handsome - can't believe he stood still long enough for a photo shoot!

 

[Sylvester017]

Babies are growing up

Is that what Breda juvies look like? Is that one in the foreground also a Breda?

 

[GaryDean26]

Do the Breda have health issues or low egg productivity that is a problem or some other issue?
The "Issues" with the Breda are
1) They can't be sexed at an early age (or at least I still can't sex them before 10 weeks)
2) They are slow developing - hens may not lay until they are 30-35 weeks old
3) They lay white eggs - Their seems to be more demand for colored eggs in single breed back yard flocks. White eggs are more for diversity in mixed flocks
4) The carcass size is not big enough to make them a very good dual purpose breed ( although I still do use cull for meat since they have to go somewhere).
5) The self blue color doesn't breed true. You get 50% Blue, 25% black, 25% splash
6) They can jump over 5 foot fences with out even flapping their weeks which can make containment a problem
7) The feathers don't encourage foraging (although mine free range with out problems other than lots of broken foot feathers)
8) There is not APA standard
9) These is not Breeders Accociation

That is about it. At 15 months my Breda lay 65 gram eggs 5-6 days a weeks. You can put two cockerels in a flock with any problems with them injuring each other from fighting, they are non-aggressive to people, they are very attractive (everyone that comes to out place leaves telling us they want to get Breda for their flock), They are good layers, etc.

My do fine in the heat. We have only got up to 97 Degs this year. Untill it is 102+ deg. It is not hot in Texas. We will see how they old up 105 deg. That is the really test here. I have not doubt they will do wonderfully.

Your boy is so handsome - can't believe he stood still long enough for a photo shoot!

Ya...he was terrible in the pen at the Poultry Show in January. He wasn't used to cages and the 5 days of cage training wasn't enough for him. We would go berserk ever time the cage door was opened. This photo was from a week or two after the show when he was in isolation. He was doing much better in the cage at that point and so to made sure to snap some photos while I could.

 

[DutchChicky]

Is that what Breda juvies look like? Is that one in the foreground also a Breda?

Yes, this bird is about 10 weeks old, and no, not a Breda in the foreground, one of my Barnevelder chicks photo bombed

 

[Sylvester017]

Thanks for the reply. I can't remember the last time we had 105+ temps here!

The Breda issues are nothing really negative as far as I've seen. And since the cocks are so much larger than the hens they probably dress out nice when culled. Most people wouldn't be using the hens for anything but eggs like us. Like you say the culls have to go somewhere and might as well be your own table rather than someone else's. We had many Leghorn suppers on my folks' farm yet no one really thought of Leghorns as meat.

One problem with lightweight chickens is their flight ability. But then we had a heavy 7-lb Marans clear a 7-foot barrier with no problem. I think it has more to do with environment. Leghorns are supposedly flighty birds yet all our breeds light or heavy have been content to stay in their free-range zone. We don't have a big yard but the birds are perfectly content to stay within the parameters laid out for them. We have a 2-foot coated rabbit fence around the vegetable garden and all the chickens can easily fly or jump over but they respect the barrier once they know it is "off limits". We don't chase or yell. We calmly walk them out or gently lift them out of the barrier and they smartly know not to enter again unless "invited." And younger birds added to an older flock learn the ropes from the seasoned flock. Never had an issue that required "clipping" wings.

65 gr is a pretty big egg for such lightweight Bredas. You almost wish they were a broody bunch to get some rest from such high production. The knowledgeable Buff Leghorn breeder Danne Honour says it's okay for a small hen with a wide body to lay large eggs but IMO it still nutritionally takes a lot out of a small hen to lay large eggs often. Leghorns are lightweight and don't diminish production as much as other breeds so they get a lot of reproductive issues/ovarian cancer (about 45% by aged four). I was so happy when our Buff Leg went broody because she is an egg machine and we felt she needed that broody period to rest from production.

You probably haven't had your Bredas long enough to notice if the older birds have harder moults. Our gentle White Leghorn had a severe moult her 3rd year - her worst ever. She was very subdued for a couple months recuperating and when she came back in full health went aggressive against her flockmates. We had to re-home her as she would not settle down after several weeks. She is doing fine now in her new home in a big flock.

Your photos are so nice. It's hard to get the perfect pose without junk in the background or another nosey hen getting into the shot!

There seems to be no limit to the amount of learning about chickens!

 

[Sylvester017]

Yes, this bird is about 10 weeks old, and no, not a Breda in the foreground, one of my Barnevelder chicks photo bombed

That Barnevelder is pretty as a juvie. Hope it doesn't get so big that it gets pushy with the smaller Breda. I'm always aware of size/weight differences between breeds in a flock. Most breeds are good natured as juvies but after about age two the larger fowl can bully smaller breeds just because they can. Let me know in a couple years how they're doing. Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[dutchbunny83]

Here is a photo I took in January of my cockbird that I have been meaning to share.



He's gorgeous Gary!!!!!

 

[Flaming Chicken]

I have considered selling mine. They are beautiful and I love the ones I got from rare feathers in northern california. I am concentrating on my cream legbars and am not breeding them.