Bresse and Maran Cross?

[AspiringHomesteader]

Hi has anyone ever heard of crossing a Bresse chicken with a Maran? Also do you think it would be possible to create a bird with the meat quality of Bresse and the chocolate eggs of a Maran?

 

[eatwhatyougrow]

It sounds like a great idea. I think you would lose some of the darkness of the marans eggs. So you would want to start with the darkest egg you could get and would probably have to cross back in a couple of generations before you can up with a good stable cross that had both qualities you were looking for. It takes a long time doing it the natural way. I mean if you had a genetics lab and could cut a splice the dna well then maybe you could get it all in one on the first go round but even that route takes years to perfect....so if you're interested in a years long project go for it. I may just give it a try. I am planning on starting several new flocks and a couple projects and was including BCM in that plan and I was looking into Bresse so I will save this thread and when I get started crossing in August... I might be able to let you know F1 results this time next year....

 

[AspiringHomesteader]

Thats awesome @eatwhatyougrow! The idea crossed my mind and sounded like the ideal chicken to me. Definitely keep me posted. What should the cross breed name be called? Have this been done before to your knowledge?

 

[eatwhatyougrow]

So I have been thinking on this and how it will go. And I am thinking that a big part of the Bresse taste has to do with the finishing process.http://modernsettlers.com/blog/keeping-the-american-bresse-a-k-a-bresse-gauloise/
I found this article about a guy who had rasised Bresse. So I think as part of me program I am going to finish out a couple pure bred BCM that I am culling from breeding but finishing them out with the milk method and see what might happen. Also thought about doing a BCM capon. Because I. May end up with what I am really looking fir that way. Anyway just some things I was thinking about this project.

Thats awesome @eatwhatyougrow! The idea crossed my mind and sounded like the ideal chicken to me. Definitely keep me posted. What should the cross breed name be called? Have this been done before to your knowledge?

Not sure on the name yet but I do know that there is a black Bresse maybe I will get a couple of them...Maybe I will call them Gowen and come up with my own proprietary finish method and only birds raised in Gowen that lay dark eggs and taste amazing can be called true Gowen...haha sorry was letting my inner sarcastic self take a jab a chicken snobs every where....

 

[AspiringHomesteader]

Haha I'll keep my eyes out for the Gowen in the future!

 

[Katydidc]

It sounds like a great idea. I think you would lose some of the darkness of the marans eggs. So you would want to start with the darkest egg you could get and would probably have to cross back in a couple of generations before you can up with a good stable cross that had both qualities you were looking for. It takes a long time doing it the natural way. I mean if you had a genetics lab and could cut a splice the dna well then maybe you could get it all in one on the first go round but even that route takes years to perfect....so if you're interested in a years long project go for it. I may just give it a try. I am planning on starting several new flocks and a couple projects and was including BCM in that plan and I was looking into Bresse so I will save this thread and when I get started crossing in August... I might be able to let you know F1 results this time next year....

Did you ever do this cross? I was curious because I have Marans and Bresse and was thinking of doing the same. Did you ever finish out the Marans with the milk? I thought that was a good idea and would love to know what the results were.

 

[Copper feather farm]

I am also interested in this cross!

I have Bresse x De Malines hens (they look very bresse, all white with the chalk blue legs. I got them as week olds, didn’t breed them myself) and I keep a Marans roo. We also have an RIR roo on the farm, which is what I planned to use for our future eating birds but the Marans did cross my mind as I have heard they are quite tasty

 

[greendesert]

I just got breese and BCM chicks this year and am hoping to have a rooster of each breed. So the question still stands....has anyone done the cross? How were your results?!

 

[OrtumAntiqua]

I just got breese and BCM chicks this year and am hoping to have a rooster of each breed. So the question still stands....has anyone done the cross? How were your results?!

Hey there. I just got some Bresse-Maran chicks from a breeder. They are only a couple weeks old but already big compared to the regular Bresse. I'll let you know how it goes. They have some variance in their markings, leg color, some have booting already some don't...Here's a few photos.

This is an American White Bresse on top and a White Bresse - Black Maran Cross on the bottom. Both hatched July 8th. This individual has blue legs with no booting just like the Bresse chick. These guys are more or less average for the flock. The cross are that much bigger already!

Here's one with white booting and blue legs.

This one has white legs and a little white booting. His legs could still turn blue.

This guy has blue feet and white booting, a half black beak and salt and pepper plumage.

Others are white on white with no booting. Genes are funny i guess. The demeanors of the two breeds are disparate. The Bresse are mellow and friendly while showing good forage instincts. They will come up to me without fear in the coop and even let me pick them up without a fuss. The Bresse Maran Cross are NUTS flying around their coop at 2 weeks, scratching into the dirt and making sand baths, using the adult roost 6 feet off the floor, using the hen boxes to make little nests. Also when you put your hand down to pick them up they challenge your hand like a grown rooster. Hoping some of that aggression mellows as they grow.

 

[michael_o86]

Hey there. I just got some Bresse-Maran chicks from a breeder. They are only a couple weeks old but already big compared to the regular Bresse. I'll let you know how it goes. They have some variance in their markings, leg color, some have booting already some don't...Here's a few photos.

View attachment 3205419
This is an American White Bresse on top and a White Bresse - Black Maran Cross on the bottom. Both hatched July 8th. This individual has blue legs with no booting just like the Bresse chick. These guys are more or less average for the flock. The cross are that much bigger already!

View attachment 3205425
Here's one with white booting and blue legs.

View attachment 3205426
This one has white legs and a little white booting. His legs could still turn blue.

View attachment 3205427
This guy has blue feet and white booting, a half black beak and salt and pepper plumage.

Others are white on white with no booting. Genes are funny i guess. The demeanors of the two breeds are disparate. The Bresse are mellow and friendly while showing good forage instincts. They will come up to me without fear in the coop and even let me pick them up without a fuss. The Bresse Maran Cross are NUTS flying around their coop at 2 weeks, scratching into the dirt and making sand baths, using the adult roost 6 feet off the floor, using the hen boxes to make little nests. Also when you put your hand down to pick them up they challenge your hand like a grown rooster. Hoping some of that aggression mellows as they grow.

It’s been a few years since this post. What did you think of the Bresse/ Marans outcome? Did you try the meat? Age and weight of dispatch? How about egg color, size and age at lay? Thank you.