Bresse Chickens

[BCMaraniac]

I have to say I love this breed.
The boys gain nice weight. Haven't butchered yet, but getting close.
And the girls are amazing layers! They're laying 5-6 eggs a week and , while I can't find my scale, they look to be large.
They can easily keep up with hatchery type breeds, in my opinion.
And I'm raising them in grow out pens with other breeds.
They are one of the less aggressive birds, but they don't take a lot of flack from others.

I love the Bresse too. They taste delicious, and I have had capons slips up to 4 1/2 pounds dressed. I am looking forward to dressing out some full capons this year.

They are not aggressive, but the roosters can be quite protective of their hens especially when they are with them in a breeding pen. At least that has been my experience, albeit limited.

 

[speedy2020]

I love the Bresse too. They taste delicious, and I have had capons slips up to 4 1/2 pounds dressed. I am looking forward to dressing out some full capons this year.

They are not aggressive, but the roosters can be quite protective of their hens especially when they are with them in a breeding pen. At least that has been my experience, albeit limited.

I want some, but have not seen many around here.

 

[chrissyr]

I love the Bresse too.  They taste delicious, and I have had capons slips up to 4 1/2 pounds dressed.  I am looking forward to dressing out some full capons this year.

They are not aggressive, but the roosters can be quite protective of their hens especially when they are with them in a breeding pen.  At least that has been my experience, albeit limited.

My rooster was aggressive. I worked with him on it and was better but never really trusted him.
These boys seem better so far.
I got mine from chiqita , who has never had Bresse boy problems, so I'm hopeful.
Ronott1 has a great link on training roosters, that I really liked.
It talks of not holding them, but acting like the dominant rooster. Guarding food and not stepping around them, but making them move for you. And there's more too.
The last one I picked for breeding was top rooster in his pen.
I'm wondering if that fostered the idea of dominance.
But these boys look good temperamentally so far, the growth is awesome and those hens are laying machines!

 

[Double Kindness]

That is great to hear as 12 white bresse chicks ship monday to me and I'm excited about getting caponizing equipment too! I'm practicing on my .80 dp chickens that are my current meaties.

I picked up 50 lbs of oats and 40 gallons of raw goats milk to finish the chickens the same way to compare to find what I prefer to eat/if it's worth the extra cost/time/work.

I'm also breeding my biggest ayam cemani rooster onto the bresse for some auto sexing fm pullet meat chickens. It looks like I will have to separate the roosters out when I want to breed the fm bresse meat project chickens.

 

[Bluefield]

How are they autosexing with this cross?

 

[enola]

They would be sex-linked.

 

[Bluefield]

Should I ask for the butcher to leave legshanks on birds like French do? At week 16. If I wait will until week 20 will they be tough?

 

[ronott1]

Should I ask for the butcher to leave legshanks on birds like French do? At week 16. If I wait will until week 20 will they be tough?

they will be tougher but fine at 20 weeks. 16 weeks is the start for cockerels, 20 weeks is the start for pullets.

Capons are much older for processing.

 

[cutipatooti]

Look at the thickness of the comb and the toes at that age.  If it does turn out to be a boy, let me know.  I could use it in my Smithies black meat bird project.  I would be willing to swap it for a pullet from my line of Cemani.  The Smithies are a black meat chicken project that I am giving away free eggs to anyone that wants them but one that is separate from my show line of Cemani.  Since the focus is on the skin color, feather color is not that important.  And I promise it would not be eaten.  It would be used for more diversity to the Smithies gene pool.

DCchicken I checked the skin on the chick the other day. It's not black, so I guess you won't be needing it. Also has anyone noticed when GFF does an auction on the Bresse the black bresse they use in the photo does not have the same blue legs the others have.

 

[Double Kindness]

My 8 white bresse chicks arrived at 10:50 pm and I picked them up at 11:27 pm at the post office from dc's sister. She did an awesome job with packing the chicks

they all look great except one that is lethargic and hasn't drank any water with electrolytes and probiotics (save a chick). I started fermenting their organic non medicated non gmo soy free 23% protein chick starter a few days ago and all but the one has a full crop.

I'm hoping in March or April to have a couple of incubators and hatch some of the eggs of these bresse.