Bresse Chickens

[sonew123]

Wow...alot going on!!! Kudos Bresseman!!! And cant wait to see the video mcbutterpants!!!!

 

[kaisabaijai]

Can anyone report how they taste without caponizing if they are butchered at 16 weeks or so?

Surely this age is not old enough to be a tough rooster.

After all I roasted and ate a Tom Bourbon Red Turkey that a dog had injured and at around 7 months old it was still tender.

This turkey was pastured as well and tasted much better than the store bought turkey I have had.

 

[bayocum]

Thanks for your kind words. I think that the issue here is the bottom line vs reality. Americans have been so acculturated to the Cornish cross that it's going to be an uphill battle to get them to value a tough, skinny rooster, young or not. Fact is we can barely give them away these days. The only folks who are processing and consuming cockerels are the folks who don't have to be converted. Heritage breeds will always be a specialty market! Restaurants in my area truly want them as do some farmers markets. However price point is truly a challenge. The point where the rubber meets the road is really American culture and the fast, cheap, unnaturally augmented food that we as a country have become accustomed to. I'm afraid that the market for the Capon and the Heritage breed will always be those who care about those traditions and those who are involved in the foodie and local food movements. Without these niche markets we who raise and propagate these breeds would have little to no market. Yes the local food and heritage markets are thriving but even in these niche markets there is a ceiling to cost. I have now invested more than I probably will ever see in profit. It's a good thing that expediency has not overruled my crazy desire to provide the ultimate chicken dinner. At least I and my family and friends will be able to experience these birds first hand.

A couple of thoughts...I'm fine with it being a "niche market." Too much success is not always a good thing. To me it will always be an artisanal market, and I don't mind being an artist. From a financial standpoint, we have to work hard to educate people about good food...good for you...good for the animals...good for our eco-system. Agreed, its not easy, but it can happen. People need to see the beauty of "enough" and "slow." These birds are expensive, but with proper husbandry, you can greatly reduce your acquisition costs by hatching your own birds. Then its a matter of access to pasture as a supplement to your feed of choice to help control inputs. Cost management, marketing, and quality...its the only way. We love the challenge and love getting everyone's insight here. Keep up the good work...

 

[bayocum]

....How much is too much? You will never get the time back, and here in California, I cant even sell them unless they are processed at a FDA approved facility. That adds as much as feed to the cost of a young bird....

Actually, there are "Producer/Grower" exceptions in California that allow you to process and sell birds from your own property, without state or federal inspection, if you are doing less than 1,000 a year... just thought you might want to know. Thanks!

 

[chiqita]

Actually, there are "Producer/Grower" exceptions in California that allow you to process and sell birds from your own property, without state or federal inspection, if you are doing less than 1,000 a year... just thought you might want to know. Thanks!

And sell to the public and or restaurants? I thought when I looked at it there was some restriction that made me think it would not work. But it was in extreme legalize, so I could be wrong.

This is very helpful! I know I could sell to about 4-5 restaurants that would like to do specials once every few months, that is already more then I could produce, I'm not a farm, just a chick with an expensive hobby .
My MIL has a restaurant down in Mexico, I was already thinking about doing a special menu there once to see how it goes when I have the raising down. She is Japanese and runs a sushi place, but has a list of gourmands she deals with for special things, I thought this might work, and she is an excellent french cook as well, I bet she knows how to poach a chicken.

As for capon vrs rooster, a 17 week old rooster is still very small. If you want a larger bird, it has to be a capon. If you have people willing to always have small birds, it might work, but if not you are going to have to caponsise. If it just for yourself or friends, you can just live with small birds and small breasts and still feel good about everything you do.

We process our extra Marans roosters at about 4-5 months, or they are small. You can tell its a big rooster, its not a store soft bird. Americans are breast people, and a 3.5 month old bresse just inst gonna have much of one IMO. Mind you, I'm a novice at Breese. They DO grow faster then my other breeds. But I don't think they are going to be THAT fast.

I figure I have all this year to work these things out!

 

[chicken tows]

Quote:

 

[cukooformarans]

It depends on your state though. Alabama HD will not inspect poultry processing, even small-scale. So that means that small producers cannot sell retail (which includes to restaurants) because there isn't an agency to inspect them.

 

[bayocum]

Although I am an attorney, I didn't go through the entire law, but I can tell you that you can produce and sell in CA if its under 1,000 birds a year. That said, it would be best to encourage people to come to the farm to buy. That tends to be the "preferred" route for most of these exceptions. I don't think it would be a problem to deliver either, but I wouldn't be able to advise that you open up a little shop on the corner.

 

[bayocum]

Sorry to do this (it will be long), but here's the law in CA:

Producer/Grower – 1,000 Limit Exemption Limited provisions of
the Act apply to poultry growers who slaughter no more than 1,000 poultry
in a calendar year for use as human food. A person may slaughter and
process on his or her premises poultry that he or she raised and they may
distribute such poultry without mandatory inspection when the following
five criteria are met [PPIA Section 464(c)(4) “Section 15 (c)(4)”4; Title 9 CFR
§381.10(c)].
Criteria:
1. The poultry grower slaughters no more that 1,000 healthy birds of
his or her own raising in a calendar year for distribution as human
food;
2. The poultry grower does not engage in buying or selling poultry
products other than those produced from poultry raised on his or
her own farm;
3. The slaughter and processing are conducted under sanitary
standards, practices, and procedures that produce poultry products
that are sound, clean, and fit for human food (not adulterated);
4. The producer keeps records necessary for the effective enforcement
of the Act [Title 9 CFR 381.175]; and
5. The poultry products do not move in commerce.
Note: Commerce means the exchange or transportation of poultry
products between States, U.S. territories (Guam, Virgin Island of the
United States, and American Samoa), and the District of Columbia
[PPIA Section 453; Title 9CFR §381.1(b)].
Producer/Grower – 1,000 Limit Exemption Notes:
• If any of the five criteria are not met, the owner of the poultry is not
eligible for this exemption.
• Records necessary for the effective enforcement of the Act include
slaughter records and records covering the sales of poultry products
to customers. USDA/FSIS or State employees review such records
to determine compliance with the requirement of the sale of no more
than 1,000 poultry in a calendar year.​

Hope that helps somebody!

 

[chiqita]

I'm betting the ag people don't even know exaclty what is what, because I got the same speel from them. Inspections state, yada yada yada...

good to know someone who speaks lawyer thinks of it .