Bresse Chickens

[sonew123]

Wow I've been lucky, had nothing but the most friendly of chicks hopping on my hands and arms when I feed them and no canibals, growing well, and the best foragers on the place. Maybe your's will mellow after they get to range...........mark

x2!! The few I have thus far are so sweet and even to all the other chicks they are brooding with... odd??

 

[BCMaraniac]

x2!! The few I have thus far are so sweet and even to all the other chicks they are brooding with... odd??

X3. I have 12 total, 7 3-week-old, and 5 1-week-old. There had been no agression of the bigger ones or with each other as they are brooding together. They aren't brooding with any other breeds, but the two groups were thrown in the brooder together....the age difference was to get 2 different Greenfire lines.....I have been very pleased with their compatibility.

 

[PetRock]

This past weekend, I hatched out my first Bresse chicks from my breeding trio! The eggs were in the incubator with 30 shipped Langshan eggs that didn't develop. So, I ended up with 2 little Bresse chicks and that was all. A friend just hatched some heritage RIRs so I purchased 4 of his chicks to keep the Bresse company. The RIRs were only a day older but much bigger. My DH loves our Bresse and was worried that the RIRs would pick on them. When we put them together, it was the Bresse chicks (especially the suspected cockerel) who were the ones that pecked the other chicks and pulled on their tiny wing feathers. By the next day, all signs of aggression were gone and the six chicks are a happy little group! I have 9 more Bresse eggs in the incubator and hopefully I will be able to integrate the two groups.

 

[ronott1]

My current brood of 50 is the nastiest meanest batch of birds I have ever had the displeasure of raising. They went cannibal from day 5. Stomping, pecking, and killing every chick that wasn't a clone of the mass. They are on par as far as growth rate and feed consumption of any Cornish x I ever raised. They are almost fully feathered at three weeks and they attack me every time I feed and water them, which is often. I will start free ranging them next week and grow them out until the smallest bird is at a minimum three pounds. Then the entire brood is going to freezer camp, blue legs and all. What was I thinking? I hate the French! They better be delicious!

They need more Protein from animal protein. supplement with calf manna or give they Game Bird grower--with animal protein in it.

They will change completely very quickly.

 

[drlcb]

Thanks I'll give the protein a try. They will also be getting mealworms and all the cicadas they can eat soon. I want to keep a few as layers but if they stay nasty they will never integrate with my mostly docile flock.

 

[Lilwanis]

I just received four bresse chicks! So excited for these birds!!! Hope I can get a trio or quad going (more eggs on the way from a different source).

 

[BCMaraniac]

They need more Protein from animal protein. supplement with calf manna or give they Game Bird grower--with animal protein in it.

They will change completely very quickly.

It must have been beginners luck....I put them on 28% gamebird starter feed!!! It doesn't have animal protein in it, though....

 

[KYTinpusher]

Quote: x4 The 2 Bresse chicks I have are VERY friendly and love to be picked up, even more than my SFH chicks. I put 6 more eggs in lockdown tonight.

 

[sonew123]

Went down to my chicks last night as I have two different age groups I put together...I have 1 breese a few weeks older than all the rest at 5 weeks old and all the babies were cuddled around it and under its wings!! Im wondering why yours is such monsters??

 

[BCMaraniac]

Went down to my chicks last night as I have two different age groups I put together...I have 1 breese a few weeks older than all the rest at 5 weeks old and all the babies were cuddled around it and under its wings!! Im wondering why yours is such monsters??

I put my Bresse chicks, which are 5 and 3 weeks old respectively and have been brooding together, in with my Red Rangers, who are 4 weeks old and outnumber the Bresse 3 to 1, and they are getting along great. They congregate and sleep together, eat side by side, as though they have been together forever. I am very pleased with their social interaction.