Bresse Chickens

[Arielle]

The same way you protect from a coyote. LOL

I love watching the coyote, they slink thru so I only get a glimpse 1-2 times a year at best. Of course the chickens bring them in more often now. Incredible creatures, I envy that you might see a wolf.

I think what Bob was trying to convey is that the old breeders are not willing to give up their stock to noobies, so learn the craft and learn it well. ANd at some point trust will be given. Yes, elitist is a good word. BUt I have come to understand that if I mess up and kill a bird from ignorance, I don't feel the genetic loss as greatly with hatchery birds. ( I will always feel badly for the bird, and kick myself. ANd learn.) What did BOb say? Easy to mess up a good line in just a few generations of bad breeding.

In the end, to each there own choice. NO judgements here.

 

[ronott1]

The same way you protect from a coyote. LOL

I love watching the coyote, they slink thru so I only get a glimpse 1-2 times a year at best. Of course the chickens bring them in more often now. Incredible creatures, I envy that you might see a wolf.

I think what Bob was trying to convey is that the old breeders are not willing to give up their stock to noobies, so learn the craft and learn it well. ANd at some point trust will be given. Yes, elitist is a good word. BUt I have come to understand that if I mess up and kill a bird from ignorance, I don't feel the genetic loss as greatly with hatchery birds. ( I will always feel badly for the bird, and kick myself. ANd learn.) What did BOb say? Easy to mess up a good line in just a few generations of bad breeding.

In the end, to each there own choice. NO judgements here.

Yes, I understand about breeders not selling to everyone.

Often it is easier to get hatching eggs from them. I have gotten all of mine from hatching eggs.

 

[chiqita]

AS a novice breeder I find the breese to be an excellent starter bird. But this has to do with my area as much as the birds themselves. We are in an Urban environment, very few people are going to raise 25 cornish x in their backyard, the neighbors would pass out from the smell.

Most people around here are looking for layers with a good temperament that are interesting. SInce I have been getting 60-70% females from these breese eggs that is a big plus right there on starter chicks. The breese are also VERY hardy and seem to survive bonehead chick mistakes or novice broody hens well. People are almost guaranteed to kill one of the silkie chicks, but I don't get frantic calls asking how to deal with ( insert x chick problems) with breese ( or Marans, those french have hardy stock) . The breese mostly tame down fairly well and are a lot more pet like then your normal factory pullet.

And the roosters are easy to rehome! Yes, I know they mostly will get eaten, but that is true for 90% of the males of any non pair bonding species. Doubly so when the boys are s** crazed things who are loud, lol. But people who want non hatchery chickens need to have a plan for roosters, and your average chicken owner of pets is not ready yet to processes freddie who grew up on their kids lap.

Plus, a HUGE factor here is how early the breese lay. A Marans or silkie or most "interesting" heritage chickens its 6-9 months, perhaps more. A breese will start popping them out at 4-5 months . This is not the environment you would imagine a meat chicken thriving in, but it seems taylor made for breese. I have given out chicks with a lot of purchases and almost everyone has come back for more.

On a side note, the doubling factor is why I imagine the cost of live birds will be and stay low. The expense and quality of breese chickens is in the raising and feeding. I imagine that the US markets biggest problem will be no standard of quality. In france, it is the entire package that lets you call a chicken a breese. If you raised it the way we do factory chickens it would not be allowed to be called breese. So the taste is standardized, and you know what you are getting. UNless we do that here, I imagine the market to be problematic long term.

 

[juststruttin]

AS a novice breeder I find the breese to be an excellent starter bird. But this has to do with my area as much as the birds themselves. We are in an Urban environment, very few people are going to raise 25 cornish x in their backyard, the neighbors would pass out from the smell.

Most people around here are looking for layers with a good temperament that are interesting. SInce I have been getting 60-70% females from these breese eggs that is a big plus right there on starter chicks. The breese are also VERY hardy and seem to survive bonehead chick mistakes or novice broody hens well. People are almost guaranteed to kill one of the silkie chicks, but I don't get frantic calls asking how to deal with ( insert x chick problems) with breese ( or Marans, those french have hardy stock) . The breese mostly tame down fairly well and are a lot more pet like then your normal factory pullet.

And the roosters are easy to rehome! Yes, I know they mostly will get eaten, but that is true for 90% of the males of any non pair bonding species. Doubly so when the boys are s** crazed things who are loud, lol. But people who want non hatchery chickens need to have a plan for roosters, and your average chicken owner of pets is not ready yet to processes freddie who grew up on their kids lap.

Plus, a HUGE factor here is how early the breese lay. A Marans or silkie or most "interesting" heritage chickens its 6-9 months, perhaps more. A breese will start popping them out at 4-5 months . This is not the environment you would imagine a meat chicken thriving in, but it seems taylor made for breese. I have given out chicks with a lot of purchases and almost everyone has come back for more.

On a side note, the doubling factor is why I imagine the cost of live birds will be and stay low. The expense and quality of breese chickens is in the raising and feeding. I imagine that the US markets biggest problem will be no standard of quality. In france, it is the entire package that lets you call a chicken a breese. If you raised it the way we do factory chickens it would not be allowed to be called breese. So the taste is standardized, and you know what you are getting. UNless we do that here, I imagine the market to be problematic long term.

I agree, the best bird to learn with will be a solid colored variety. Once you start adding in bars, lacing or mottling etc you have one more variable that needs attention.

 

[bayocum]

Hi All,
Just wanted to let everyone know that if you're looking for hatching eggs (or chicks), we have both available from our white Bresse. We have been selecting for size and production, and have had really great hatching success...our little chicks just thrive. We've filled most of our orders for the fall, so if anyone would like some eggs/chicks before it gets too cold, don't hesitate to contact us at Sunbird Farms.
Happy Fall to All....

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Ok, does anyone have pics of splash bresse. We just got a order from GFF and they said they gave us a splash breeze as one of our freebies.

 

[bayocum]

No, just our Blue Bresse, no splash.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

I just would like to see a picture.

 

[bayocum]

I'm assuming they are colored like the splash Isbars...

 

[ronott1]

Ok, does anyone have pics of splash bresse. We just got a order from GFF and they said they gave us a splash breeze as one of our freebies.

The Splash breeds I have all start out as white with a couple of spots. They get more color splotches as they get older.