Bresse Chickens

[racinchickins]

I have been really happy with my Bresse pullets as well. I only have 5 pullets, but I am getting 4-5eggs every day, even with all of this cold. Our lowest temp has been -13 here in TN. My Bresse roosters didn't fare well in terms of their combs and they were severely frostbitten, but at least that won't affect their breeding.

I have noticed variation in egg color as well, primarily the cream to a lighter brown, though I have had a couple a little darker

I have 8 pullets at 24 weeks. The first started laying at 19 weeks, and I have recently gotten 5 in one day, so at least that many are laying. Eggs were small at first, but they are starting to get larger.

I'm with you on the roosters. They had some pretty impressive combs, but not anymore...

. Despite my best efforts at no draft shelter and lots of ventilation, frostbite at -15 to -20 has been a problem with all my roosters, not just the bresse.

 

[BCMaraniac]

I have 8 pullets at 24 weeks. The first started laying at 19 weeks, and I have recently gotten 5 in one day, so at least that many are laying. Eggs were small at first, but they are starting to get larger.

I'm with you on the roosters. They had some pretty impressive combs, but not anymore...

. Despite my best efforts at no draft shelter and lots of ventilation, frostbite at -15 to -20 has been a problem with all my roosters, not just the bresse.

I'm sorry about your roosters. To be perfectly honest, my Bresse roosters have self-dubbed from the frostbite, because all of their tips are going to be gone and it appears to extend further down. Thankfully there has been no infection.

 

[rsblackwell]

This forum has been a very interesting read. It took a while to read all the posts from page 1 to 72 though, LOL ! Hey Racin, I am only a couple hours south of you. Will you hve any chicks available this spring? if so how much do u charge?

 

[ronott1]

This forum has been a very interesting read. It took a while to read all the posts from page 1 to 72 though, LOL ! Hey Racin, I am only a couple hours south of you. Will you hve any chicks available this spring? if so how much do u charge?

They are very nice to own!

 

[chiqita]

So a report from Facebook said they thought the blacks tasted similar. Just ate one however (only one that hatched) so I'm putting that in the notebook as evidence 1. I'm waiting to see what deb thinks when she gets back and eats some of hers.

 

[racinchickins]

This forum has been a very interesting read. It took a while to read all the posts from page 1 to 72 though, LOL !  Hey Racin, I am only a couple hours south of you. Will you hve any chicks available this spring? if so how much do u charge?

I do plan on hatching and selling chicks. I've just started checking fertility, and am planning a test hatch in my incubator for February. Haven't even thought about pricing. Send me a PM and we can discuss it.

 

[Ozarkguy]

So a report from Facebook said they thought the blacks tasted similar. Just ate one however (only one that hatched) so I'm putting that in the notebook as evidence 1. I'm waiting to see what deb thinks when she gets back and eats some of hers.

ivve had terrible with black breese hatching eggs. Only two hens from dozens of eggs

 

[piglett]

ivve had terrible with black breese hatching eggs. Only two hens from dozens of eggs

shipped eggs almost never have a good hatch rate
if they flew on a plane 25% hatch is about all you can hope for
i have even had a whole dozen turn out to be a bust

 

[piglett]

I'm really happy with how my Bresse are doing. I have at least 5 pullets laying, and the eggs I am getting are not all the same color. I have at least 3 distinct shades ranging from cream to a medium brown a little darker than my wyandottes eggs. I'm not really surprised, as I doubt egg color was ever really a criteria for selection. Has anyone else seen this variation?

I'm also really surprised with how reliably they are laying in this extreme cold. Better than any of my other breeds.

my Bresse hen lays a brown eggs, i can't tell them from my orpington eggs

 

[juststruttin]

shipped eggs almost never have a good hatch rate
if they flew on a plane 25% hatch is about all you can hope for
i have even had a whole dozen turn out to be a bust

So much depends on when they are shipped and how they are packed. I had a 100% hatch rate from Basque eggs I ordered from Skyline Poultry and 10/12 hatch rate from Chiqitas Bresse eggs plus other success stories. If the eggs are packed right, and not shipped when it is too hot or too cold, they should hatch fairly well.. assuming of course that they are fertile to start with!