Bresse Chickens

[blogger1]

Mine are very flighty find them on the pole barn roof all the time. Went out late to check on them and three of them had rooster there.

 

[grasspunk]

Has anyone crossed a white Bresse with a dark Cornish? If so, how did they turn out? Or how would you expect them to turn out?

I'm curious myself. I'm going to cross my Bresse with a commercial breeder rooster I have who has a lot of Cornish blood see how they go.

 

[alisar]

I've crossed my Bresse rooster with my Trader Joes girls and the cockerels from that mix was really fast growing and delicious.

 

[grasspunk]

I've crossed my Bresse rooster with my Trader Joes girls and the cockerels from that mix was really fast growing and delicious.

Hello Alisar,

That's excellent news. Do you have any note on the weight/ages at slaughter? And what is a Trader Joe's hen? I know what Trader Joe's is (I'm American) but not what their hens are. Thanks.

 

[alisar]

At the majority of Trader Joes they sell fertile eggs in the refrigerator area. Typically they hatch out a Austra White type chicken. You will get a variety of sizes but they are a lot heftier than a standard scrawny leghorn type. There's a long thread here on BYC regarding hatching out grocery store eggs.

 

[racinchickins]

Has anyone crossed a white Bresse with a dark Cornish? If so, how did they turn out? Or how would you expect them to turn out?

Quote: Last year I crossed a bresse rooster with some DC hens, and basically got a bresse with black spots. I have a DC roo in with Bresse hens now, will be putting eggs in the incubator as soon as I can be sure he will be the daddy.

 

[chant]

I have a young pullet from my Bresse rooster who's mom is a Partridge Rock. She's got all the characteristics of her dad, but has 3 brown spots and is lanky and all leg atm (I think she was hatched in January).
I also crossed him with a silver gray Dorking. She too has all the characteristics of the dad, except the eyes are shaped like her mom's. We're testing to see if we notice a difference in taste but it'll be a few months before theyr old enough. We're also wanting to see they taste compared to a capon of the same.

Interested in hearing more from others too.

 

[MrsMVP]

I have 4 of the black bresse purchased from a local breeder. I have a question about sexing the birds. Mine are 10 weeks old now. Considering that even pullets have large combs, does the red comb at tho age mean Roo?

 

[cutipatooti]

I have 4 of the black bresse purchased from a local breeder. I have a question about sexing the birds. Mine are 10 weeks old now. Considering that even pullets have large combs, does the red comb at tho age mean Roo?

It can but sometimes they can fool you. I was /am having the same problem with my barbezieux. Check the wattles. Even if the comb is large on the pullets the wattles will most likely be smaller then the males.

 

[MrsMVP]

At what age should I butcher and what should I expect dressed weight to be? I have an extra orpington too - would it be wise to butcher him at the same time as the bresse? He is 4 weeks older than the bresse