Bresse Chickens

[speedy2020]

Speedy, we ate the Breese/Dorking cross and it was fantastic. Tender and very tasty.

How is it compare to pure breed? I still can't taste pure White Bresse yet. I have 1 pullet, 2 cockerels, and other 3 unsure because the medium size comb.

 

[lborodach]

Dear friends, I also look at this topic. I want to say that this is very interesting, thank you to all of you !! Tell me, please, Bresse is a pure breed or a result of some combination?

 

[racinchickins]

Dear friends, I also look at this topic. I want to say that this is very interesting, thank you to all of you !! Tell me, please, Bresse is a pure breed or a result of some combination?

It is a pure breed.

 

[lborodach]

Thanks for your reply. Some people in Russia, say that it is a mix of different breeds, that purebred Bress can not be anywhere else, only in France. This dispute has been going on for quite some time and is very aggressive. Therefore, it is important to use experience and knowledge of different poultry farmers. I'm going to become a proud owner of this bird.

 

[chant]

How is it compare to pure breed?   I still can't taste pure White Bresse yet.  I have 1 pullet, 2 cockerels, and other 3 unsure because the medium size comb.

Personally I think it was more flavorful. The Bresse to me is very light and delicate in taste, kind of too light, if that makes sense. Sort of like comparing veal vs a chuck-eye steak. I have 2 Bresse capons, one's mom was a white rock and the other is 100% Bresse, so that's the last taste test we have to do as far as comparisons go. Then in October we'll be trying my Bielefelder capon (he's huge, well over 10lbs now) and my other Legbar capon. So far, I'm digging the Legbars and the Bresse/Dorking mix. And of course we like the red rangers a lot too, but we would have to buy those. All my roosters are Bresse.

 

[speedy2020]

Personally I think it was more flavorful. The Bresse to me is very light and delicate in taste, kind of too light, if that makes sense. Sort of like comparing veal vs a chuck-eye steak. I have 2 Bresse capons, one's mom was a white rock and the other is 100% Bresse, so that's the last taste test we have to do as far as comparisons go. Then in October we'll be trying my Bielefelder capon (he's huge, well over 10lbs n ow) and my other Legbar capon. So far, I'm digging the Legbars and the Bresse/Dorking mix. And of course we like the red rangers a lot too, but we would have to buy those. All my roosters are Bresse.

I have tasted about 7 each both Bielefelder and Legbar. The Bieledfelder taste not as good as Legbar and develope slower. This breed is very nice looking and calm. On other hand, Legbar is little flighty and bit noisy. I am buying a flock of 2 years old Bresse (6 hens and 1 rooster $10 each) and will be picking them up on this Saturday... just in case there is only 1 hen from my current flock.

 

[chant]

That's great! Our Lady Bressies are great layers and they're 2 yrs old as well. The one lady that went broody and raised the 5 babies started laying again after 7 weeks. She was a pretty good mom too. Next time I will let her hatch them out and raise the babies myself though because these ones are the flightiest birds I have.
Hope you'll share your Bresse taste test comparison.

 

[Ulladh]

My chicks are reared by me and are still flighty so it obviously makes little difference, I think it is their nature!

 

[Fluffyserama]

So I purchased American bresse hatching eggs from someone local. He says his breeders were purchased directly from greenfire farms. I went to his place to pick up the eggs and saw his birds before I puchased eggs. All the adult birds had the characteristic blue legs and his 3 week old chicks had green legs. Due to loss from toddler interfearance during incubation I only had three make it to lock down. Two hatched big and healthy but have yellow legs, the third died during hatch due to an intestinal loop outside the body cavity, but did have greenish legs.

I've read up about yellow legs being a sign they are not bresse or have been crossed, but i've also read that the legs darken with age. When will I be able to tell if I have bresse or not?

 

[Ulladh]

Dont worry they will change, most of ine were yellow with a slight dark hue, as they are now 3 weeks old they definitely are getting more blue. Like anything some may never get very dark but remain true otherwise, up to you to cull as the leg is a characteristic of aesthetics,nothing else, the bird might be fine. Out of my 4 breeders one is by far the best in appearance and size, however she has lost some of the blue for one reason or not. she hasnt passed this to her offspring however