Bresse Chickens

[speedy2020]

Quote:
Since you are living in Olympia Washington, there is a person close by selling few weeks old White Bresse chick $7 each. It might be cheaper to take that route. I think it is also best time to raise chick now before winter so they start laying in Spring.

 

[chant]

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?

It really is impossible to tell at birth. In a couple of months you'll know for sure. The legs will start to turn a gray blue and by the time the girls are ready to lay not only will their legs be dark steel blue, you'll see a light blue, white and red around their ears (like the French flag), and there is a faint pastel gray stripe across their beak towards the eyes.
Our older Breese are a little over 2 yrs old, and their legs have faded from the vibrant steel blue of their teens to blue gray and light blue patches around their ears has also faded some with age.
Thought I'd mention what you can expect later on as well.

 

[MotherKocher]

I have a Bresse and I love her. They are supposed to be great meat birds but when I tried to hatch 6 eggs (it was my first hatch ever) I didn't know quite what I was doing and only she survived so she will forever be a pet. Her temperament is so amazing. She is very social and much more friendly than my other hens. I'm hatching some of her eggs now to have some more! I recommend them.

 

[MotherKocher]

She's actually my profile pic, I just remembered. Lol

 

[racinchickins]

Quote: I've also noticed that the dark steel blue only lasts for the first year really. Then the legs seem to fade a bit, especially in the hens.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

It really is impossible to tell at birth. In a couple of months you'll know for sure. The legs will start to turn a gray blue and by the time the girls are ready to lay not only will their legs be dark steel blue, you'll see a light blue, white and red around their ears (like the French flag), and there is a faint pastel gray stripe across their beak towards the eyes.
Our older Breese are a little over 2 yrs old, and their legs have faded from the vibrant steel blue of their teens to blue gray and light blue patches around their ears has also faded some with age.
Thought I'd mention what you can expect later on as well.

That's very helpful! I just hatched my first AB eggs a few weeks ago and while their legs were yellow/peach at hatching, they started becoming bluish recently. I have some (pure) BCM and New Hampshire Red mixes in with them (same age) and the Bresse are definitely meatier already. They're also very curious and more assertive than the other chicks. Very interesting birds so far.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I have a Bresse and I love her. They are supposed to be great meat birds but when I tried to hatch 6 eggs (it was my first hatch ever) I didn't know quite what I was doing and only she survived so she will forever be a pet. Her temperament is so amazing. She is very social and much more friendly than my other hens. I'm hatching some of her eggs now to have some more! I recommend them.

I hope mine have temperaments similar to yours! I understand they're good layers, too.

Mine are only 3 weeks old, but are very curious and less skittish than the other chicks in the brooder. I'm really looking forward to when they're fully feathered adults.

 

[MotherKocher]

I hope mine have temperaments similar to yours! I understand they're good layers, too.

Mine are only 3 weeks old, but are very curious and less skittish than the other chicks in the brooder. I'm really looking forward to when they're fully feathered adults.

Yes! She doesn't lay every day, but at least 4 days of the week and her eggs are HUGE now that shes a year old

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Yes! She doesn't lay every day, but at least 4 days of the week and her eggs are HUGE now that shes a year old

Thanks for the confirmation! Always a bonus to have truly dual purpose birds.

 

[speedy2020]

I have a chance to taste 2+ years old Bresse rooster. The flavor was very good and as good as Silver Grey Dorking or Dark Cornish x Light Sussex. There is no fating up or any special feed. I highly recommend to those who want to raise dual purpose breed. The only thing I don't like is white bird. Have you seen any of your bird with white earlobe? I have 1 young rooster that way. He is lighter weigh than other.