My Bresse starter flock

[chanceosunshine]

Thanks for the update on the flock. I hope all 9 eggs will hatch out fine for you and look forward to pics.

Will you still be getting rid of George? What are your plans moving forward with breeding, feeding and harvesting?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

My first brood has arrived! Seven beautiful babies, hatched (6) on Saturday, and (1) yesterday. I set 12 eggs; three were clears, one early quitter, and one still in the incubator that's probably DIS.

My plans for these: Cockerels to be my first taste of Bresse meat. Pullets integrated into George's tiny flock along with Baby Abigail (now 6 months old, laying pullet-size eggs), Martha and Betsy (1 yr. 3 mos. old). I'll start gathering eggs immediately from Martha and Betsy (+George) for one more hatch from this group.

Sam, my backup Bresse rooster, still lives with my heritage flock at the moment. As soon as I get another good batch going in the incubator, I'll dispatch George. Sam will take his place with the Bresse hens, then I'll integrate the chicks. This should leave me with 1 *good* rooster and 6-7 hens and pullets.

Will you still be getting rid of George? What are your plans moving forward with breeding, feeding and harvesting?

Yes, unfortunately, George is still destined for my freezer. I want no more of his genes in the flock. Sam and his genes, too, will be destined at some point to leave, but I'll probably just trade or rehome him - and then acquire a new Bresse cockerel or rooster (or two) from somewhere else.

I'm not in a position at the moment to follow the French protocol for feeding and harvesting, yet. I plan to get set up for that over the next year or so. Meanwhile, my cockerels will be fed and harvested the same as my heritage birds. When I'm ready and have a few new broods going from Sam, I'll maybe start the French process and compare the results.

 

[chanceosunshine]

My first brood has arrived! Seven beautiful babies, hatched (6) on Saturday, and (1) yesterday. I set 12 eggs; three were clears, one early quitter, and one still in the incubator that's probably DIS.
View attachment 3808415

My plans for these: Cockerels to be my first taste of Bresse meat. Pullets integrated into George's tiny flock along with Baby Abigail (now 6 months old, laying pullet-size eggs), Martha and Betsy (1 yr. 3 mos. old). I'll start gathering eggs immediately from Martha and Betsy (+George) for one more hatch from this group.

Sam, my backup Bresse rooster, still lives with my heritage flock at the moment. As soon as I get another good batch going in the incubator, I'll dispatch George. Sam will take his place with the Bresse hens, then I'll integrate the chicks. This should leave me with 1 *good* rooster and 6-7 hens and pullets.


Yes, unfortunately, George is still destined for my freezer. I want no more of his genes in the flock. Sam and his genes, too, will be destined at some point to leave, but I'll probably just trade or rehome him - and then acquire a new Bresse cockerel or rooster (or two) from somewhere else.

I'm not in a position at the moment to follow the French protocol for feeding and harvesting, yet. I plan to get set up for that over the next year or so. Meanwhile, my cockerels will be fed and harvested the same as my heritage birds. When I'm ready and have a few new broods going from Sam, I'll maybe start the French process and compare the results.

The chicks are adorable, congratulations on the hatch. Keep us posted on the next hatch. I've really enjoyed hearing about your experience and it makes me want to venture out and do the same, but now isn't the right time for me. For now I'm happy to learn from your experience.