What do La Bresse Gauloise chickens look like? With close up images.
Bresse chickens are revered a symbol of France and the French flag as they are coloured red white and blue.
Table of Contents
Bresse chickens are a breed of poultry that are native to the Bresse region of France. They are prised for their tender, juicy meat and delicate flavour.
Below: Here is the Bresse standards from an old poultry book.
Bresse have a single comb that may go floppy in older birds.
What do bresse eggs look like?
Bresse eggs are white and large. They are nor pure white and can be a little tinted or cream in colour. The eggs vary a little in size from 52 to 62 grams and they birds are seasonal layers.
Below: A selection of eggs from my bresse hens.
What do Bresse chicks look like?
Bresse chicks are yellow and the foot and leg colour should show from hatching although it takes time to fully develop.
Below: A close up of a Bresse chick.
Bresse chickens are medium to large-sized birds, with a distinctive white plumage and a red comb and wattles, although there are 4 other colours they are very rare and I have never seen them outside France.
What do Bresse growers look like?
Bresse growers develop the characteristic shape and leg colour from an early age.
Below: A Bresse Grower at 10 weeks.
Bresse chickens are also known for their striking blue or slate-coloured feet, which is one of their distinguishing features.
What do Bresse hens look like?
They have a plump, rounded body and a broad, round breast. Their legs are short and sturdy, and they have a calm and docile disposition.
Below: A Bresse hen.
The Shape of Bresse chickens is important, they should stand level and be a boat shape rather than being stood upright.
Below: Showing the comparison shape of a Bresse meat chicken at the top and a layer at the bottom.
What does a Bresse cockerel look like?
Apart from the bigger comb, heavier build legs and neck feathers it can be difficult to tell them apart when young.
Below: 2 Bresse cockerels in my breeding group.
What do Bresse chickens look like when processed?
Bresse are processed with the legs on to show the blue. The birds are not as big as you might expect, this is definitely a quality over quantity food.
Below: A picture of a finished Bresse after processing. The fat is yellow and the meat well marbled.
