Tuesday 28 January 2014

New genes for the poultry flock : Black, grey and white La Bresse

Black La Bresse
There has been steady demand for my white Bresse Gauloise hatching eggs during the last three years and the surplus are sold in the village or at the gate. Twenty hens have produced a bigger margin in that time than the sheep unless you count the the "Single Farm Payment" and the "Less Favoured Area Supplement" as earned by the ewes.

To maintain the genetic variation of the flock I have to bring in some new genes, in the past this has been from Ireland. France and Germany. This year its Germany and I have ordered eggs from Ralf  Jakob in Gutersloe. I am wondering if I should also import some black La Bresse eggs.

Scarcity and rarity is attractive to small domestic poultry keepers and as far as I know there aren't any black La Bresse hens in the UK. I did bring some back
Grey La Bresse
from Burgundy in 2010 but they were all killed by a mink. Keeping two breeds complicates life, they have to be kept apart in the breeding season and this means more fences and housing.

On the other hand there could be strong demand for fertile eggs and it would entail a trip to France to get them as the only source I know of is in Burgundy where these photographs were taken.




5 comments:

Anonymous said...

do you send eggs abroad? la bresse? hotmail.com contact

Unknown said...

Hi, we cant find any e-mail address to contact you for bresse eggs.. emre7777@gmail.com

Tom Bryson said...

Its tombryson@btinternet.com and I have sent eggs to Turkey, Greece and Knightsbridge!

Jenny Webb said...

I'm just learning of this breed. Beautiful birds. I would love to bring some Black to the US.

Tom Bryson said...

It is possible but you need to clear it with the USDA and then find out if UPS would deliver them quickly.