Backyard Brahmas!!

[Huntress78]

Doing well here and trying to stay warm...thanks for asking Vicki. It's still -20*F but suppose to warm up to -13 today. I broke down and put heat in the coops...only because I have one hen in a full blown molt and my rooster wasn't looking well the other day.

I think the more room you have the easier it is for roosters to get along. My neighbor has 3 (not Brahmas) but they are true free rangers of a couple acres and they roost in an open machine shed where they might be 20 feet or more apart. My Brahmas stay close to the coops (or are confined in them in winter) and roost all together so I don't keep a rooster with the girls. When I did try to keep more than one they fought a lot and many times the girls got hurt. Now the roosters live in separate pens/coops. The girls can go visit them in the spring at hatching time but they don't get worn out/hurt anymore.

 

[Vickis Girls]

Glad you're keeping warm, Huntress. Wow...-13 for the high temp. Brrrrr.
Thanks for all the info, even though it's not that encouraging. I didn't necessarily want a rooster, I just hatched the eggs and all three that hatched were males. I already found a home for one.The remaining two are "Gold Laced Brahmas" so That probably explains the sweetness. It's going to be so hard to choose which one to keep. Wish we lived closer. I'd send one over to your neighbors. Hehehe.
So, Huntress, you keep the roos separate from the girls? Are they also separate from each other? Sounds like you found a good solution that works for you. I really hoped everyone could get along if I got a few more females. I'm just so irritated that I got all male hatches.

Really ruined the fun for me.
Stay safe

 

[SD Bird Lady]

Glad you're keeping warm, Huntress. Wow...-13 for the high temp. Brrrrr.
Thanks for all the info, even though it's not that encouraging. I didn't necessarily want a rooster, I just hatched the eggs and all three that hatched were males. I already found a home for one.The remaining two are "Gold Laced Brahmas" so That probably explains the sweetness. It's going to be so hard to choose which one to keep. Wish we lived closer. I'd send one over to your neighbors. Hehehe.
So, Huntress, you keep the roos separate from the girls? Are they also separate from each other? Sounds like you found a good solution that works for you. I really hoped everyone could get along if I got a few more females. I'm just so irritated that I got all male hatches.

Really ruined the fun for me.
Stay safe

I have 2 roosters (LF light brahma) over 18 hens. So far I have not had issues with over breeding and they are in those dreaded teenage years. The lower ranking rooster seems content with his place and breeds with some of the hens. They are free range most of the day and just go their separate ways. I do have one California white hen that is pretty small and won't "squat" so they chase her. I think I will re-home her, she is just too small to handle a full grown Brahma Rooster. It can work, mine were also from the same hatch and have grown up together.

 

[Vickis Girls]

So it is possible? Probably too late for my little guys though. If I ordered a dozen females, They wouldn't have enough feathers to get integrated into the flock for nearly a year and these boys may not be able to wait that long. Thanks for giving me hope. I just might try it.

 

[QuoVadis]

Are most hatchery brahmas as big as the standard calls for? The ones I had awhile ago I never weighed, but I dont think they were 10lbs. What is the average size of hatchery Brahmas? I have limited space, but I loved the Brhamas I had. I'd consider bantam brahmas, but Im not sure if they really have the same lovely personality my LF had.

 

[livininbrazil]

So it is possible? Probably too late for my little guys though. If I ordered a dozen females, They wouldn't have enough feathers to get integrated into the flock for nearly a year and these boys may not be able to wait that long. Thanks for giving me hope. I just might try it.

Why don´t you just hang on and see...they may be fine, or you may just find you prefer one of the boys and can find a home for the other when you´re ready...Brahmas take ages to grow up and are usually pretty laid back. How much area do they have? And have we seen pics of them?

 

[Summer98]

My hatchery brahmas are small, which is the part I don't like. I wanted giants. But I still love everything else about them.

Brahmas are considered to have pea combs right? Whey does my rooster's comb not look like "a row of peas" like the girls? It looks more like a rose comb (I think). My EE and brahma hens all have the pea comb.

 

[justin24]

Hi you guys i want some brahmas so badly the hatchery doesn't sell their hatching eggs anymore anyone near Memphis TN got hatchin egg

 

[Vickis Girls]

Livininbrazil, Yeah, why don't I just hang in there!!! I don't know why I have to freak out about these things. Yes, the pic is in post #898. They're the little crows. The one standing over the cucumber has been re-homed, Wally is the little Black crow(he's the one who usually hangs out with the girls) and Ginger is the big boy in the back. I adore him When I stroke his back he squats. Omg. He melts my heart. Are roosters ever gay? Thank you for your sound advice.
Quovadis, You're right, hatchery birds are smaller. I think it's because they're crossed with reliable egg layers, because that's what the hatchery needs to stay in business...Lots and lots of hatching eggs. They still look the same, though not show quality. They're still sweet, just a bit smaller. I'll leave the question about Bantams up to someone who knows, I'm unfamiliar with them.
If you're interested in breeders' birds, check out the Brahma thread. Tim shows Bantams, There are lots of L. F. breeders there.
Summer98, I could be wrong, but I think the hens have a single row and the cockerels have a triple row. Yeah, the huge Brahmas are awesome, but they eat a lot!

Justin24, ask the Brahma thread people, they might be able to fix you up with eggs. Hope your luck is better than mine. I've only ever hatched four eggs...all four were cockerels!

 

[Huntress78]

Glad you're keeping warm, Huntress. Wow...-13 for the high temp. Brrrrr.
Thanks for all the info, even though it's not that encouraging. I didn't necessarily want a rooster, I just hatched the eggs and all three that hatched were males. I already found a home for one.The remaining two are "Gold Laced Brahmas" so That probably explains the sweetness. It's going to be so hard to choose which one to keep. Wish we lived closer. I'd send one over to your neighbors. Hehehe.
So, Huntress, you keep the roos separate from the girls? Are they also separate from each other? Sounds like you found a good solution that works for you. I really hoped everyone could get along if I got a few more females. I'm just so irritated that I got all male hatches.

Really ruined the fun for me.
Stay safe

Your Brahma roo wouldn't last a week at my neighbors...I doubt he would be able to roost high enough to avoid the predators. Her birds are high flying, flighty EEs that roost 10-12 feet up in the rafters...she doesn't have a coop.

Yes, my roosters are separate from the girls. I have a coop for the girls and when I hatch, the chicks go to live there after a few weeks in the brooder. When the cockerels get old enough to start getting in trouble they are sent to live with their dad in the breeder coop. He can keep the peace with just a stern look. Later some of the cockerels are sold and some go in the freezer. Only the girls I want then go visit the big roo in the spring and the cycle starts over again.

I try not to winter over more than 20-30 birds. In the summer there are over 100 so in order for things to run smoothly and have less chance of having a bird injured this is how I do it. Right now there are two roos here, my old Light Brahma rooster and a lavender Orpington cockerel. They are in the same pen/coop together and get along fine...there are no girls there so they really have nothing to fight about.

If all your birds are getting along fine then leave them together. You can just think through the problems that might arise and have some solutions ready in case of trouble. Be prepared, not scared.

Oh, and if you're not going to be using that incubator any more you can send it my way....I'll put it to good use.