Backyard Brahmas!!

[SD Bird Lady]

Just a potty idea, but would vaseline work, just to keep his wattles from getting wet?

That is a thought, Maybe I'll see if I can nab him in the morning before I let them out for the day... They are basically free range so no one is "tame" unless its by their choice.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

I have had a few darks and lights and one buff hen. In my flock, the buff has always been stand-offish, the darks have been the friendliest, and the lights somewhere in between. I had a light Brahma pullet who would sit on my lap whenever I was outside. That stopped when she grew up. Now she will let me pet her but doesn't go out of her way for attention. The friendliest I have had is a dark Brahma rooster (yes, rooster). If I was outside on the swing, he was either on my lap or beside me. He came when called and never flogged or spurred us. We sold him for "big bucks" and have missed him ever since. Our dark Brahma hen, Frack, is also very friendly and tame, but doesn't like being held. She comes when called and will allow herself to be petted but complains when she's picked up.

We also have partridge Brahmas and project colors, but the darks have always been the friendliest in our flock, including two little cockerels that we have right now that love to be on my lap, maybe because it's cold out there and my lap is warm.

I have had buffs & lights. The buff girls were always "stand offish" but were the most mild mannered of the flock just didn't like to be fussed over. The light girls squabble more amongst themselves but aren't as shy towards people.

** mine are all "wild" now as I lost my first group to a predator and just never spent much time with the new group. All of my examples for this was a group of 10 hens & 1 roo from a few years back.

 

[livininbrazil]

That is a thought, Maybe I'll see if I can nab him in the morning before I let them out for the day... They are basically free range so no one is "tame" unless its by their choice.

I know what you mean! My gold and black Brahmas are easy to pick up, buff a tad more skittish. My ISA chickens are smart, they let me pick them up if the reward is good enough, and the delawares are little horrors...I get them at night!

They´re all free-range and stay out at night, too.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

I know what you mean! My gold and black Brahmas are easy to pick up, buff a tad more skittish. My ISA chickens are smart, they let me pick them up if the reward is good enough, and the delawares are little horrors...I get them at night!

They´re all free-range and stay out at night, too.

That is awesome that you can free range yours 24/7. The racoons are horrible in our area so at night when they all "go to bed" in the coop, the door gets locked. They still have access to their run though. The run is a 6 ft chain link dog kennel that has 3 strands of electric fence at the bottom. So far, the electric fence has been the best thing that I have found for keeping those tricky raccoons away. Before I used the electric they would grab the ducks through the fence and that isn't something anyone should have to see.

Do ducks ever sleep? Seems like no matter when I go out and no matter how cold it is, they are out and about making a bunch of racket, silly ducks. Gotta love em'

 

[livininbrazil]

No racoons here, very pleased to say. We do get the odd possum, but they´re more of a threat to the ducklings. I lost some a couple of years ago. We also get big lizards which pinch eggs. The wild animal we get here mostly is a tree porcupine, they do nothing at all to harm the chickens, so no probs. This is farming country, and people have dogs here, so the big predators stay away.
Electric fencing is great, eh?
And ducks and geese seem to cat-nap only. My first geese came from a friend of mine. Another friend of mine lived next door to her, and always complained that they chattered all night long. She hated those geese!

 

[bumpercarr]

I try to follow all of the brahma threads, don't know how I missed this one! Just spent the last few hours reading the thread so I could catch up. Here are my two. I'm hoping to get another dozen this spring to set up my own breeding program. These are 5 months old.

 

[QuoVadis]

Ok, so I would prefer a LF Brahma, because they can be sexed but I'd actually like one that is "too small" for the standard. I have limited space, and I'll enjoy one that is smaller, even if that's not the correct size, as much as a bigger one. So I want to get one that is both very friendly and calm (not standoffish and calm) and small for a Brahma. I'm going to be ordering from both McMurray and Ideal, which would be better for those criteria, and in what color (light, buff, or dark)?

I prefer dark and buff lookswise, but will order light if they are the nicest.
(My only experience with Brahmas has been from McMurray - the light was sooooo nice, the darks were fairly aloof.)

 

[Vickis Girls]

If you're ordering from both hatcheries, why not get some all three colors and decide for yourself? Brahmas are wonderful! I got mine from MPC last spring and they're small.

 

[Vickis Girls]

Bumpercarr, they're beautiful

 

[QuoVadis]

If you're ordering from both hatcheries, why not get some all three colors and decide for yourself? Brahmas are wonderful! I got mine from MPC last spring and they're small.

Haha! I'd like to but I'm afraid I'd fall in love with too many of them! I can only keep one or two! I'm really pushing my chicken space lately!