Backyard Brahmas!!

[bumpercarr]

I am wondering something. With Dark Brahma so long as the feathers are coming in patterned they are hens right?
(I have one overly friendly 4 week old chick and "she" also has the most feathering on the legs as well as some yellow in the face.)



Girl? or ......

Definitely pullet.

 

[Amberjem]

is there something to look for for early indicators with buff brahma's?

 

[SD Bird Lady]

is there something to look for for early indicators with buff brahma's?

Slow feathering are generally cockerels but that isn't a guarantee. Darks are easier because the different sexes have different patterns.

 

[Sueg4332]

here is my brahmas Roosters not feel good this morning. Lucky I kept a extra.
Was gone 1/2 a day and way behind on reading .
What color is this called golden
Chicken egg production in full . lots of egg all colors......

 

[Marthab1953]

here is my brahmas Roosters not feel good this morning. Lucky I kept a extra.
Was gone 1/2 a day and way behind on reading .
What color is this called golden
Chicken egg production in full . lots of egg all colors......

It is Partridge

 

[chickensagain]

You're off to a great start. I have had many breeds of chickens but always come back to brahmas

My two new brahma chicks. These two are my first chickens.

Any tips for a newbie?

 

[CluckCluckChoo]

What is going on with my buff Brahma pullet? I don't plan on showing her or selling any off her offspring as I have a mixed flock and I know my chickens aren't anywhere near perfect. But I'm still curious about her patterning. She just started laying and I've never seen her go through a molt. I got my Brahmas when they were 3 months old and they are about 7-8 months old now. When she was younger I kept expecting her to molt and lose this pattern but she still has it. Is it some sort of incomplete lacing as the result of perhaps bad hatchery breeding? She also has the fluffy bump on her back that I read on this forum was the result of Cochins being used in their breeding. I think she is absolutely lovely but I'm really curious at to whats going on with her pattern.

 

[holm25]

Its bad hatchery breeding.

 

[bumpercarr]

What is going on with my buff Brahma pullet? I don't plan on showing her or selling any off her offspring as I have a mixed flock and I know my chickens aren't anywhere near perfect. But I'm still curious about her patterning. She just started laying and I've never seen her go through a molt. I got my Brahmas when they were 3 months old and they are about 7-8 months old now. When she was younger I kept expecting her to molt and lose this pattern but she still has it. Is it some sort of incomplete lacing as the result of perhaps bad hatchery breeding? She also has the fluffy bump on her back that I read on this forum was the result of Cochins being used in their breeding. I think she is absolutely lovely but I'm really curious at to whats going on with her pattern.

I think she is lovely as well. Looks like some kind of incomplete lacing to me, I'm not much of a Columbian pattern expert (not that much of an expert at all, really) so I'm not much help I'm afraid. If big medicine gets on he can probably tell you where her pattern might have come from. As far as the "cochin cushion" goes, it is pretty common in brahmas. I'm sure it originates from the cochin in their backgrounds. I think it shows up more when the backs aren't quite as long and wide as they should be, so if you are going to try to get rid of it in future generations you would want to breed her to males with longer and wider backs.

But, I wouldn't worry about it. If she works for your backyard flock, that is all that matters.

BTW, none of my birds do a full on moult until they are about a year old. Yours will probably moult in the early fall/late summer (that's when most do). Although her color/pattern probably won't change completely at that point, there will be some changes in coloration/pattern with that moult.

 

[big medicine]

What is going on with my buff Brahma pullet? I don't plan on showing her or selling any off her offspring as I have a mixed flock and I know my chickens aren't anywhere near perfect. But I'm still curious about her patterning. She just started laying and I've never seen her go through a molt. I got my Brahmas when they were 3 months old and they are about 7-8 months old now. When she was younger I kept expecting her to molt and lose this pattern but she still has it. Is it some sort of incomplete lacing as the result of perhaps bad hatchery breeding? She also has the fluffy bump on her back that I read on this forum was the result of Cochins being used in their breeding. I think she is absolutely lovely but I'm really curious at to whats going on with her pattern.

My best guess is she has some penciled blood not too far back in her family tree. Not too long ago it would have been a safe bet it was from a dark Brahma if the bird showed pretty good Brahma type. Now, with the increased popularity of partridge Brahmas, they also may be the source of this partial penciling. Now if this female shows excessive cushion or extra heavily feathered feet, or vulture hocks, would likely be an indication of some partridge Cochin in the family tree .

But either way, this partial pattern is pretty representative of a columbian/penciled cross. The coloring indicates that at least her father was gold based(buff or partridge), or possibly the split gold/silver offspring of a earlier cross.