Brahma Breeders thread

[Junibutt]

Does anyone maintain or has access to a Light Brahma growth chart? I have 4 chicks that turn 3 weeks old today. Strongest one weighs 160 gms and the weakest one is 138 gm. I just want to make sure they are above the avg weights for their age. Here is my 3 weeks old Chewie:

 

[BGMatt]

I just started feeding mine Manna pro gamebird diet. it says it is good for showbirds. You are supposed to mix it with a maintenance diet. I haven't used it long enough to see a difference.



Also I believe cracked corn will make the lights, or any white bird for that matter, brassy. I stopped feeding cracked corn to all of the white birds I own. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm not sure if you can breed it into Light Brahmas, but there are white birds out there in other breeds that are a silver based "stay white" genetic combo that I really need to know more about that won't yellow it's corn or sun. Have seen it in Langshan and Plymouth Rocks for sure.

 

[cdover15]

I'm not sure if you can breed it into Light Brahmas, but there are white birds out there in other breeds that are a silver based "stay white" genetic combo that I really need to know more about that won't yellow it's corn or sun. Have seen it in Langshan and Plymouth Rocks for sure.

That's awesome, genetics are amazing

 

[Tim63]

I just started feeding mine Manna pro gamebird diet. it says it is good for showbirds. You are supposed to mix it with a maintenance diet. I haven't used it long enough to see a difference.


Also I believe cracked corn will make the lights, or any white bird for that matter, brassy. I stopped feeding cracked corn to all of the white birds I own. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I have never heard that. However, the key ingredient in most feeds is corn.

 

[Tim63]

Does anyone maintain or has access to a Light Brahma growth chart? I have 4 chicks that turn 3 weeks old today. Strongest one weighs 160 gms and the weakest one is 138 gm. I just want to make sure they are above the avg weights for their age. Here is my 3 weeks old Chewie:

I don't think such a chart exists. Let 'em grow.

 

[Tim63]

Just a side note. The reason I have stopped feeding grains/scratch is the birds prefer it over the breeder pellets. They will fill up on the grains and miss the nutritional value of the pellets. I have tried feeding all kinds of stuff and concluded the birds do better on the nutritionally balanced pellets. I feed chick starter grower to about three months and then the pellets. I do feed a small amount of black oil sunflower seed to birds I am conditioning to show. The high oil content does help feather quality. Just five or so a day per bird. This of course is from my personal experience. I have done lots of dumb stuff and made plenty of mistakes.

Tim

P.S. and please don't kid yourselves......birds do better on feed that contains ANIMAL protein. All this vegetarian diet feed crap is pure B.S. Chickens are omnivores.

 

[gootziecat]

Just a side note. The reason I have stopped feeding grains/scratch is the birds prefer it over the breeder pellets. They will fill up on the grains and miss the nutritional value of the pellets. I have tried feeding all kinds of stuff and concluded the birds do better on the nutritionally balanced pellets. I feed chick starter grower to about three months and then the pellets. I do feed a small amount of black oil sunflower seed to birds I am conditioning to show. The high oil content does help feather quality. Just five or so a day per bird. This of course is from my personal experience. I have done lots of dumb stuff and made plenty of mistakes.

Tim

P.S. and please don't kid yourselves......birds do better on feed that contains ANIMAL protein. All this vegetarian diet feed crap is pure B.S. Chickens are omnivores.

Thanks for the good info. I especially appreciate the P.S. I've been told the same thing from a gentleman that formulates and produces chicken feed. No question in my mind about this.

 

[Sjisty]

I laugh at all these chicken and/or egg commercials that advertise vegetarian fed chickens - then I look outside the window and see my flock playing tug-of-war with a frog or catch-me-if-you-can with a rather large insect or whatever they might have found.

I just started feeding my flock wet food last week. I wet down and make a mush of flock raiser and give it to them once a day. They eat it like candy and there's much less waste than feeding it dry. I do throw a few hands full of scratch and black oil sunflower seeds in the afternoons, though not much.

 

[big medicine]

Just a side note. The reason I have stopped feeding grains/scratch is the birds prefer it over the breeder pellets. They will fill up on the grains and miss the nutritional value of the pellets. I have tried feeding all kinds of stuff and concluded the birds do better on the nutritionally balanced pellets. I feed chick starter grower to about three months and then the pellets. I do feed a small amount of black oil sunflower seed to birds I am conditioning to show. The high oil content does help feather quality. Just five or so a day per bird. This of course is from my personal experience. I have done lots of dumb stuff and made plenty of mistakes.

Tim

P.S. and please don't kid yourselves......birds do better on feed that contains ANIMAL protein. All this vegetarian diet feed crap is pure B.S. Chickens are omnivores.

Strongly agree on the benefits of animal protein based feed. Fed Purina chick starter for years,(back when they still ran the good coupons in The Poultry Press). When Purina switched to the all plant protein recipe, I saw an immediate response with picking issues among the youngsters. Switched feeds and have not had any problems with it since.

I have heard of the corn caused brassiness issues for years, (lot of Dad's friends were white Cornish breeders). Heard of a guy who was going to try to plant some old heirloom white corn and have that milled for his feed to see if would have any effect. Never did hear how that experiment played out.

I still feed scratch, but in limited quantity. My mix varies by season, a little higher corn content in winter. Usually contains whole corn, wheat, oats, mixed bird feed(sunflower/sorghum/millet/other small grains), and black oil sunflower. I usually scatter a handful in the bedding in the morning when I open the coop. I will also throw a handful right before they go to roost on cold winter nights. They have it cleaned up in just a couple minutes. I don't think it is enough to unbalance their diet much, and agree that given the option, they will fill up on scratch and suffer for it. The main reasons I do it is, the birds keep the bedding fluffed and dry scratching around. I include the wild bird feed because the small grains keep the girls looking longer. On real rainy days I might throw another little bit just to give the girls something to do indoors, Also comes in handy on the occasions when you need to get birds in a little early to close up before going to a Friday night football game, and such.

 

[Tim63]

All good points Gary. Some I had not considered. Just with Bantams only, and basically exhibition the goal for me....I like the breeder pellets diet. I have heard the corn of an evening will help generate heat. I'm sure that's a plus in your climate. Also, as most of you may already know, there is much less waste with the pellets as opposed to mash/crumbles.

Tim