: Wonderful temperment, good layers, winter & summer hardy, love the larger size, camoflaged well.
: Pretty much stopped laying during first winter. Went from 8 eggs a day to lucky to get 1. But they were molting, so, it was expected.
5/23/14: I LOVE my dark brahma's! I would like to get some blues, but probably never going to happen, at least in my area. They're the first breed of chicken that I bought. I've owned them for just over a year (they were hatched the end of March 2013), they're the only breed I've ever owned, & probably the only breed I ever will own. I've had such great luck with them. 15 hens came from Mt. Healthy hatchery. I didn't get any accidental roosters, so I found a breeder & bought 2 young roosters & 1 more hen. I did loose 1 hen this past January, not really sure why, but everyone else is still doing great. With 15 hens I'm getting about 5 & 1/2 dozen eggs a week. Nothing to complain about there! The 2 roosters grew up together, & don't fight at all, plus they've never attempted to go after me. They're all very well tempered. Only complaint is that the roosters do have a couple of favorite hens that have some bald spots. They did very will this past summer when temps were over 100, & the only ones that didn't do well this past winter when temps were down to 20's below 0 were the roosters .... I did have to bag balm their combs & wattles. Was bummed when egg count went from 8 a day down to me being thrilled when I got 1 a day over winter ..... but it was a very hard winter & they were all molting, so I can't hate them for that! It's nature.
10/8/2014: I bought 9 more dark brahma chicks this year! Hatched in early April. 1 ended up being an accidental rooster. Go figure - I want one, don't get one - don't want one, get one. I also hatched out 5 of my chickens eggs in July when I couldn't break a hen from being broody (2 hens went broody for the first time this year). I kept the 2 pullets & re-homed the 3 roosters. Then I lost my favorite hen when a horse stepped on her, & another hen died from fly-strike. So now I'm up to 23 hens & 3 roosters. Plan on getting some blues still. I'm surprised they don't eat a whole heck of a lot, but then again, mine free range during the day. They're excellent foragers. The 2 pullets that I hatched out are actually better foragers than the hens I got from the hatchery. I think that's because their "mother" was around & showed them how to do it at an early age. I will have to check & see how much feed they go through to give everyone a good idea.