I enjoyed having these as they are a great looking bird and a calm non combative breed . For me though , the egg laying just wasn't there . I prefer the heavy egg production of the Comets , Leghorns , and Rhode Island Reds . These are a good breed for younger children to raise as they are not at all aggressive and really easy to handle . Roosters are very attractive .
Cons - feathered feet are an issue for some (not for me), large bird that may need special accommodations (wider roost set lower to the ground, larger nesting boxes), heat may be a problem
I have two light brahmas, and I love them! They are interesting birds with their huge body mass and feathered feet. Mine are too yound still to lay eggs but should start in a few months. I expect them to be decent year-round egg layers. They handled a few cool nights already, and seem to be a cold hardy bird. They have a ton of fluffy feathers and even feathered feet to keep warm. I do worry about the summer heat given all of the insulation these birds sport, but we have ensured they chickens will have shade and plenty of air flow in the coop during the summer. They are very calm birds - far more relaxed than my cuckoo maran. I have no issues keeping them with our smaller Gold-Laced Wyandotte and Spotted Sussex. They are great around my toddler too.
I bought one dark Brahma as a chick, and she nursed another chick with wry neck, protecting her and helping her eat. I hatched 11 Brahma chicks, one had terrible splay leg, and another Brahma chick, helped her stay upright, fed her and protected her. Wonderful hens.
Pros - Large brown eggs, sweet and gentle, great with children, beautiful, great foragers, cold hardy
My 4 Light Brahma hens were so gentle and sweet girls. They loved to forage and they laid large brown and pink eggs. From the 4 hens I got 1-4 eggs a day depending on the time of year. Definitely recommend this breed for anyone who has young children as Brahmas love to be handled and loved. Plus they’re just so fluffy!
I adore Light Brahmas! They're so very friendly - I've never had a mean Light Brahma rooster. They're all easy to catch, and often come up to you just for attention. The hens make very good mothers, quite attentive and protective of their chicks. They aren't Silkie or Banty Cochin level broodies, but they will go broody regularly, every spring. They are excellent foragers, and love chasing bugs in the field! That's something I could sit outside and watch all day, in fact - chicken tv! They're hardy in all weather. The small combs and heavy layers of feathers make them virtually immune to any level of cold weather, and those same fluffy feathers insulate them from the heat of summer, too. They are good layers, but start later than most breeds, simply because they spend more time growing. They won't rival, say, Leghorns for egg production, but they are still steady, reliable layers.
