Anyone use Brahmas or Cochins for meat?

[HollowOfWisps]

I'm wondering if anyone on here raises Brahmas or Cochins for meat? I'm not looking for any other breed recommendations. I'm just looking for anyone's personal experience with raising Brahmas or Cochins for meat. My brahma pullets by the 5-6 month mark were both larger than my Faverolle rooster, have the best temperaments of the flock and didn't seem to be bothered one bit by the negative degree winter this year. I'm leaning towards slowly switching my flock to mostly Brahmas and possibly Cochins for raising meat and eggs for the family.

 

[TOR]

I raise some Brahmas. Not pacifically for meat, but meat and eggs. We also have other types or variety of chickens.
Brahmas are very easy going, tough, descent egg layers (we have the white brahma), dont deal with the broodiness like the austrolorps. The down side I see is they are very slow growing.
We here hatch our own eggs and so we have some mixed varieties, but the Brahma roosters are the breeder.
Our chickens here is a hobby, we sell some eggs, sell some chickens, chicks and butcher some chickens. Our hobby is not a break even deal, but with what we sell and use it is not real expensive. Summer time about pays for itself.
Brahmas were used as a meat bird years ago, 1850 early 1900. The hybrids came in and took over. Years ago from a article I read Brahma roosters could become quite large.16 to 18 pounds. The size over the years has kinda been bread out of them.
Seems to me I read Brahma can get quite large at first in growth, but takes time to fill in the meat. In other words they build the frame then fill it in.
We butcher about 20 birds a year and I do not keep records.
Now if I was to raise just some chickens just for meat only, I would buy some rangers and raise them, which I have before.

Have had brahmas for 3 years now, though they grow slow as compared to other birds the other attributes as said before. I live Wisconsin, they are a tough bird and calm docile. The roosters (2 of them) do not chase my wife and daughter around trying to attack them. That part is really important. That is part of the reason I went to brahmas. Have had some nasty roosters.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I raise some Brahmas. Not pacifically for meat, but meat and eggs. We also have other types or variety of chickens.
Brahmas are very easy going, tough, descent egg layers (we have the white brahma), dont deal with the broodiness like the austrolorps. The down side I see is they are very slow growing.
We here hatch our own eggs and so we have some mixed varieties, but the Brahma roosters are the breeder.
Our chickens here is a hobby, we sell some eggs, sell some chickens, chicks and butcher some chickens. Our hobby is not a break even deal, but with what we sell and use it is not real expensive. Summer time about pays for itself.
Brahmas were used as a meat bird years ago, 1850 early 1900. The hybrids came in and took over. Years ago from a article I read Brahma roosters could become quite large.16 to 18 pounds. The size over the years has kinda been bread out of them.
Seems to me I read Brahma can get quite large at first in growth, but takes time to fill in the meat. In other words they build the frame then fill it in.
We butcher about 20 birds a year and I do not keep records.
Now if I was to raise just some chickens just for meat only, I would buy some rangers and raise them, which I have before.

Have had brahmas for 3 years now, though they grow slow as compared to other birds the other attributes as said before. I live Wisconsin, they are a tough bird and calm docile. The roosters (2 of them) do not chase my wife and daughter around trying to attack them. That part is really important. That is part of the reason I went to brahmas. Have had some nasty roosters.

Thank you your response is exactly what I was looking for! Yes our current Faverolle rooster while he doesn't bother me, he hates any males of any species which is problematic. Not so much for my 6' husband, but my two boys are only 4 and 5 years old. The rooster also attacked my sheltie (also male) which that dog wouldn't hurt a fly and the rooster definitely drew some blood.
I found a local breeder who has very large brahmas and I'm leaning towards putting the Faverolle in the crockpot and going to pick up a cockerel also possibly some more pullets. I'm fine with the slow growing I have time and the space. I really just want a nice calm docile and cold hardy flock that I can get some eggs from and that have enough meat on their bones to make it worth butchering.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I have Brahma (dark). VERY slow to grow, infrequent layers. All of my Brahma and part Brahma offspring **look** like my largest birds - but my scale says otherwise. I have plenty of physically smaller birds that weight more. Also, they are among my worst layers.

Its not just that they lay the smallest eggs (mostly medium) or that they lay the most infrequently (three days out of five), its that they take the longest to start producing - my hens were over seven months (of, 28+ weeks, six 1/2 months) before the first of them started laying, the last was laying by the end of week 31.

Were it not for their pattern, I would have already removed them from my culling project.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I have Brahma (dark). VERY slow to grow, infrequent layers. All of my Brahma and part Brahma offspring **look** like my largest birds - but my scale says otherwise. I have plenty of physically smaller birds that weight more. Also, they are among my worst layers.

Its not just that they lay the smallest eggs (mostly medium) or that they lay the most infrequently (three days out of five), its that they take the longest to start producing - my hens were over seven months (of, 28+ weeks, six 1/2 months) before the first of them started laying, the last was laying by the end of week 31.

Were it not for their pattern, I would have already removed them from my culling project.

All very good points!

 

[TOR]

When I did my research if I remember The White Brahma is a better egg layer than the dark. I have not confirmed that because I do not have any dark brahmas. Brahmas are not the best egg layers. Brahmas can take a year before they start to lay. Brahmas are big so they eat more feed.
There is definitely cons to having them.
I have a mixed flock, some of my birds are egg layers.
I have 6 brahmas. I do like them despite the downsides as for reasons mentioned.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

When I did my research if I remember The White Brahma is a better egg layer than the dark. I have not confirmed that because I do not have any dark brahmas. Brahmas are not the best egg layers. Brahmas can take a year before they start to lay. Brahmas are big so they eat more feed.
There is definitely cons to having them.
I have a mixed flock, some of my birds are egg layers.
I have 6 brahmas. I do like them despite the downsides as for reasons mentioned.

When I got back into chickens I bought a pullet or two of most of the major dual purpose breeds to see which ones were my favorites and how they did egg and size wise. I definitely do love the brahmas, but I also really like my Orpington, Maran and Sussex. Maybe I'll switch to a brahma rooster and then add some more Orpingtons, Maran and Sussex pullets for a duel meat/egg mix. The other breeds either didn't fare as well, not as big or just not the temperament I'm looking for. They're now 8 months and I'm about to re-weigh everyone to see which ended up being the heaviest. Worst case scenario I need to adjust again and have to sell of or butcher a few.