Backyard Brahmas!!

[Sjisty]

Yes, he has been a good king of his flock. He deserves his retirement. Samson is now the king.

 

[Huntress78]

That's Rocky's son!? No wonder he lost. Samson looks 'large and in charge'! Handsome guy!

 

[Huntress78]

I've been thinking a lot lately about keeping chickens in general and Brahmas, SQ vs hatchery, non-qualifying colors, culling, etc.

I was raised in a home where chickens were livestock. I did not realize that people kept them as pets. Everything in our home had to 'earn' it's feed...even the dogs hunted or guarded.

I started a Brahma flock because they are dual purpose birds...eggs and meat were my goal. It still is as I raise or hunt most of what I eat (hope no one hates me), but I could see raising another flock also...maybe SQ or a color project. My question is "What do you, who don't butcher, do with your culls?" The closest city to me is 40 miles...they have 2-3 swaps a year or there's Craig's I suppose but in either case there is no guarantee that the birds won't be butchered anyway. Do you specify that the birds are for pets/breeding and not eating?

 

[Sjisty]

That's Rocky's son!? No wonder he lost. Samson looks 'large and in charge'! Handsome guy!

Yup, he's about 17-ish pounds.

 

[Sjisty]

I've been thinking a lot lately about keeping chickens in general and Brahmas, SQ vs hatchery, non-qualifying colors, culling, etc.

I was raised in a home where chickens were livestock. I did not realize that people kept them as pets. Everything in our home had to 'earn' it's feed...even the dogs hunted or guarded.

I started a Brahma flock because they are dual purpose birds...eggs and meat were my goal. It still is as I raise or hunt most of what I eat (hope no one hates me), but I could see raising another flock also...maybe SQ or a color project. My question is "What do you, who don't butcher, do with your culls?" The closest city to me is 40 miles...they have 2-3 swaps a year or there's Craig's I suppose but in either case there is no guarantee that the birds won't be butchered anyway. Do you specify that the birds are for pets/breeding and not eating?

We take ours to swaps or advertise them on Craig's list. There is absolutely no way to know if they are butchered or not after they leave our care, but I understand that that's what chickens are for. I love chicken, too. It's just my choice to buy my chicken at the grocery store. If I have a roo that I really care about but he has to go, I put a price on him that no-one who just wants to butcher will pay. That way, my pets are somebody else's pets. I usually sell my big roos for anywhere from $25 to $40.

I recently gave some roos to someone who said they would be on the kitchen table that night. That's okay with me. I just asked them to be humane in the butchering.

 

[Vickis Girls]

Sjisty, I guess humane treatment is all you can hope for, but you're smart to put a price higher than the supermarket for sure. I somehow evolved into a vegetarian several years ago, without meaning to. It's surprising how many people can't understand why I would want chickens if I wasn't going to eat them. I'd love to have bought some of your gold partridge cross hatching eggs, but the thought of a half dozen roosters was terrifying.
Huntress, there's nothing wrong with putting unwanted roos in the freezer, or giving them up on Craigs list.
I think if I'm ever in that spot, I will either opt for C.L. or hope a few don't come back to the coop after free ranging. I've read that a free range bird is happier, even if they don't make it home. I've also read that 2-3 roos will sometimes fight off a coyote. I have almost 6 acres, and I'm pretty sure there are coyotes out back, but they'd be safe closer to the house. Mostly I worry about those red-tail hawks, so am putting a roof over the run.

 

[Sjisty]

Vickis Girls, the reason we have Brahmas is because of the red-tailed hawks. I actually watched a hawk land on the ground in front of where one of my hens, Big Bertha, was dust bathing. Bertha rose up, fluffed herself up to look huge, and started growling. The hawk left for easier prey. We keep the babies in grow-out pens until they are pretty much past the point that a hawk would take them. Sometimes, I let them out too early and have had a few close calls, but usually the hawks leave my adults alone. We have dozens of Cooper's hawks, but they just go after the babies, so now we even have covered runs reserved for broodies once their eggs hatch.

 

[Vickis Girls]

So you think even a hatchery chicken would be safe? I'm sure only a stupid hawk would dare to mess around with 17 lb. Samson, but that's really exciting that a smaller hen would be safe. That's partly the reason for my choice, too. Mostly it's because they're good-natured, but also because they're hardy. The pea comb was important, too, because living in the mountains, it's cold here, and I really don't want to grease a wattle or comb.

 

[Huntress78]

Vickis Girls I agree predators are bad news. I butchered over 70 birds last fall. They were all raised with the best of everything....friends and neighbors think I'm nuts for going overboard with my chicken's care. Because I knew they had a great life and an easy death it didn't bother me but the one hen I lost to a predator I still cry about. Crazy eh?

There is a swap on the 27th. I think I'll take some chicks and a couple roos and see what happens. The one roo looks a lot like Rocky and he is such a nice bird I would love to find him a good home.
I don't think there is a big market in this area for SQ Brahmas so I think I'll start another flock with 'colors'. Sjisty if you are selling eggs or have another auction would you let me know? Your birds are so nice I think their value as pets would be far greater than the best SQ so maybe it would be easier to find homes for them. That way I can have the best of both worlds...raise the Brahmas that I love and know that some will make people happy as pets.

I need to get to town for feed...have a good day all.

 

[Sjisty]

So you think even a hatchery chicken would be safe? I'm sure only a stupid hawk would dare to mess around with 17 lb. Samson, but that's really exciting that a smaller hen would be safe. That's partly the reason for my choice, too. Mostly it's because they're good-natured, but also because they're hardy. The pea comb was important, too, because living in the mountains, it's cold here, and I really don't want to grease a wattle or comb.

I don't know about your chickens. I guess it depends on the size of the chicken and the size of the hawk, not to mention how much other food is available for the hawk. We have had a hawk chase Chrissie, our little bantam chicken across the yard, on foot! Hubby threw something at the hawk and it gave up and left. I have had half-grown brahmas been killed by hawks in the past before we built the grow-out pen.