Backyard Brahmas!!

[Junibutt]

Why do you have to get rid of two of them?

I would love to keep them all. But chicken math has had me collect 21 chicken and chicks (and I live in Chicago) so am trying to cut down to 2 per breed if possible.

 

[bumpercarr]

I would love to keep them all. But chicken math has had me collect 21 chicken and chicks (and I live in Chicago) so am trying to cut down to 2 per breed if possible.

What are you trying to do? Are you wanting to breed and hatch, or have pretty birds, eggs only or some other end game? You should probably make your selections of who to keep based on what your goal is? I know that is hard and that darned chicken math gets in the way of making sensible decisions, I frequently have the same problem.....like going to pick up some chicks and ending up bringing back chicks, juveniles and even adult birds. That's why I take a multitude of cages and boxes, when the chicken math gets in the way I don't have to hold back!

 

[Junibutt]

What are you trying to do? Are you wanting to breed and hatch, or have pretty birds, eggs only or some other end game? You should probably make your selections of who to keep based on what your goal is? I know that is hard and that darned chicken math gets in the way of making sensible decisions, I frequently have the same problem.....like going to pick up some chicks and ending up bringing back chicks, juveniles and even adult birds. That's why I take a multitude of cages and boxes, when the chicken math gets in the way I don't have to hold back!

Ideally, I want to keep 2 pullets, however I love the cockerel Chewie and my kids love him too. I just wan't some nice well mannered birds but they must be as close true to breed if possible. These are not from a breeder so I know my limitations so will make the best out of the situation. Also I do not like hens that don't lay (except when they are broody).

So if I decide to keep the cockerel, I must have best of the 3 pullets. There are lots of unknowns at 11 weeks but will again make the best of the situation.

Similarly, I have a Trio of Crested Cream Legbars who are 8 and half weeks old and then 2 girls that are 11 days old but with their broody mama. I wanted to keep the Trio and give away the ones with the broody and replace the with Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chicks, but she refused to take them. (I gave them to her an hr before dawn, but as soon as the some rose, she promptly left them behind in the nest and would not let them near her). So now I will probably keep the cockerel from the Trio. I do want to breed the Legbars because of the interesting and unknown situations resulting from the breed being new to USA. And by breeding I mean just for myself, not for sale.

My adult hens except one are grandfathered in. Kids won't let me give away of the 4. Fifth one they can possibly live with.
These include the broody-KoKo who is an Australorp
Marcy the ISA Brown who has laid 327 eggs so far and still has 35 days left in the year.
Tree-Trunks the RIR who is just plain pretty and fearless and kids favorite although she only lays a medium sized egg 5 days a week
Flyer- A Bantam Leghorn x Wyandotte mix is also being kept because of her incredible flying abilities
Rosie-the ISA Brown is the only one I can convince the kids to give away.

Then the broody also has 1 Wheaten EE mix which we are keeping unless it turns out to be a cockerel.
The six BLRW chicks I got to transplant to the broody now have to be brooded for 6 weeks to eliminate the cockerels and then keep 1 blue and 1 splash out of them.

So in the end we need to bring it down to 11 or 12 (if the EE is a pullet) by the end of July.

Of course there are lots of hole and heartaches involved. So for the moment Brahmas are the first to go because a) they are the oldest of the chicks and then I have someone who wants two pullets.

 

[carcar80]

Hey guys, on our way home from the beach and I hear my broody girl "hasn't moved" since we left. I'm so proud of her! Two days to go.. Looks like I need to make plans for babies, lol.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

Hey guys, on our way home from the beach and I hear my broody girl "hasn't moved" since we left. I'm so proud of her! Two days to go.. Looks like I need to make plans for babies, lol.

Congrats!! hope it goes good

 

[bumpercarr]

So, now that I've started my flock over (pretty much) I want to make sure that I don't have any Vulture Hock carriers in the group. From what I understand, if I breed a vulture hocked bird to a carrier (v/v x V/v) I would get 50% v/v or vulture hocked offspring. Does anyone know if that is correct? I think this is maybe the best way to try to see if the recessive gene is in any of the birds, does anyone else have any thoughts?

 

[ChickAdee317]

I got my first 2 brahmas in February and fell in love! They are like dogs but better. They run to see me....but walk away if I try to pet them one male one female gentle giants.....I love them ....about to google about broodiness or egg laying....my male is mating females but not his female maybe she wont be ready for a while.....

 

[carcar80]

Guys!! Guess who has a pip!!!!

(At least one.. I stopped feeling around once I felt it)

 

[cabinchicky]

Congrats Car car!

 

[carcar80]

And look at meeee!!