Backyard Brahmas!!

[big medicine]

He's growing out of his pterodactyl-ly phase. How cute!

But it looks like he has vulture hocks... ? Anyone else seeing this?
Vulture hocks are the hard feathers that look sorta like extra wings below the real ones.

Looks like it is showing a lot of comb as well.

 

[livininbrazil]

Hi All,

I recently had a Brahma Egg Stowaway with my English Opingtons eggs, then breeder send in error. He also breeds beautiful Brahmas (Dan Powell lines) this is my handsome Cockerel that I ended up with. Well, I think he's handsome. Not sure if he's "politically Correct" so if someone wants to pipe in and let me know what they think, I don't mind at all. He happens to be a heh"Birchen Brahma" it's my understanding that the color is still rare. (I'm going to make an attempt to post a picture of him) lol

Very handsome fellow.

 

[livininbrazil]

Yes! Thanks!! Most have at least some feathering on middle toes.. A couple have fairly thick. Does it get better as they mature or can you judge it based on hatch amount?

Ps I'm up to six now!

(this hatch will linger thru mid-week as I added a few days after initial set)..

I´ve found that mine keep the same amount. the really fluffy brahmas stay really fluffy, the mix-brahmas that I have here don´t have the same amount at hatch, and continue that way.

He's growing out of his pterodactyl-ly phase. How cute!

But it looks like he has vulture hocks... ? Anyone else seeing this?
Vulture hocks are the hard feathers that look sorta like extra wings below the real ones.

I don´t see vulture hocks, but then he´s black, so to get the black, maybe there´s the possibility of it. All mine have 'vulture hocks', and at that age they´re extremely obvious. Just to add, it´s not a fault in some places.

 

[livininbrazil]

Looks like it is showing a lot of comb as well.

I didn´t notice that...to do with developing the black, I suppose...
I have one like him that I keep with my egg-layers. He´s mostly Brahma, with Orpington in him.

 

[Hardemans]

Friends it appears that we did get a surprise. What we thought were Buff Brahma are Salmon Favorolle chickens. At least they are pullets.

Thanks for the advice.

The Hardemans

 

[HenHacienda]

I know what you mean. The same type of feathers that Breda Fowl have. I took a closer look and they're are alot of feathers but they are soft/fluffy feathering. Is that a no no for Brahma? Is there something wrong with his comb? He's only 3 months old and still has a lot of growing. He's still growing in his Birchen coloring.

 

[HenHacienda]

He's actually pure Birchen Brahma , the other eggs I hatched him with are pure English Orpington Spangle/Mottle, the Brahma egg happen to get caught up in my batch of English Orp eggs, when I saw he was born with feathers on his legs I contacted the breeder immediately --I knew he had to be a brahma, since thats the other breed he has. He just confirmed the coloring and said its a color he hadn't introduced yet.

 

[bumpercarr]

He's actually pure Birchen Brahma , the other eggs I hatched him with are pure English Orpington Spangle/Mottle, the Brahma egg happen to get caught up in my batch of English Orp eggs, when I saw he was born with feathers on his legs I contacted the breeder immediately --I knew he had to be a brahma, since thats the other breed he has. He just confirmed the coloring and said its a color he hadn't introduced yet.

I just don't know what a birchen brahma is? I've never seen one or even heard of anyone selling eggs/chicks/juveniles. I'll have to do some more research on the particulars. Brahmas are supposed to have pea combs, I think that is why there is a question about whether he is a brahma or not. The pea comb (rose comb too) is a dominant gene I think, so if he were a Brahma, he would almost have to have some type of pea comb. Since it looks like he has a straight comb, that brings up doubts about whether Brahma is the best choice for what to call him. There are some other breeds that have feathered feet, and I'm sure some that have a straight comb.

Although he still has a lot of growing to do, a pea comb (or not) is pretty evident by 4-6 weeks. It's one of the clues that I use to tell what sex my Brahmas are at that age, if the three rows of peas are beginning to show at that age, more than likely I have a cockerel. Pullets usually only show one row until they get a little older and close to laying (at least that is my experience).

I think the most important thing to remember is that there is no breed registry for chickens like for dogs (AKC) or horses (AQHA, AJC). So, there really is not purebred chicken, it is a matter of the chicken fitting the type of the breed. So keep in mind that it is sometimes difficult to determine exactly what breed a certain chick/juvenile/chicken should fit into. Fortunately, there are lots of folks on here that are very knowledgeable and will be able to help. Maybe posting in "What breed/gender am I" would be helpful as well.

 

[bumpercarr]

I know what you mean. The same type of feathers that Breda Fowl have. I took a closer look and they're are alot of feathers but they are soft/fluffy feathering. Is that a no no for Brahma? Is there something wrong with his comb? He's only 3 months old and still has a lot of growing. He's still growing in his Birchen coloring.

I got some pictures for you, they aren't very good it is almost dark because we are getting ready to get some rain (yeah!) so, hopefully they will give you the gist.

Pea comb on a 3 month old cockerel, tried to get one from the front but he wasn't cooperating. You can see the bumps and that the comb is close to the head:



Comb on a two month old pullet. Notice that she really doesn't have a comb yet, it is just beginning to develop:



Here is a picture of some pretty prominent vulture hocks on a 5-6 week old. Look around the hock for stiff feathers. His comb isn't really developing yet.



Hope this helps!

 

[livininbrazil]

I know what you mean. The same type of feathers that Breda Fowl have. I took a closer look and they're are alot of feathers but they are soft/fluffy feathering. Is that a no no for Brahma? Is there something wrong with his comb? He's only 3 months old and still has a lot of growing. He's still growing in his Birchen coloring.

If the feathers are soft, then that´s fine. His comb looks a bit tall for a Brahma.

He's actually pure Birchen Brahma , the other eggs I hatched him with are pure English Orpington Spangle/Mottle, the Brahma egg happen to get caught up in my batch of English Orp eggs, when I saw he was born with feathers on his legs I contacted the breeder immediately --I knew he had to be a brahma, since thats the other breed he has. He just confirmed the coloring and said its a color he hadn't introduced yet.

Brahmas come in Light, Dark and Buff. Those are the established colours. However, lots of folks are using other breeds to introduce other colours, including black and birchen, which are gorgeous, but often traits from the other breed shows up. Like in the comb, colouring, etc...(.Langshans are black, have slightly fluffy legs. Also cochins, very well used for colour introductions).
What colour of Brahma does the breeder have?
It did cross my mind if an Orpington cock could have got to a Brahma hen? He looks so much like my Brahma x Orp.
Strange the breeder hadn´t introduced this colour yet, yet there´s one live example. But he´s still very handsome.