Backyard Brahmas!!

[bumpercarr]

Based on what I have read, Brahmas mature very slowly, however one of the two pullets I have (they are 12.5 weeks), has a red face and wattles most of the day. I am saying most of the day because sometime when I check her in the morning, its pink just like the other pullet. What could be going on? Hormonal surges? or maybe she is not a pullet after all? She looks like a pullet from every other aspect. This is her picture from 10 days ago followed by her sister's pic. Even in this pic, she had slightly darker pink on her face.

They both look like pullets to me. Probably just hormonal changes. Mine usually start laying somewhere between 16-20 weeks. Not always though.

 

[carcar80]

I opened the nesting box today just as my only laying Brahma (the other is broody, remember) laid her egg. I closed the door back and went to dump feed into the feeder. Big Boy of course went to courting and calling but his lady didn't come out. I didn't think much of it. Opened the door to get the egg and she trilled at me.. Egg was now under her breast.. Still ignored it.

Came home just now and checked in on my broody girl... And now I have TWO.

Which means I'll be getting ZERO partridge eggs right here as I'm TRYING to build my flock.

 

[ChickAdee317]

I read brahmas might not lay up to a year....is that true

 

[Sjisty]

I read brahmas might not lay up to a year....is that true

My girls start laying at around 9 months.

 

[Junibutt]

They both look like pullets to me. Probably just hormonal changes. Mine usually start laying somewhere between 16-20 weeks. Not always though.

So does laying early mean not good quality?

 

[ChickAdee317]

And by then it will be winter!

 

[aart]

Based on what I have read, Brahmas mature very slowly, however one of the two pullets I have (they are 12.5 weeks), has a red face and wattles most of the day. I am saying most of the day because sometime when I check her in the morning, its pink just like the other pullet. What could be going on? Hormonal surges? or maybe she is not a pullet after all? She looks like a pullet from every other aspect. This is her picture from 10 days ago followed by her sister's pic. Even in this pic, she had slightly darker pink on her face.

I've noticed some of my cockerels and pullets combs and wattles will redden up temporarily if they are agitated or very active, then they pink back out again.

 

[carcar80]

Yep my guys' faces change shades too!

 

[big medicine]

So does laying early mean not good quality?

I would speculate that the early layer will mature to a smaller finished adult size. Not necessarily a indication of poor quality, but that the bird in question will not mature to show bird size. But probably.

 

[bumpercarr]

I would speculate that the early layer will mature to a smaller finished adult size. Not necessarily a indication of poor quality, but that the bird in question will not mature to show bird size. But probably.

I never got my pullets that laid at about 5 months to full maturity, but at 11 months, they weighed in at about 8 lbs. Probably were not going to be huge hens, but would have been the standard weight. The egg quality was good....the first ones were small, but they started to get bigger before I lost them. I hatched out some chicks from them, but again, never got them to adulthood to see if they would have made the grade.

Since now I have an entirely different line, it will be interesting to see when these start to lay and the size of their eggs. Hoping that it will be before December, I'd like to get my vulture hock project done fairly quickly so I have something to breed (maybe) next spring.

I have a 3 month old cockerel left from the latest losses, he was trying to mount the 2 month old pullets so I had to separate him out. That is way, way early. I've never seen one try to do the dirty so young before. Maybe it was because they were new birds in his pen and he was just trying to show dominance. He didn't try to do it in front of the 15 month old cock bird though..probably wouldn't have been a good idea.