Backyard Brahmas!!

[carcar80]

Thanks, I'm pretty happy with them so far.

 

[paintedChix]

Does anyone on here have the brahma bantams?

When do they mature/reach POL?

Do you butcher them or are they just pets?

 

[21hens-incharge]

I have not posted on here in a while. My Brahma have been laying for a while now and are still very cool to have in the flock.
We have been battling the mice as many others have been doing as well this fall.
The only issue I have come across with them is they are a bit to docile in my particular mixed flock. One of the Dark Brahma has been getting picked on by the Iowa Blue (think tiny chicken here). It seems the Iowa Blue find foot feathers interesting. I noticed blood on the roost so did some looking at feet to find Sarah had feathers missing and a bloody toe.
Adding some pick no more to todays shopping list. Hoping it will help.
The Brahma were hatched in late Feb this year and I was surprised to get eggs from them in August.
We are very happy with these enormous birds.
I will try to get some updated pics of them today.

 

[newmarch2014]

Anyone that got chicks this last March....are any of them still not laying or just barely laying? I am trying to figure out what is 'normal'. I don't think mine is yet laying (though it is a mystery in the coop that I am getting an egg that COULD be hers....but I have never ever seen her in the egg box, nor does she squat, nor is her face totally red. But I have a rooster so not sure she would squat for me (since the rooster matured none of my older hens squat for me any more). But the very ugly, mishapen, unevenly colored eggs could be one of my girls coming off a moult since I HAVE caught them in the egg box occassionally.

 

[swirler]

Anyone that got chicks this last March....are any of them still not laying or just barely laying? I am trying to figure out what is 'normal'. I don't think mine is yet laying (though it is a mystery in the coop that I am getting an egg that COULD be hers....but I have never ever seen her in the egg box, nor does she squat, nor is her face totally red. But I have a rooster so not sure she would squat for me (since the rooster matured none of my older hens squat for me any more). But the very ugly, mishapen, unevenly colored eggs could be one of my girls coming off a moult since I HAVE caught them in the egg box occassionally.

My Brahmas matured really late - I think they started laying around 10-11 months old. However I have a Brahma currently raising her third spring brood, so she must be four years old. I fully expect her to start laying again once these chicks have matured. These heritage breeds are very different from production breeds.

 

[tao chick]

Anyone that got chicks this last March....are any of them still not laying or just barely laying? I am trying to figure out what is 'normal'. I don't think mine is yet laying (though it is a mystery in the coop that I am getting an egg that COULD be hers....but I have never ever seen her in the egg box, nor does she squat, nor is her face totally red. But I have a rooster so not sure she would squat for me (since the rooster matured none of my older hens squat for me any more). But the very ugly, mishapen, unevenly colored eggs could be one of my girls coming off a moult since I HAVE caught them in the egg box occassionally.

My Brahmas ended up being boys, but despite they're size, one is still not red in the comb or developing cockerel tendencies like the other cockerels in their age group. All of my production birds from April and June hatch are laying. One of my older hens decided to start laying outside.

I think you might need to follow your pullet around. See if she's sneaking off.

 

[Blooie]

I have 4 Light Brahmas that were hatched in early March and 8 Buff Brahmas that were hatched the the first week in April. To my happy surprise, all of the Brahmas - except 2 Buffs - have been laying very well. The Lights stared in late September and the Buffs were right behind them in mid-to-late October. So I don't know if I got unusual birds or if that's about right. The eggs weren't the biggest to come out of the coop, but they have gotten larger as the time has passed. I don't do supplemental light in the coop but they are still laying despite our cold temps and short days - not unusual for the first year.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Mine were hatched in mid Feb. They were laying by the beginning of September. Now they are following along with taking winter off.
My old ladies must be a bad influence on them.

 

[sroy]

Do they get more talkative just before they start laying? I have 2 buff brahma pullets that were hatched May !0th. One of them is WAY louder than she used to be and her comb is getting redder lately too. She's always been a bit more chatty than the other. But I can hear her at the house now. lol

 

[tao chick]

Do they get more talkative just before they start laying? I have 2 buff brahma pullets that were hatched May !0th. One of them is WAY louder than she used to be and her comb is getting redder lately too. She's always been a bit more chatty than the other. But I can hear her at the house now. lol

I know my production mix was much louder when she was close to laying. She also announced every single egg from any hen for a while.