Backyard Brahmas!!

[SD Bird Lady]

It is easiest to tell the slow feathering at about a week old, at least IMO. When they are little the girls will be sprouting wing and tail feathers in the first week and the boys will just have fluffy butts for about the first 2 or 3. But, post some pictures b/c I am thinking you have a late bloomer which are usually male as well. "late bloomers" just feather even slower than the average male I have found.

 

[rookiefarmers]

My dark Brahma trio, 2 roos and a pullet, one roo was textbook. Late feathering, no tail feathers, no penciling. My pullet and my second roo looked the exact same until suddenly at 5 weeks my roo (who was pencilled and had TONS of long tail and wing feathers) started sprouting solid black and white feathers. Sure enough, now at 10 weeks he is a beautiful Brahma roo. My other roo STILL has no real tail feathers, and finally feathered across his shoulders at about 8-9 weeks. He was awkward looking for sure. Its so weird how even in the same breed, from the same hatch, they can be so different.

 

[CarolinaHen]

Yay for Backyard Brahmas! We just added 9 darks to our flock. DH got them for me for Mother's Day. Even though we didn't get them from a hatchery, but rather an auction/swap can we still play here?

 

[SD Bird Lady]

Yay for Backyard Brahmas! We just added 9 darks to our flock. DH got them for me for Mother's Day. Even though we didn't get them from a hatchery, but rather an auction/swap can we still play here?

Of course....we are all about playing nice and bragging about our birds. All this talk of Darks makes me feel like I am missing out.

 

[CarolinaHen]

So here are my new chicks. These are my first Brahmas, so what's the deal with the variation in color?

Could they be mixes?

 

[SD Bird Lady]

So here are my new chicks. These are my first Brahmas, so what's the deal with the variation in color?


Could they be mixes?

They are cuties but i don't know anything about Darks so hopefully someone else can help there.

However, by my limited experience with feathering, relating to gender, you have 4 boys, 4 girls and a maybe bottom middle (hidden by other chick). This isn't fool proof but a good guideline like rookie farmer said there are exceptions to every "rule".

 

[CarolinaHen]

I agree with you on the feathering. I think there are five pullets and four cockerels. I have feather sexed them at a few days old and marked the suspected cockerels with zip ties on their legs. So far the suspected pullets are feathering in much faster than the suspected cockerels. I'm hoping feather sexing works with these guys because it would be great info when I start hatching their chicks

 

[mtcluckers]

I finally got a few photos since the rain stopped for a bit- but Im having trouble getting them to upload. I tried uploading to a post and to my profile....any suggestions? Thank you!

 

[SD Bird Lady]

I finally got a few photos since the rain stopped for a bit- but Im having trouble getting them to upload. I tried uploading to a post and to my profile....any suggestions? Thank you!

Sometimes when you are new it is finicky. Try posting a few different places and try again. It takes forever to upload just FYI.

 

[Huntress78]

Welcome Mtcluckers! I'm not sure but you might have to have 10 posts before you can post a pic.