Backyard Brahmas!!

[Huntress78]

From the last pic it looks like a pullet to me. Please keep us updated and let me know if I'm right or wrong.

 

[3KillerBs]

Thank you.

The combs on the Big Red Boys (hatchery RIR? Production Red?), are much more pronounced, but since these are my first chickens I didn't know what to expect from a Brahma. The Dark girls have hardly any comb at all -- but they're smaller too.

I badly wanted a Light Brahma and a Dark Brahma in my first hens. I love their feathered feet, stately posture, and dinosaur-like heads. This pullet is hands down the most beautiful of my chicks.

 

[Vickis Girls]

My three hatchery Brahma's are five weeks old and out in the coop/run. They're so much happier than in the brooder. Yesterday I managed to get one egg to hatch. The most beautiful little thing I ever saw. Either a Gold or Blue Partridge. I've divided off the coop so that each section has it's own pop door and run. In a month I'll put this little wonder in his own section until they're closer to the same size. Here's my question:The divider I made is a wooden frame with 1 inch chicken wire. Will it be better for them to see each other that way, or should I put some cardboard up too? Also does anyone have any ideas for entertaining this sweet little guy? Right now he just wants to sleep, but in a few days he's going to be lonely. People are teasing me about getting a front pack for him, and I thought I'd ask for your ideas before I decide the pack might be an option. Lol.
By the way, my Daughter, Granddaughter, and I were all lucky enough to stand by the little Brinsea yesterday to see this little guy hatch. I've never seen anything more awesome.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

Seeing each other is the key to an easy introduction so I would leave your dividers as is. As far as company a mirror and a stuffed animal or old mop head work well.

 

[Huntress78]

Congratulations on the new arrival! That's pretty neat that your family was there with you for the hatching.

I agree with Bird Lady that they should be able to see each other. I always seem to have trouble with chicks getting their heads stuck in chicken wire though so you might want to consider hardware cloth instead. Last winter I made a bunch of panels for moveable chick pens and covered them all in chicken wire. I can't tell you how many heads I've had to pop back through when they panic and run into the wire or are going after a tasty morsel on the other side.

For the first few days I roll up a towel (hand towel if it's only a few chicks), form it into a horseshoe shape and put it under the lamp in the brooder. They either snuggle up in it or sit on top to get closer to the heat.

 

[Vickis Girls]

Huntress,thanks for the great ideas. I was wondering about the chicken wire. That's good advice which I will follow. I'm doing the hand towel thing now, except it's a piece of robe fleece. The little guy loves to stuff his face in it. I'll run to the store tomorrow to find a mirror. I hate to leave him home alone.

Bird lady, that string mop is the best idea! I've noticed when I'm holding him he tries to get in my hair, so that should comfort him really well.
I haven't told you lately how thankful I am that you started this thread. There are so many good people who frequent these pages, and I never feel like my questions are stupid. So once again, Thank you! I love it here!

 

[CarolinaHen]

Bird lady, ....
I haven't told you lately how thankful I am that you started this thread. There are so many good people who frequent these pages, and I never feel like my questions are stupid. So once again, Thank you! I love it here!

X10,000

 

[3KillerBs]

Rosemary, the Light Brahma, is the largest of my 5-week-old chicks from Ideal -- as tall as the Big Red Boys and more solidly-built. If Brahmas are supposed to be slow-growing and late maturing I imagine that she's going to be huge.

She's not as friendly as Noodle, the smaller of the two Dark Brahmas, but she's getting more accepting of being petted. I expect that she's going to be boss hen -- she gave Vinnie, the largest of the Big Red Boys, a walloping when he tried to push her out of a patch of dirt they both found interesting. And she is always the first to jump down out of the coop into the dirt when I have the cleanout door open.

I still need a name for the larger of the Dark Brahmas. She's shyer than the other two Brahmas, though not as standoffish as the Australorp, and absolutely lovely. I'm going with all food names if anyone has any ideas.

 

[Huntress78]

I like 'Noodle'....cute name!

There are a lot of food names...Peach, Scampi, Pepper. Or you could go the junk food route...Frito or Twinkie!!

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm starting to worry that Rosemary might be a cockerel instead of a pullet. And she's my only Light Brahma. I ordered 2 -- just in case -- but got another of the Big Red Boys instead of the second light Brahma.