Brahma Breeders thread

[OleMissChic]

I don't think there is a reference anywhere. I seem to recall reading somewhere that most size and stature traits are a combination of several different genes. For instance, topline may be influenced by back length, hip width, underbody muscles, tail feather length, etc. Determining the outcome of all of those genes against the absence of all of those genes would be a mind numbing task.

Best bet, breed the best overall bird to the best overall bird and cull heavily (as Big Medicine reminds me often!). Most of the time there isn't an easy fix for what seems like a small problem, it involves years of breeding the best to the best.

There is a saying among old breeders, " You will get what you will tolerate " , Which I take to mean if you use a bird with a less than stellar feature in your breeding pen, don't be surprised if a lot of your chicks have it too.

Thank you both.

 

[brahmapapa]

i have a general question that I hope will yield the best answers from you pros. I have been looking for Dark Brahma LF show quality starter chicks. having looked as much as I can, I wound up looking at Strombergs {show quality) Dark Brahmas. $9.80 each, min order 25....my question is does anyone know who is their show stock breeder, is it a safe bet that out of 25 I should be able to cull down to a few hens and a pair of roosters to try to improve. Is this a worthy gamble as I really want good quality birds. Can anyone express a downside here. thanks in advance for any input...Tom

 

[ocap]

i have a general question that I hope will yield the best answers from you pros. I have been looking for Dark Brahma LF show quality starter chicks. having looked as much as I can, I wound up looking at Strombergs {show quality) Dark Brahmas. $9.80 each, min order 25....my question is does anyone know who is their show stock breeder, is it a safe bet that out of 25 I should be able to cull down to a few hens and a pair of roosters to try to improve. Is this a worthy gamble as I really want good quality birds. Can anyone express a downside here. thanks in advance for any input...Tom

rumor that this breeder provides Stromberg:
http://standardbreedpoultry.com/breeder/Duane UrchUrch-Turnland Poultry/190
someone else might know for sure.

I do not know the answers to your other questions either.

 

[bumpercarr]

rumor that this breeder provides Stromberg:
http://standardbreedpoultry.com/breeder/Duane UrchUrch-Turnland Poultry/190
someone else might know for sure.

I do not know the answers to your other questions either.

I've heard the same rumor. This is what I know. I know someone that bought some "show quality" hatching eggs (not brahma...I don't remember what breed) from Strombergs last year. They waited 4 months for them. When they arrived, they were poorly packaged but none broke. And none hatched or even started. So, I don't know anything from either personal experience or even second hand experience about the "show quality" brahmas. I would be skeptical though.

Look on the American Brahma Club website, join the facebook page. If you are patient, you will find someone with LF dark eggs that are show quality breeding. Understand, it may take up to 100 chicks for you to find a few show quality birds out of the bunch.

 

[bumpercarr]

BTW, for $250.00, you can probably find a good breeding pair.

 

[bumpercarr]

Best bet for LF darks is going to be Alan Feagley (California) and Diana Delaney (Michigan). I don't think either of them sell chicks or eggs, you'd probably have to go to a show to pick up a pair or trio from them.

 

[big medicine]

Of all the breeders mentioned so far I believe the Delaney birds are the only ones I have seen live and in person. They were as good looking darks as I've seen since back when Barb Piper was breeding them.


If you go on the American Brahma Club webpage and look around a bit, you can find her contact info. They travel to shows in my area, but don't know how far East they get. I would get a hold of her and see what she is carrying now, or will likely have in the fall, and see what shows they plan on attending. If your paths aren't likely to cross, you might look into any breeders from your general area that might be attending any of the same shows who might help you out.

 

[bumpercarr]

I have both Feagley and Delaney darks. Diane's are big, bold birds with large heads, nice long backs and are wonderfully wide everywhere. So far (I'm still experimenting with them) they seem to grow quickly, but sexually mature at a slower rate. The Feagley birds are much more refined, they have great toplines, good but not great heads but really nice combs and wattles. They grow slowly but sexually mature at about 8 months. So at 9 months, mine are still a little on the smaller side from where I'd like to see them. My plan is to cross the two lines and see what I get from them this spring/summer. Both sets need some work on the pattern, but I'm not as worried about that as the type. If I make it to Ohio this fall, I will probably bring a Feagley trio that I have provided that they continue to fill out and make the size that they should and the stars align correctly. I'm also putting the Feagley male over some partridge females to see if I can't refine their look.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth.

 

[brahmapapa]

Of all the breeders mentioned so far I believe the Delaney birds are the only ones I have seen live and in person. They were as good looking darks as I've seen since back when Barb Piper was breeding them.


If you go on the American Brahma Club webpage and look around a bit, you can find her contact info. They travel to shows in my area, but don't know how far East they get. I would get a hold of her and see what she is carrying now, or will likely have in the fall, and see what shows they plan on attending. If your paths aren't likely to cross, you might look into any breeders from your general area that might be attending any of the same shows who might help you out.

thanks for the heads up, really appreciate the info

 

[brahmapapa]

I have both Feagley and Delaney darks. Diane's are big, bold birds with large heads, nice long backs and are wonderfully wide everywhere. So far (I'm still experimenting with them) they seem to grow quickly, but sexually mature at a slower rate. The Feagley birds are much more refined, they have great toplines, good but not great heads but really nice combs and wattles. They grow slowly but sexually mature at about 8 months. So at 9 months, mine are still a little on the smaller side from where I'd like to see them. My plan is to cross the two lines and see what I get from them this spring/summer. Both sets need some work on the pattern, but I'm not as worried about that as the type. If I make it to Ohio this fall, I will probably bring a Feagley trio that I have provided that they continue to fill out and make the size that they should and the stars align correctly. I'm also putting the Feagley male over some partridge females to see if I can't refine their look.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth.

thanks for the helping hand