Brahma Breeders thread

[big medicine]

Out of the 3 cockerels I have I'm going to choose the largest one. He's huge compared to the other 2. Should I just keep going on that vein? I know they'll probably never be up to show quality. I'm looking for size wise. I read online that if you keep choosing the largest ones to breed in 4 generations you should have the right size chickens since hatchery stock is smaller.

I've got my doubts that 4 generations from hatchery stock will get you anywhere near the size breeders have been working on since, (or before) Brahmas were included in the first American Standard of Perfection in 1874.

I've gotten to feeling pretty good about the size of some of the birds in my various Brahma projects over the years, until I get to a large show and stand next to a row of top flight large fowl lights. Talk about a reality check.

As ocap and others have mentioned throughout these threads, you would be light years, and money, ahead in the long run by attaining quality stock from a top breeder.

I might advise you to work with what you have for the time being, to work out the bugs, learn some of the finer points of raising, breeding, hatching, managing a healthy flock while you cultivate some contacts and relationships with breeders, and save up for taking the next step. I know I have sold birds to people who would call back in a couple months wanting to know if I had any more I might part with. They really liked them, but had no idea a coon could squeeze through such a small space, or could tear through chicken wire, or so on. All things a person should learn with their practice birds before laying out the cash for good breeding stock.

 

[OleMissChic]

Everyone needs to join the APA for world of knowledge through their quarterly newsletters and their yearbook....if this is a breeder's thread, then everyone should be a member and be on the same page as the Standard of Perfection...it's worth the money.


Peace...bigz

Agreed. I've been a member for almost a year and I haven't seen a newsletter. I'll have to check their website and see if they have past issues, thanks for the heads up!

 

[bumpercarr]

I've got my doubts that 4 generations from hatchery stock will get you anywhere near the size breeders have been working on since, (or before) Brahmas were included in the first American Standard of Perfection in 1874.

I've gotten to feeling pretty good about the size of some of the birds in my various Brahma projects over the years, until I get to a large show and stand next to a row of top flight large fowl lights. Talk about a reality check.

As ocap and others have mentioned throughout these threads, you would be light years, and money, ahead in the long run by attaining quality stock from a top breeder.

I might advise you to work with what you have for the time being, to work out the bugs, learn some of the finer points of raising, breeding, hatching, managing a healthy flock while you cultivate some contacts and relationships with breeders, and save up for taking the next step. I know I have sold birds to people who would call back in a couple months wanting to know if I had any more I might part with. They really liked them, but had no idea a coon could squeeze through such a small space, or could tear through chicken wire, or so on. All things a person should learn with their practice birds before laying out the cash for good breeding stock.

Agreed. I spent a lot of $$$ and effort, only to lose my entire flock to a couple of neighborhood dogs last year. Although I was devastated (as anyone would be) it gave me the opportunity to start over with the very best stock that I could find.

I have found that joining the American Brahma Club has been the best money that I've spent so far. So much great advice and wonderful people who are willing to help you attain your goals with your birds. Also, I refer to the SOP several times a month....particularly at this time of year when I'm looking over the juveniles from this year's hatch to determine who I'm keeping and who needs to go. Reading and rereading the fine points that I'm looking for and asking a million questions of those who can help me figure out which breeders will give me great results.

Something to keep in mind, good breeders are not necessarily good show birds. Sometimes you want the breeders to have the characteristics that are more dominant than you would want in a show bird. For instance, a large cock bird that is bigger than the standard wouldn't be good for showing, but would be great for bringing in some consistent size in your flock. That is just one example, there are tons of other things to look for in your breeders that may be counterintuitive to what you are looking for in your show birds.

Keep in mind that most of the serious breeders are constantly inundated with people asking for their eggs, chicks, juveniles, etc. I found that the best way to get in contact with good breeders and to help them realize that you are serious about breeding is to make arrangements with them to meet at a show. Perhaps even arrange to buy a pair or trio from them at the show. Once you've met with them and have made a personal contact, they will notify you when they have birds available (or eggs or chicks) and usually give you priority over all of those other requests that they are getting.

Just my two cents worth.

 

[bigzio]

I agree.
I'm not an APA member because I'm in Canada, but we don't have a Canadian Association-- so I guess that's the place to start.
Thanks.

APA does some Canada shows as well as their National show.

bigz

 

[bigzio]

Agreed. I've been a member for almost a year and I haven't seen a newsletter. I'll have to check their website and see if they have past issues, thanks for the heads up!

Should be getting a Quarterly...give Pat Horstman a call....she will help you out... (724) 729-3459

bigz

 

[DesertBrahma]

And this is why I'm on here. I read something on the Internet and I have now found out it's false info.

 

[OleMissChic]

Should be getting a Quarterly...give Pat Horstman a call....she will help you out... (724) 729-3459

bigz

Thank you much!

 

[brahmapapa]

What are vulture hocks? I keep seeing people refer to vulture hocks but don't know what they are. My 5 hatchery chickens (2 pullets, and 3 cockerels ) are very healthy. They are huge and getting bigger. I I also got 2 from Bumpercarr that look better than the other 5. Theyou all look huge but under their feathers they're really scrawny. If my 5 hatchery chickens aren't up to participate I can always just use the pullets for eggs, and the cockerels can go in the freezer. I can't afford to have any chickens shipped to me from the East, and I've never hatched eggs. I've seen eggs for sale on ebay, and other websites but I would be scared to bring in a disease that would kill them too.

see the feathers extending rearward at the elbow of the leg, those are vulture hocks. i hope this is a help, and i hope that your birds do not have them. the standards in europe allows for vulture hocks. often when advertising chicks or hatching eggs the seller will identify as being european such as english bred etc. when you see that look close at the pics as they often have them. i have asked sellers if the birds have vulture hocks and been told no, only to buy eggs, hatch them and a few weeks later there they are as evident as can be, its a real disappointment when you invest time and money and get stuck like that. i hope this all helps

 

[DesertBrahma]

Thank you guys for awesome advice. Bumpercarr, if I take some pics of my 3 cockerels will you look at them and see what you think? If I have to so I have good size, and closer to SOP I will put all 3 in the freezer, and come begging you for 1 of your fazed out cockerels. All 4 of the pullets can stay. For now. I might faze out the 2 that are hatchery bred and start building from there. It may take me a while to get all this down pat but I will get it. I'm willing to learn, and take the knocks. I haven't seen the feathers like in the pic above on my chickens. If I do I will pull it from the flock. When I go back out this afternoon I'll work on getting some pics. I've incorporated all the suggestions of yours Bumpercarr. Now I need to start looking at all 7 of mine with a really critical eye. Now if I hatch my own chicks next year it will be a lot harder to "cull" them since I'll have a lot more invested in them emotionally, and physically, but I can do it. I've also decided to let my pullets hatch their eggs instead of incubating them. Right now I'm still anxiously waiting for my first egg. I believe it will be the end of September or October.

 

[big medicine]

Thank you guys for awesome advice. Bumpercarr, if I take some pics of my 3 cockerels will you look at them and see what you think? If I have to so I have good size, and closer to SOP I will put all 3 in the freezer, and come begging you for 1 of your fazed out cockerels. All 4 of the pullets can stay. For now. I might faze out the 2 that are hatchery bred and start building from there. It may take me a while to get all this down pat but I will get it. I'm willing to learn, and take the knocks. I haven't seen the feathers like in the pic above on my chickens. If I do I will pull it from the flock. When I go back out this afternoon I'll work on getting some pics. I've incorporated all the suggestions of yours Bumpercarr. Now I need to start looking at all 7 of mine with a really critical eye. Now if I hatch my own chicks next year it will be a lot harder to "cull" them since I'll have a lot more invested in them emotionally, and physically, but I can do it. I've also decided to let my pullets hatch their eggs instead of incubating them. Right now I'm still anxiously waiting for my first egg. I believe it will be the end of September or October.

I believe I might reconsider going the broody route, for a couple reasons.

You might be thinking your hen will find a secluded and secure place to hide/ start/ and incubate a setting of eggs. Rarely does it come off that way. Usually what happens is one will try to set up shop in a community nest box, the other girls will continue to lay in the same nest box. Often resulting in broken eggs and yoke smeared survivors. You will have to either barricade her off from the rest of the flock in that nest to keep them from continuing to dump eggs. Or move her to another secure nest site, which more times than not she will try to abandon to get back to the original nest site. Once you have a secure nest site you should replace all her eggs to insure they will all hatch at about the same time. Verses the staggered hatch with the additional later layed eggs, usually resulting in the hen leaving the nest when the first chicks hatch.

Another variable is you have to have a willing broody. No guarantee any will go broody, or worse, they all might. When a hen goes broody she quits laying. If your luck runs like mine, your best hen will be the first to go broody, taking her genes out of that round.

Waiting for a broody will usually result in less, and later season chicks, with all the early laid eggs going unincubated.

And lastly it has been my experience that large fowl Brahmas sometimes make less than ideal broodies. I suspect their size/weight may result in more broken eggs than might be expected with lighter breeds.