Brahma Breeders thread

[Lemac]

Hi ! Im from Vietnam
I have some brahma chickens , but not sure they are purebred or not ?
Now 6 month old , the boy still haven't crow .

 

[snowbird]

Hi ! Im from Vietnam
I have some brahma chickens , but not sure they are purebred or not ?
Now 6 month old , the boy still haven't crow .

Hi, From the pictures they look to be pure.

 

[marnette]

Where did the eggs come from? Good luck, let us know how it goes.

A friend of mine (lives a couple hours away) sent them to me. There doesn't seem to be anyone close to me (Western NC) that has any. I am not sure of the line that he has, but they are beauties.

 

[DesertBrahma]

I'm a new owner of Dark Brahmas and have some questions if anyone could answer them please. I got 6 1 day old chicks back in March. I still have 5 of the 6 since I think a hawk got 1 of the 3 hens. My chickies are beautiful. They are gentle, curious, and talkers. I know mine are hatchery babies. How do I tell which roo baby is the dominant? When do will I know my 2 girls are going to start laying eggs? Mine are huge but not as big as some I've seen. How do I decide which boy to keep and which 2 to send to the freezer? Also should I have them on a grower/finisher feed, or a starter/grower still? Mine free range in the backyard, and my compost heap. They also get a couple handfuls of scratch, and kitchen scraps when I toss them into the compost heap. They aren't shy, and mine don't mind the 100+ degree heat here. I do make sure they have plenty of fresh cool water, and hidy holes to get out of the hot sun. Also should I let 1 hen raise a brood so I can have more, or should I just order more? I am really liking the looks, and temperament of this breed. If I can get away with just letting a hen raise some more then I could have some nice Dark Brahmas that are accustomed to this environment. Any help on how to raise these right would help. Thank you, and sorry for stealing the thread.

 

[bumpercarr]

I'm a new owner of Dark Brahmas and have some questions if anyone could answer them please. I got 6 1 day old chicks back in March. I still have 5 of the 6 since I think a hawk got 1 of the 3 hens. My chickies are beautiful. They are gentle, curious, and talkers. I know mine are hatchery babies. How do I tell which roo baby is the dominant? When do will I know my 2 girls are going to start laying eggs? Mine are huge but not as big as some I've seen. How do I decide which boy to keep and which 2 to send to the freezer? Also should I have them on a grower/finisher feed, or a starter/grower still? Mine free range in the backyard, and my compost heap. They also get a couple handfuls of scratch, and kitchen scraps when I toss them into the compost heap. They aren't shy, and mine don't mind the 100+ degree heat here. I do make sure they have plenty of fresh cool water, and hidy holes to get out of the hot sun. Also should I let 1 hen raise a brood so I can have more, or should I just order more? I am really liking the looks, and temperament of this breed. If I can get away with just letting a hen raise some more then I could have some nice Dark Brahmas that are accustomed to this environment. Any help on how to raise these right would help. Thank you, and sorry for stealing the thread.

You're in New Mexico too! I didn't think there were any other brahma owners out here! Anyway, mine are really having a hard time with the heat. Where are you located?

Hard to say which ones to keep and which ones to put into the freezer. Usually I try to wait until they are 10-12 months old before I decide.

 

[DesertBrahma]

I'm in the Tularosa Basin area. Where are you located? I really didn't know anything about them until I got these little, well now not so little chickies. When did yours start laying? Everything I know is just "general" info. I've been trying to find more info but it's practically none existent. 1 of my boys is still really pink faced while the other 2 are red. The other 2 are just a little different in size and only 1 crows and talks to the girls. The other 2 don't. I want to keep the biggest of the 3 boys. His name thanks to my 4 yr old is Zuma. He's also the nicest of the 3 boys. All 5 of mine look so scrawny. I know they're going to grow more but man. I know having them free range will slow down the fat growth and they will take longer to get to size. I have 2 big trees in the backyard, a covered porch, plus a covered coop with a sunshade over the run. I water my trees 3x a week so they have a really cool area to relax in the heat of the day, the coop I built on top of a concrete slab that had a metal cover already on it, and I have lots of space for air circulation around the top of the coop between the wall tops, and the metal top, plus I leave the door open for air circulation. I spray the yard, and run every morning to help with keeping it cooler. I don't give them scratch grain until evening, and they don't get it every day. I also have a water bowl under my trees that is refilled 2 x a day, and their other one in the coop gets washed and filled every morning. I put a tablespoon Raw Unfiltered ACV with the Mother in their water too. They love it. I don't do all these electrolyte solutions, and try my hardest to give them a more natural diet. There are times I'll freeze some kitchen scraps in a bowl of water then toss it to them during the heat of the day but that's only every week or 2. I've been going out there and sitting with them when I give them the scratch and they're very curious about me lol. I had Zuma, Madea, and Chickoletta trying to taste my pants, and ring. Mr Meany and Little Bit staid back some. None of these chickens have tried to have a go at my boys which is very good for their health lol. If they did we would be having 5 different chicken meals lol. I can't wait to find out more about how you have yours set up. Oh mine are from Privett Hatchery up in Portales. I don't know if that makes a difference on how they're reacting to the heat.

 

[bumpercarr]

I'm in the Tularosa Basin area. Where are you located? I really didn't know anything about them until I got these little, well now not so little chickies. When did yours start laying? Everything I know is just "general" info. I've been trying to find more info but it's practically none existent. 1 of my boys is still really pink faced while the other 2 are red. The other 2 are just a little different in size and only 1 crows and talks to the girls. The other 2 don't. I want to keep the biggest of the 3 boys. His name thanks to my 4 yr old is Zuma. He's also the nicest of the 3 boys. All 5 of mine look so scrawny. I know they're going to grow more but man. I know having them free range will slow down the fat growth and they will take longer to get to size. I have 2 big trees in the backyard, a covered porch, plus a covered coop with a sunshade over the run. I water my trees 3x a week so they have a really cool area to relax in the heat of the day, the coop I built on top of a concrete slab that had a metal cover already on it, and I have lots of space for air circulation around the top of the coop between the wall tops, and the metal top, plus I leave the door open for air circulation. I spray the yard, and run every morning to help with keeping it cooler. I don't give them scratch grain until evening, and they don't get it every day. I also have a water bowl under my trees that is refilled 2 x a day, and their other one in the coop gets washed and filled every morning. I put a tablespoon Raw Unfiltered ACV with the Mother in their water too. They love it. I don't do all these electrolyte solutions, and try my hardest to give them a more natural diet. There are times I'll freeze some kitchen scraps in a bowl of water then toss it to them during the heat of the day but that's only every week or 2. I've been going out there and sitting with them when I give them the scratch and they're very curious about me lol. I had Zuma, Madea, and Chickoletta trying to taste my pants, and ring. Mr Meany and Little Bit staid back some. None of these chickens have tried to have a go at my boys which is very good for their health lol. If they did we would be having 5 different chicken meals lol. I can't wait to find out more about how you have yours set up. Oh mine are from Privett Hatchery up in Portales. I don't know if that makes a difference on how they're reacting to the heat.

I live in Tularosa. I love to talk chickens, so if you ever want to head over this way, let me know.

Start laying at 8 mos more or less. When they crow is hormonal, some do early and some do later. Usually at about 8 mos also I notice the attempts at crowing. If you give them a handful of black oil sunflower seeds, it will help add fat.

Mine are mostly all hatched here at the house, so I don't think where they came from is the difference. But I think I may have found my "heat" problem. I can talk about that after I'm sure I've solved the problem.

Ask away, or you can come by and I'll try to answer as many questions as I can. I'm so excited that there is another brahma lover in the Tularosa area (although the basin is really large....you could be in Chaparrel....LOL).

 

[DesertBrahma]

Lol I'm across 54 from La Luz. I started mine off with raw unfiltered AVC after I got them to help boost their immune systems. I give it to my dog, cats, kiddos, and if I can hide the flavor to my husband lol. I usually do a half a teaspoon for them until they feathered in and I gave them the big waterers. I also coat them in FGDE every week. I don't do bugs on my animals lol. What do you feed your 20 week olds? Should I still give them starter/grower, or the grower/finisher? I want to make sure I'm feeding them right. I know too little/much protein can hurt them. Only 1 of my boys crows. He's the biggest, and dominant one. My biggest girl is already starting to do the egg song.

 

[BeachBumBiddies]

Anyone else trying their hand at some non standard colors? I have Gold Laced, BBS, Blue Partridge & am starting a project pen of (hopefully) Blue Laced Red. I would really love some Silver Laced & Buff Laced, but can't seem to find a good breeder. Maybe I will just have to make them myself.

 

[bumpercarr]

Lol I'm across 54 from La Luz. I started mine off with raw unfiltered AVC after I got them to help boost their immune systems. I give it to my dog, cats, kiddos, and if I can hide the flavor to my husband lol. I usually do a half a teaspoon for them until they feathered in and I gave them the big waterers. I also coat them in FGDE every week. I don't do bugs on my animals lol. What do you feed your 20 week olds? Should I still give them starter/grower, or the grower/finisher? I want to make sure I'm feeding them right. I know too little/much protein can hurt them. Only 1 of my boys crows. He's the biggest, and dominant one. My biggest girl is already starting to do the egg song

By 20 weeks I usually have them either on Purina Flock raiser or Nutrena Feather Fixer. I prefer the Feather Fixer, but it is hard to come by here. I leave them on the Feather Fixer for the rest of their lives (except when I can't get it, then I use Flock Raiser). I put out oyster shell free choice for calcium for the girls.