Brahma Breeders thread

[HaileysHenHouse]

I live in Ontario

 

[cvamoca]

Did you try Beamers Poultry? He raises largefowl Light and Dark, and bantam all varieties I believe.

 

[HaileysHenHouse]

Thanks I will! Your the first one who has acctully lead me to a good website so far I have hit other responses on my threds but some came to a clueless end! Thanks so much if you know any other websites that sell polishes Millie fluers or sebrights that would help too!

 

[cvamoca]

I'd be happy if someone could answer MY question now...
I'm in NS, so not really sure where other breeders are, as I don't have any of the breeds you've mentioned. Sebrights are tough to raise and keep alive, as they are very succeptible to Marek's.
In New Brunswick, Vance Foreman may be someone to try for D'uccles, he's the only one I know right off hand.

 

[curious chickee]

There are lots of good buff bantams all over Canada--it's finding good Standards that is the trouble. What province are you in? I have Standard Buffs--not show quality because they are too red, but I just had a humungous hatch of 30 Buff chicks--I'm over the moon--in my old reliable Hovabator--I have 30 chicks, 3 still pipping--one didn't turn and is the only loss so far, as it drowned at draw-down. A surprise pure white chick--I mean white, almost like an albino--I've never had a white downed chick even from my white hens---can only have come from my old Araucanas, yet--I set no green or blue eggs so it is a complete and utter mystery. Came from one of 5 mixed pullets in with the Brahmas. And a cool looking Silkie--almost looks wheaton, and one Welsummer-I'd hoped it was a Buckeye egg, but it was my Welsummer. I can't keep 30 chicks in Mar....so is there any way I can sex the Buffs from their body colour? I ask because when I got my Brahma chicks last year--he gave me a mix of 7 darker downed, 7 lighter downed chick--and they split exactly into 7 males and 7 females. So--could it be that easy? Here above are some of my hens and roosters. The big male is likely the father of most.

I just started breeding, but from my understanding down is not indicator of gender but sometimes you can tell from size of head

 

[big medicine]

I just started breeding, but from my understanding down is not indicator of gender but sometimes you can tell from size of head

I have heard the theory floated that in well bred Brahmas of the columbian pattern (lights and buffs) being that good dark slate undercolor is easier to keep in the females of these varieties, that these dark backed chicks down may not be an indication of pattern as in other varieties, but of undercolor. May be some merit to it.

 

[cvamoca]

I was just wishful thinking...
Went back and looked at pictures of the chicks I got last year to start this project, and I do recognize a couple of individuals--my littlest female and largest male...I guess I'll just have to go with my gut, chose the largest and hope I chose some of each.
Other breeds and colours I can down sex--so I hoped it would be the same with Buff Brahmas.

 

[cvamoca]

I have heard the theory floated that in well bred Brahmas of the columbian pattern (lights and buffs) being that good dark slate undercolor is easier to keep in the females of these varieties, that these dark backed chicks down may not be an indication of pattern as in other varieties, but of undercolor. May be some merit to it.

I love these birds and I think there is hope that I can at least make my flock better--I have heard it is next to impossible to find "good" Standard Buff Brahmas, at least in Canada. They just aren't. Too much red in the males wings, lack of enough black in the saddle...narrow heads...so I'm hoping to get type right before I worry totally about colour. The adults aren't quite a year old, and I've seen some decent growth from them this winter, but I can't fix the colour.
2 of the pullets are quite light in shade, but have nice leg and foot feathering. The larger ones have so-so foot and leg feathering, not as well feathered or thick. I'm thinking in order to get better saddle feather colour out of the males, I need to use over coloured females?

 

[big medicine]

Knew a fellow who bred very good buff and light large fowl. He was showing me a breeding pen of buffs. The male in this pen had little to no color in the saddle feathers, this was to produce nice clean backed pullets. Sounds like your theory should work in reverse.

 

[HaileysHenHouse]

I'd be happy if someone could answer MY question now...  
I'm in NS, so not really sure where other breeders are, as I don't have any of the breeds you've mentioned. Sebrights are tough to raise and keep alive, as they are very succeptible to Marek's.
In New Brunswick, Vance Foreman may be someone to try for D'uccles, he's the only one I know right off hand.

What were your questions