Brahma egg-laying

[dirtsaver]

We have two Buff Brahmas that were this Marchs hatch,and after watching them through the summer and fall we've found them to be even better personality-wise than our Australorps and Speckled Sussex. And to top it off,the one Brahma is the only chicken in a flock of 13 laying eggs regularly,the Welsumers and Sussex who are also 11 months old have quit all-together and we may get 1-2 eggs a week total from the 6 Australorps. I'll clarify that we have 2 Brahmas but only one lays regularly,one of them(one we call Blondie)suffered an accident in the grow-out coop when she was maybe 8-10 week old and is half the size of the other Brahma and has only laid a handful of eggs in her life. The Brahma that is laying gives us 3-4 eggs each week like clockwork!

I've read several places that Brahmas are great winter layers so my questions are...

#1 Do Brahmas lay equally as well in summertime as they are right now?

#2 Laying fewer eggs per week as compared to Australorps and other breeds, do Brahmas lay steady for 2 years...3 years or????

With the "strike" all the others are on right now we're thinking of an "all Buff Brahma" flock starting this spring if they are good summer layers as they lay in the winter!

Just to note, the 2 year old Australorps did molt this fall but they really have not layed since since August. The hens and pullets are healthy,get plenty of quality feed plus free-range and a few treats. Free-choice oyster shell is available,plenty of fresh water etc.

 

[critters]

Really can't answer any of your questions but did want to say my Brahams were my best layers
and have a great personality!! with 9 hens, only have a few still laying it seems,3-5 eggs a day , and I see
a brahma in the nesting box every few days.....

oh, and March hatches too!

 

[dirtsaver]

Quote:
We would love to see 3-5 eggs/day right now! Some days we might get 3 eggs but the norm for the last couple of months seems to be 1-2 eggs/day....from 13 chickens! And the Buff Brahma we call Speckles is in the nest every other day. You can mark your calendar by her! And you're spot-on about the personality! Speckles and Blondie are both the most laid back,easy going chickens.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I have many different breeds now, but my brahmas were my first. Though the chickens are my pets and my hobby, my DH does help me out with their care. He has made me promise that when I get more chicks in the spring I get only more brahmas. I have agreed. I love my brahma girls. Course I also love my lone white faced black spanish girl. I haven't told DH that I will be ordering a few of them with the brahmas. I will also be getting another brahma roo to replace the one I lost this past spring. He was a sweetheart.


Oh and I haven't told him about the turkey eggs either, but that's neither here nor there
.

 

[gritsar]

Keep in mind too, that brahmas are not considered to be full grown until the age of 2. They'll get to a year old and you'll think they are done growing and filling out, but they won't be.

 

[dirtsaver]

Quote:
I have many different breeds now, but my brahmas were my first. Though the chickens are my pets and my hobby, my DH does help me out with their care. He has made me promise that when I get more chicks in the spring I get only more brahmas. I have agreed. I love my brahma girls. Course I also love my lone white faced black spanish girl. I haven't told DH that I will be ordering a few of them with the brahmas. I will also be getting another brahma roo to replace the one I lost this past string. He was a sweetheart.


Oh and I haven't told him about the turkey eggs either, but that's neither here nor there
.

Gritsar the free-range area would have been better described as pastured I guess. At any rate,we do an "Easter egg hunt"nightly and other than the stray "dropped where they stand" egg there's never sign of other nesting. At least one of us does a nest-box check every day for broken shell pieces,sticky/discolored shavings and other signs of egg eating and that's all clear to.

I know all that's been said of "hatchery vs. breeder" chicken quality and yes,ours are all hatchery stock and the Aussies are 20 months old but gosh, the Speckled Sussex and Welsumers are 9-10 months old(same age as the Brahmas) so this is really driving us up the proverbial wall!

Thanks for the info on the Brahmas! It looks like an order for 25 Buff Brahmas with maybe a few dark Brahmas and a Buff cockeral or two will be placed with our supplier in the next week or so.

Thanks again gritsar!

Larry

 

[dbounds10]

I wish I had the same as you with my Brahmas. I have 2 Buff's as well and they are 9 months old. They only lay 2-3 times a week and neither of them will let me even get close to them. They are my least friendly of the 6 I have. They are so pretty and lay lovely eggs. I wish they were friendlier and layed more!

 

[gritsar]

dbounds10, I do have two brahmas - Sunny (buff) and Snowy (light) that would prefer I don't handle them. They have gotten friendlier as they have gotten older, but still are a bit standoffish. Just individuals, like you and I. I don't like every single human I've met either.

My brahmas are hatchery quality, so yes more geared towards egg production. Hopefully your girls will settle down as they mature some more.

 

[gritsar]

Dirtsaver, of the three colors that I have - darks, lights and buffs - my least favorite color is the darks. I just don't find that color visually appealing. The only reason I am going to get more darks is #1. The hatchery I order from is Ideal and as of 2007, their dark brahmas are of excellent quality and #2. I miss my dark brahma roo soooo much.


Here's Thor (when he was in his prime, but not yet full grown):

 

[dirtsaver]

gritsar I remember your posts about Thor back when he was alive. He was a handsome critter and I felt bad for you when he died. As for color, Eva and I both love the buffs but we like a variety of color in the flock too. That's why we have the breeds we have now but after having the Brahmas we've really lost interest(and confidence) in the other breeds.

Here are our Buffs back in late summer. Standing is Speckles,the girl sitting is Blondie. She is the one that almost died after getting her leg caught in the grow-out coop one night. She has fully recovered except for some gimpyness and being stunted. She is only about 1/2 the size she should be and rarely lays an egg but she has a home with us until she dies..

This is a pic of Blondie in the house a few days after her accident.

We really appreciate all your help and information gritsar!