Brahma Thread

[Cluckerbocker]

Yeah, I'm going to get down and examine them all a bit closer. For right now The one big rooster with his back to the camera in the last picture seems to be about the only one who looks Brahma at all. I probably have just inherited a flock of chicken and dumplings.

 

[Dirt Farmer]

I'm wondering Marek's Disease. Anybody ever experience it in birds that young ?

I've had what I believe to be Marek's Disease affect birds as young as a couple months old, but none this age. They presented initially with leg weakness, then with seizure-like activity. After that I culled them.
My personal experience with chicks that present like this one, is that they don't usually recover. Some live through it, but remain weaklings and die later at a young age. I tend to think it is usually an intestinal bug of some type. Does the chick in question have normal stools?
I suspect Tim63 is right. If you don't think the chick is suffering, you can separate it, give it food and water, keep it warm, and let nature take it's course. If you have any inkling that it is suffering, the kindest thing to do is to put it down swiftly, painful as that is to you.

 

[Dirt Farmer]

I'm wondering Marek's Disease. Anybody ever experience it in birds that young ?

I've had what I believe to be Marek's Disease affect birds as young as a couple months old, but none this age. They presented initially with leg weakness, then with seizure-like activity. After that I culled them.
My personal experience with chicks that present like this one, is that they don't usually recover. Some live through it, but remain weaklings and die later at a young age. I tend to think it is usually an intestinal bug of some type. Does the chick in question have normal stools?
I suspect Tim63 is right. If you don't think the chick is suffering, you can separate it, give it food and water, keep it warm, and let nature take it's course. If you have any inkling that it is suffering, the kindest thing to do is to put it down swiftly, painful as that is to you.

 

[Shark Akhrrana]

I've had what I believe to be Marek's Disease affect birds as young as a couple months old, but none this age. They presented initially with leg weakness, then with seizure-like activity. After that I culled them.
My personal experience with chicks that present like this one, is that they don't usually recover. Some live through it, but remain weaklings and die later at a young age. I tend to think it is usually an intestinal bug of some type. Does the chick in question have normal stools?
I suspect Tim63 is right. If you don't think the chick is suffering, you can separate it, give it food and water, keep it warm, and let nature take it's course. If you have any inkling that it is suffering, the kindest thing to do is to put it down swiftly, painful as that is to you.

Chicks that fail to thrive should be culled. You are running the risk of loosing all your chicks trying to rescue one that will probably die anyway. Ask your Dad to do it for you. Its hard, but you have to think of the other birds. Your flock will be better for it. At the VERY least, the sick bird should be sperated. I know it sounds harsh, especially for a child to hear. I am telling you the truth. Sorry.

Tim

Well if that is what it is I suppose there is nothing to be done. I feel bad about it. I suppose anyone would. Sad one can't even make a meal out of a chick this size. I'll have my dad do it. I love my chickens way to much to do it myself.

 

[Shark Akhrrana]

Went to take the chick out. To my surprise its standing now. It can walk for a short time than it sits back down. Separating it still just in case.

 

[Dirt Farmer]

Went to take the chick out. To my surprise its standing now. It can walk for a short time than it sits back down. Separating it still just in case.

Well, keep us posted on its progress. I agree with keeping it separated for now.

 

[Dirt Farmer]

Went to take the chick out. To my surprise its standing now. It can walk for a short time than it sits back down. Separating it still just in case.

Well, keep us posted on its progress. I agree with keeping it separated for now.

 

[Helen in the Desert]

I have recently inherited a flock of what are supposed to be Brahma chickens. The hens are a little rough because they didn't keep the rooster population down, but aside from that I'm not sure if some of them are even Brahmas. I know the people well and I don't think they were trying to deceive me, but they also might not have known any better. The lack of feathering on the legs of many of them worries me, but I can also see that some of the Roosters were feather legged, and have lost the feathers for one reason or another. I know they're all older chickens, so it is possible over the years theyve pulled out a lot of leg feathers. I just don't want to breed these birds and transfer Brahmas to someone else who aren't true Brahmas. So I came here to get expert opinions.

I think you have one brahma mix but and maybe a brahma mix hen (the blury one in the middle photo) but nothing i would claim to be brahma. Getting them out in my area has been awful - I put a wanted ad up on BYC and Craislist and got the worst looking "brahma" photo's back. I just don't think that people know...

 

[Shark Akhrrana]

Well, keep us posted on its progress. I agree with keeping it separated for now.

I have it in a bird cage now. The rest of the chicks are in a large crate with the bottom removed. And a chicken wire roof.

 

[Cluckerbocker]

I have recently inherited a flock of what are supposed to be Brahma chickens. The hens are a little rough because they didn't keep the rooster population down, but aside from that I'm not sure if some of them are even Brahmas. I know the people well and I don't think they were trying to deceive me, but they also might not have known any better. The lack of feathering on the legs of many of them worries me, but I can also see that some of the Roosters were feather legged, and have lost the feathers for one reason or another. I know they're all older chickens, so it is possible over the years theyve pulled out a lot of leg feathers. I just don't want to breed these birds and transfer Brahmas to someone else who aren't true Brahmas. So I came here to get expert opinions.

Got in there and inspected a little closer today. From what i can tell I have 3 roosters who could possibly have some brahma blood, one actually looks pretty good. And 3 hens that might be Brahmas. The amount of feather damage from rooster abuse makes it even tougher for someone like me who has never had the breed before. I need to get a few closeups of the birds in question and post them on here for opinions.