Brahma Thread

[Shark Akhrrana]

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I have a new batch of chicks, of which I ordered more brahmas because I love them, and I decided to try a couple dark brahmas this time.  I notice that they are way behind in maturity compared to the light brahma chicks.  Is this normal?  I remember from my last brahma chicks I had that the one chick that was the slowest to mature/feather out ended up being a rooster (not that I mind, the roosters are gorgeous). 

I'm not sure if its normal but my only dark in my mixed color Brahma order is way behind in maturity also. So perhaps it is a common thing.

this is my dark chick he still has so much fluff compared to the others.

 

[Fuzzbut]

Wouldn't worry too much. At that age if it was a cockerel it would already have its pointed hackle and saddle feathers. Assuming hatchery stock it's probably just reddening up and getting close to point of lay.

ooh.. I would much rather have it that way than having to re-home a roo.

 

[nicole63021]

Just got our first brahmas! My other half loved the look of these big round kids, and really liked the gold laced brahmas specifically, so I got him 3 1 week old chicks as a surprise yesterday! Here they are...

 

[Shark Akhrrana]

Just got our first brahmas! My other half loved the look of these big round kids, and really liked the gold laced brahmas specifically, so I got him 3 1 week old chicks as a surprise yesterday! Here they are...

Those cute chicks look about as old as the ones I have. Mine are more or less two weeks.

 

[nicole63021]

They were actually 8 days old when I got them yesterday, so 9 days now. They are so much bigger at that age than any of my other chicks! WOW!

 

[Shark Akhrrana]

They were actually 8 days old when I got them yesterday, so 9 days now.  They are so much bigger at that age than any of my other chicks!  WOW!

They look like they are feathering out nicely.

 

[nicole63021]

Thank you! The parents to these came directly from Powell, so I have high hopes! We hope at some point in the next couple of years to have quite a few breeding pens for various breeds, but for now we are aiming for mostly pullets, so that we have nice mature birds when we start breeding.

 

[Tim63]

I think when anyone chooses one or maybe two varieties to concentrate on, ...those varieties naturally improve. Lots of people new to Brahmas and even chickens for that matter.....decide a (fill in your own variety) "Brahma" would be SOOOOO PRETTY! They cross a Brahma on to a cochin or whatever breed has that variety. Hatch the first batch of eggs and sell them as " whatever Brahmas", Oh and did I mention they are "SUPER RARE"? The gullible snatch them up and continue the degredation, selling birds and eggs that are no more Brahma than a modern game is. Type is paramount. A bird has to have BRAHMA type to be a Brahma. Otherwise, its just a pretty bird.

Tim

Again, here's a perfect example.

Tim

Note the INCREDIBLE VH's on the chick on the back of the hand.

 

[nicole63021]

Is that good Tim? We just saw some of these visiting another farm a couple if weeks ago (not the same source the babies were from), but liked them a lot, then saw these available and thought it would be nice to add. Any critiques would be nice, as these are really the first birds we got with any breeding attempts in mind, other than one legbar (roo didn't make it), the others in our flock are just egg layers, definitely not breeder stock.

 

[Sazbaby]

Keep a boy get some same Breed hens Many people let them go after 1 or 2 yrs let one of your boys fertilize the eggs and get a bator or most breeds start going broody at 2 yrs of age . then you wont need hatchery any more . I just tested out second roo for fertility and Man oh man he has it LOL .

Mixed chicks as i am going to use him with Partons My main roos off spring for genetic diversity . and just have a egg pen as well as the 2 brahma pens . chicks are just so fun.

Well... I would, but since I'm going to have to wait for hens anyway, I'm going to stick with the breed I was looking for in the first place, before I got these as replacements... I love the look of the brahma, but it's not what I was looking for originally! The boys will go to the freezer, and if one happens to be a girl (looking very unlikely!) we have a friend who wants her... Wish it could be a bit more obvious... Does anyone have pictures of a light brahma pullet for comparison??