Brahma Thread

[Shark Akhrrana]

My chicks are getting big. What do you think of this little guy.

 

[Tammy N]

My chicks are getting big. What do you think of this little guy.

Hes cute but i hope he doesnt fall in the bucket once the lid comes off and he jumps back up LOL . they always do ...... or at least here we buy buckets for everything saving seeds and so on always bleach them before use even .when they are New in the pen we have them as cooling off areas up in the pen about 3 feet the boys loved to jump up and some would jump on top was thinking about making cat toys too

 

[windyflat]

question for the elders here.. I seem to remember Lewis Strait telling me to not feed a high (20%) protein feed to big chickens.. moderate protein plenty of oats so they don't grow too fast..

Any of you guys who raise big brahmas use a moderate protein grower?
Thanks
Tom

 

[PotterHillian]

Beautiful Birds are they from JD ? 

No they are actually from Tractor Supply! I had no idea how they would turn out. We decided to get chicks to help control the ticks on our property and have eggs of course. I watched for the mark down sale and got them for .75 cents each! So fun to watch them change from fuzzy brown chicks into these beautiful birds.

 

[big medicine]

question for the elders here.. I seem to remember Lewis Strait telling me to not feed a high (20%) protein feed to big chickens.. moderate protein plenty of oats so they don't grow too fast..

Any of you guys who raise big brahmas use a moderate protein grower?
Thanks
Tom

I don't know about the protien level, but I do know Mr. Strait was definitly in favor of having oats in his Cornish rations.

 

[Dirt Farmer]

question for the elders here.. I seem to remember Lewis Strait telling me to not feed a high (20%) protein feed to big chickens.. moderate protein plenty of oats so they don't grow too fast..

Any of you guys who raise big brahmas use a moderate protein grower?
Thanks
Tom

Not a Brahma elder but I've always been interested in dietary issues and have had this conversation with many breeders and exhibitors. Almost all of them use high protein diets for the first 4-8 weeks (20% and up). Then most will start dropping the protein level with the use of oats to 16-18%. There is a tendency to have more concern about fast growth in the pullets, feeling that they will be better layers and breeders if they aren't rushed into maturity with a juiced up diet. After they start laying then the protein level is floated back up a little if its been held down to 16%. There seems to be less concern about the cockerels; but I'm guessing too much weight gain fast is probably not the best for them either (i.e. the pathetic meat hybrid). Because I have a small operation, I house both together and feed based on the pullets needs. This may explain why I have a history of raising females with standard weights but males shy of standard, not sure. And as noted on this thread most breeders will eventually use some type of oily seed; and scratch to get them to go where you want them to go. I've often wondered what would happen if I raised my cockerels more like a meat bird. Maybe they would get bigger.
A couple years back I raised some brahma pullets in this manner and they were 9 pounders at just short of one year according to my notebook. They were from a breeder's stock (Hobbs).
Any thoughts on feeding pullets and cockerels differently?

 

[Dirt Farmer]

question for the elders here.. I seem to remember Lewis Strait telling me to not feed a high (20%) protein feed to big chickens.. moderate protein plenty of oats so they don't grow too fast..

Any of you guys who raise big brahmas use a moderate protein grower?
Thanks
Tom

Not a Brahma elder but I've always been interested in dietary issues and have had this conversation with many breeders and exhibitors. Almost all of them use high protein diets for the first 4-8 weeks (20% and up). Then most will start dropping the protein level with the use of oats to 16-18%. There is a tendency to have more concern about fast growth in the pullets, feeling that they will be better layers and breeders if they aren't rushed into maturity with a juiced up diet. After they start laying then the protein level is floated back up a little if its been held down to 16%. There seems to be less concern about the cockerels; but I'm guessing too much weight gain fast is probably not the best for them either (i.e. the pathetic meat hybrid). Because I have a small operation, I house both together and feed based on the pullets needs. This may explain why I have a history of raising females with standard weights but males shy of standard, not sure. And as noted on this thread most breeders will eventually use some type of oily seed; and scratch to get them to go where you want them to go. I've often wondered what would happen if I raised my cockerels more like a meat bird. Maybe they would get bigger.
A couple years back I raised some brahma pullets in this manner and they were 9 pounders at just short of one year according to my notebook. They were from a breeder's stock (Hobbs).
Any thoughts on feeding pullets and cockerels differently?

 

[PrestonC]

The legs on my light brahma hen seem more of an off-white than yellow... Is there a way to make her legs appear more yellow? Maybe through a special diet or remedy?

And I decided that I am going to try showing her at a small county fair. What do yall light brahma people do to make the white whiter and the black stay black? Guess what Im asking is how do you clean your lights???

Thanks, Preston

 

[Tim63]

I use bluing shampoo for horses OR tide with bleach alternative. Hens that are laying typically have faded bleached legs. Grass is the best thing I know of to yellow up legs.

Tim

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

question for the elders here.. I seem to remember Lewis Strait telling me to not feed a high (20%) protein feed to big chickens.. moderate protein plenty of oats so they don't grow too fast..

Any of you guys who raise big brahmas use a moderate protein grower?
Thanks
Tom

Not a Brahma elder but as soon as my Langshans start standing up a bit straighter, they are switched from a 22% starter to a mix between 22% and 16%. Otherwise the legs can blow out and it is not pretty. I have photos of the unfortunately consequences. Slow and steady...