Brahma Thread

[Fowl Visions]

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I just got eggs from Kim (thinking it was a she). I'll get in touch with him and get the info corrected. I wouldn't know what to advertise since I don't really sell chicks very much. Mainly keep them to see what they become. I do sell hatching eggs on occasion. I have only shown a couple of times and one I won Reserve Grand Champion with one of my dark hens. I was so new at it I really didn't even know what that meant. I do now though.

My buffs are from the Bill Mayer line and I just love them. The darks I got from Susan Nicolas. I contacted John Neff last year and had the chance to buy a trio but passed it up and now I could kick my ###. I contacted him this year and he sold all his large fowl stock and the people he sold to went out of business. Kim sent me partridge eggs and they are now incubating so we will see what I get. I'm still in the learning phase of knowing what to look for in show stock so anything that is written from experienced breeders/showers is appreciated.

 

[Tim63]

You could get a quarter page add that says "hatching eggs occasionally" Its mostly to help with the cost of printing the handbook. I bet he(Kim) gets that alot. I read an article in a previous scanner his wife Kendra had written. In it she said something like"Kim, my husband" thats the only way I knew.

I remember your win with the large dark hen last fall. I know how you feel. I got champion featherleg with one of my buff pullets at my first show. From an egg I got from John Neff. I emailed him to tell him the good news. He seemed as excited as I was! I got reserve fl one time since. Hope to do well this fall. I hatched a bunch of chicks, maybe one or two will be good.

I've heard Bill Mayer has some of the best large Buffs. If you ever get another chance to do business with John Neff take it. He really is a highly reputable guy that is willing to help us newbies.

I read that Susan had fallen and broken her shoulder. Hope she is doing okay.

 

[standardbanty]

I have hatched eggs directly from John these past two years and all I can say is WOW! The birds that I have hatched have done very well in the shows I have attended. I am probably going to buy some birds again this fall.

 

[standardbanty]

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Yes I agree. The judges loved the color on my light and the type. Except for the tail I had the same problem. I am probably going to get a nice male from Chad spence this fall as I didnt last year and I regret not doing so. I got buff eggs from him this year and one of the skull's on one of my pullets has is near perfection and she is only 3 months old. I really cant believe it its as wide as a quarter now.

 

[Tim63]

SB, did you mean you got eggs from Chad, Or John this year? The egg that the wide skulled pullet came from? I did not know that Chad sold eggs if thats what you meant.

My lights exhibit good color first, when growing, and my buffs exhibit good type first. My lights have to grow quite a bit before you can tell how the type is going to be, just oposite with the buffs.My Buffs get the good skull, wide back and good tail early-they just have to molt lots of baby feathers before you can judge the color. I run into trouble when I go to comparing the two varieties. In other words I tend to think for example- well my light females heads are not as wide as my buffs at two months, maybe I should cull them? Thats where I have made mistakes in the past. They just develope differently. This has been my experience. SB have you had similar experience? I'd like for Don to comment on this please.

 

[standardbanty]

I got the eggs from John, I dont think that Chad sells eggs. The pullet that has the really suprising skull is from John's eggs he sent me.

When my light were growing out last year the seem to really fill out more as they age around 5 or 6 months. Ecspeacially a hen that has done very well for me these last past show seasons. You can really see the great color the line carries from the first week when thier first wing feathers start to develop. My lights have not had as wide heads as I really want them to had. I think that a nice male from a strong line will do the trick as far as the head and tails go. Of course over time though. My buffs seem to exhibit more type at a younger age. I probably could cull some on type right now but I am going to give them another couple months.

I can say that both varities develop totally different than one another.

 

[Tim63]

Hey SB, you could put one of your good colored light males on one or two of your wide-headed buff females to get some wide-headed light females. Greg Williams told me that is a method they have used to get good heads on their lights. I have not personally tried this, but several people have told me it works. The male offspring of this cross are pretty much culls I think. You can also put a buff male X light female to get buff females. I think Don can confirm this and explain it better than I.

BTW...the bird on my shoulder is from a Neff egg.

 

[standardbanty]

I am really excited about the buffs I hatched from John. They look so good at such a young age.

I have heard about breeding The two varities together and I just might try that this breeding season.

 

[snowbird]

Tim, yes you are correct. Put a light male over buff female, the young female will be colored right, cull all the males soon as able. You can put a buff male over light female to improve the buff, keep onle the female and discard the males. Put a Dark male over light female to improve the dark color, keep female only, discard males.

The second generation the male and female will both be mostly colored and hopeful better quality. Over the cross bred young pullets use their father or another pure variety male.


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[standardbanty]

What are you guys looking for in young buff males at 2-3 months of age, besides deffects?