Light Sussex vs. Light Brahma for Winter

[NatJ]

That brahma there is a roo. Just in case you wanted to know.

...which one?

The one that's really a Light Sussex hen:

Awe dang your right no feet feathers and a single comb. I always get them mixed up.

 

[ChickForLife]

...which one?

Nevermind. I messed up AGAIN!

 

[NatJ]

do they pretty much lay the same colour eggs?

Yes.

I’ve been trying to catch them in the act but never successfully. Today one of them laid at 7PM.... don’t know who laid what/who’s been laying and who’s NOT...

Pick up each bird and have a look at her vent (butt hole). A layer will have a vent that looks like an egg could come out: it's sort of moist and stretchy-looking, and almost as wide as an egg. A non-layer has a much smaller, puckered looking vent.

Once you've seen both versions, they are easy to tell apart. If you look at all four and they match, then you have four layers.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

Did the Brahmas lay all winter with/without supplementary light?

Yeah, I think so. Their eggs look the same as my Orps’ eggs so I don’t know who was laying for sure but I did get a minimum of 3 eggs a day from my 12 total hens. (4 Brahmas and 8 Orpingtons)

 

[ChickForLife]

That brahma there is a roo. Just in case you wanted to know.

 

[ChickForLife]

It's actually a Light Sussex hen

Awe dang your right no feet feathers and a single comb. I always get them mixed up.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm no expert on breed standards - nor do I have any inclination to try to be, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. No, that's not a pure breed.

and now that we are past that...

Does it have a pea comb? Great for avoiding frostbite.
Is it a large bird? Great for surviving winter weather.
Does it have feathered feet? Good to protect the legs - caveat, must keep coop and run DRY to prevent icy mud from accumulating on those feathered feet and promoting frost bite. I'd start adding material to the floor of the run (straw, pine shavings, etc) now, so you needn't rush to do it later - and double check the run next rain to ensure the ground slopes away from it. Won't help with snow, will help with snow melt.


Its the characteristics that matter, not the purity of the bird - breed purity is merely a useful shortcut for describing a bird with that character.

Finally, Brahma tend to be pretty quiet, but predator alert. Also good things.

 

[NatJ]

we recently picked up two Light Sussex's and two Light Brahma's. We want to keep only two for the winter (gets down to -25 C).

I suggest one of each. It is not obvious which breed is better, so keeping one of each will get you one of the better breed, and one of the other for comparison

Edit--oops, just re-read the first post, and the Sussex are inclined to bully the Brahmas. Nope, better to keep two of a kind. In that case, I vote Brahma because I personally like pea combs. Yes, that's a really unbiased answer

 

[RevlisRemmah]

I’d pick the Brahmas

 

[ManitobaQuail]

I'm no expert on breed standards - nor do I have any inclination to try to be, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. No, that's not a pure breed.

and now that we are past that...

Does it have a pea comb? Great for avoiding frostbite.
Is it a large bird? Great for surviving winter weather.
Does it have feathered feet? Good to protect the legs - caveat, must keep coop and run DRY to prevent icy mud from accumulating on those feathered feet and promoting frost bite. I'd start adding material to the floor of the run (straw, pine shavings, etc) now, so you needn't rush to do it later - and double check the run next rain to ensure the ground slopes away from it. Won't help with snow, will help with snow melt.


Its the characteristics that matter, not the purity of the bird - breed purity is merely a useful shortcut for describing a bird with that character.

Finally, Brahma tend to be pretty quiet, but predator alert. Also good things.

Yes to all three! They are quite big. And I agree with your assessment. Makes sense. And thanks for the tips!