Ranger breeding project

[MysteryChicken]

I found a good meat bird cross. Easter Egger X Brahma.
Fast growing heavyweights.

They're about 3 months old.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

I’ve got two Brahmans that are not even laying age yet and they are huge.... I call them the Elephants

 

[rascal66]

I found a good meat bird cross. Easter Egger X Brahma.
Fast growing heavyweights.
View attachment 2189547View attachment 2189548They're about 3 months old.

I have some light brahma x EEs as well! They are larger than the average EE for sure.

 

[rascal66]

I have a dark Cornish I am trying over CX mixes...he is having issues mating... most of the eggs aren't fertilized.. I am just starting to incubate some

You know, of the two rangers I have, one is super heavy and meatier than the other, and I see him sometimes struggling with mating. He still does the deed often enough, but anything larger or heavier and he probably wouldn't be able to.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I have some light brahma x EEs as well! They are larger than the average EE for sure.

Yes very large.
What color is your EE rooster? Mines Black Birchen.

 

[rascal66]

Yes very large.
What color is your EE rooster? Mines Black Birchen.

At the time, I had a light Brahma rooster over some EEs and other misc breeds.. Here is a pic of the cross!

 

[MysteryChicken]

At the time, I had a light Brahma rooster over some EEs and other misc breeds.. Here is a pic of the cross!View attachment 2190150View attachment 2190153View attachment 2190154View attachment 2190158

They're gorgeous. The Columbian coloration is great, has a couple dark spots here, & there, but they're very pretty.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Here's our rooster at 6 months of age. I have to recover the pictures I took of him this year.

 

[Chickenheadmate]

I have a dark Cornish I am trying over CX mixes...he is having issues mating... most of the eggs aren't fertilized.. I am just starting to incubate some

You should probably start a thread on this.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

@rascal66

My DB are so small and (relatively) slow to grow compared the the NHR (and of course the Pekins - but I'm a first year flocker, and have no other references) I was starting to get worried they (impulse buy on chicks, I was getting whatever I could - this year has been mostly "out of stock" - but my daughter was with me and they were so cute!) were a mistake for long term breeding, particularly given my hot humid climate in FL. Not being able to find many pictures on the internet (or even threads here) on Brahma crosses with other common breeds was making me very nervous.

The pictures above are both extremely encouraging for my long term plans, and helpful reference as well. Much appreciated.

@Lauravonsmurf at what age did they start really putting on weight? Mine are coming up on 5 weeks, but are only a little larger than the golden comets the same age (which I understand to be a relatively small bird, for all its egg laying capacity). They are on the same generic starter/crumble I've used for all the other birds, since the ducks were mixed in. Vitamins in some of the water (I have some Cornish which I hope aren't crosses - TSC and their labels!), and a bit of vinegar in a different water source.

@MysteryChicken also helpful, if I can find an EE roo. Maybe next year selection will be improved, or the local mom and pop farms will have reopened their doors. I'd imagine the EE roos aren't in high demand???