Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Vulpes vulpes]

Indeed. And is why I don't have any feathered leg breeds.

I know you have/had some birds with beards and muffs, do you feel like they're at any disadvantage in the wet? Some of ours had perpetually miserable beards from drinking wild water, but theoretically they should also be more comfortable in the cold

 

[Shadrach]

Two hours today. It stayed warmish and dry until I left the field.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Two hours today. It stayed warmish and dry until I left the field.
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The waterer seems to be working well!

 

[Vulpes vulpes]

Two hours today. It stayed warmish and dry until I left the field.
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The deadnettles blooming are quite lovely. They're invasive here, but it's nice to see them in their native ecosystem

 

[kattabelly]

There are silver penciled rocks. Same coloring as dark brahmas, straight comb, clean legs. Light sussex and Colombian wyandotte have the same color as light brahmas. Only one I can't think of a color match for is the buff. If you can strip the silver off the light/Colombian, you get a buff Colombian (buff brahma coloring). Breeding for that.....more difficult as silver affects red/gold colors.

Buff (Colombian) Sussex aren't very common but there are folk keeping them locally to me. I could get some if I was more keen on "orange" chickens.

It's really the size/build of Brahmas that I like the look of though - I like big chickens! - plus everyone who keeps them seems to say they're generally very good natured birds.

 

[Vulpes vulpes]

Buff (Colombian) Sussex aren't very common but there are folk keeping them locally to me. I could get some if I was more keen on "orange" chickens.

It's really the size/build of Brahmas that I like the look of though - I like big chickens! - plus everyone who keeps them seems to say they're generally very good natured birds.

My very limited experience with Brahmas agrees. They are gentle and friendly, in addition to being enormous. I've also never seen a Brahma with nice looking legs, save for show birds kept cooped up. It's the same with Faverolles, which I have much more experience with (and absolutely adore despite the challenges).

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Buff (Colombian) Sussex aren't very common but there are folk keeping them locally to me. I could get some if I was more keen on "orange" chickens.

It's really the size/build of Brahmas that I like the look of though - I like big chickens! - plus everyone who keeps them seems to say they're generally very good natured birds.

Would a Speckled Sussex do in a pinch? And I often confuse a Light Sussex with a Brahma if I don’t check for leg feathers.

I suppose they’re not as big as a Brahma, but they’re pretty dang big. The word “sturdy” comes to mind. And Tessa, at least, is a sweetheart, if you don’t mind having a hen with a call that sounds like mic’d dry heaves.

 

[rural mouse]

Buff (Colombian) Sussex aren't very common but there are folk keeping them locally to me. I could get some if I was more keen on "orange" chickens.

It's really the size/build of Brahmas that I like the look of though - I like big chickens! - plus everyone who keeps them seems to say they're generally very good natured birds.

My experience (3 dark brahmas, 1 buff, 1 light + 1 dark x gold penciled hamburg): pretty laid back. Dark have been willing for attentions from any roo. Both Colombian marked have been rather willing to rescue hens from unwanted cockerel idiots and have pecked or body checked the idiots. All my brahmas are more willing to nest on the ground than the other birds, but will take nest boxes too. The largest hens I currently have, and when they want a nest box, invariably, they choose the SMALLEST box in the coop. Within the hen ranking, they're middle/lower ranked, but among their peers (age groups), they're the top....maybe more due to size?

Belladonna in the tiny nest box

Rose in the favored ground spot

Primula

Rose on the lower bank of boxes. Upper occupied nest is the Belladonna nest.



The mix: has mother's mostly placid personality, but has father's alertness and small egg size. Has more mother's body shape, but less statuesque (brahmas remind me of the iconic opera singer, take that and add a bit of dainty oriental lady)

Shan (front)

Cheetah, hamburg father, bucket is a 1 gallon flat back for size ref.

 

[Perris]

I know you have/had some birds with beards and muffs, do you feel like they're at any disadvantage in the wet?

No; their beards are small (quite unlike some of the astonishing examples I've seen in other people's photos on BYC; do you know if it is a gene with a dosing factor?) and have no noticeable impact on the health or wellbeing of the few birds here that sport them.