Slow Development of Light Brahma

[5LexingtonHens]

There are two six week old, light Brahma pullets in my brooder. Sugar is fully feathered and looks, well, normal. Sydney is the scraggly one with only some of her feathers. Not sure what happened. Sydney eats a lot, drinks a lot and is quite active.

They are currently enjoying the Scratch & Peck grower feed. They get daily treats of either scrambled egg, cottage cheese, chopped tomato's or carrot shavings. Their water has a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.

Is there anything else related to diet that I can provide to help Sydney along?

Are some Brahma's just more prone to slow development than others?

Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Pyxis]

So you don't want to hear this, but brahma roosters tend to feather in slower than females. That's how I knew I had a pair of light brahmas when I bought the two chicks straight run.

Oh, and I really don't think those are light brahmas. They're probably a mix of color varieties or mixes in general. This is what at light brahma should look like color-wise:

 

[OreoPlymothRock]

So, I am just going with Sugar being the bottom and Sydney being the top. Did you ever think of that one could be a rooster?

 

[5LexingtonHens]

Thanks Pyxis. This is my first batch of chickens and I am still learning. Didn't know that roosters tend to feather slowly.

The chicks came from Meyer hatchery, which I thought was a reputable place to buy chickens. They were sold as light bramas. The chick with more feathers, seems to be growing out more lighter feathers. Hopefully she turns out like the one in your photo.

 

[Heidisgran]

Thanks Pyxis. This is my first batch of chickens and I am still learning. Didn't know that roosters tend to feather slowly.

The chicks came from Meyer hatchery, which I thought was a reputable place to buy chickens. They were sold as light bramas. The chick with more feathers, seems to be growing out more lighter feathers. Hopefully she turns out like the one in your photo.

those are both girls!

 

[Heidisgran]

There are two six week old, light Brahma pullets in my brooder. Sugar is fully feathered and looks, well, normal. Sydney is the scraggly one with only some of her feathers. Not sure what happened. Sydney eats a lot, drinks a lot and is quite active.

They are currently enjoying the Scratch & Peck grower feed. They get daily treats of either scrambled egg, cottage cheese, chopped tomato's or carrot shavings. Their water has a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.

Is there anything else related to diet that I can provide to help Sydney along?

Are some Brahma's just more prone to slow development than others?

Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks!

the bottom is a dark brahma the top one probably is too she's just ...um...immature? lol they'll be gorgeous when their grown...I have a dark brahma rooster...Name is Oreo! great birds

 

[Pyxis]

those are both girls!

I dunno, I've raised these guys for a while now and for me, the males always feather in more slowly. Remember, sexing at a hatchery is only 90% accurate. What with the fact that they have a pea comb and are a slow to develop breed, the slow feathering is usually the first sign of a cockerel. A senior member here and on a beekeeping forum who breeds them even made a thread about it. I'll see if I can dig it up.

Edit: Here it is.

 

[Pyxis]

Thanks Pyxis.  This is my first batch of chickens and I am still learning.  Didn't know that roosters tend to feather slowly.

The chicks came from Meyer hatchery, which I thought was a reputable place to buy chickens.  They were sold as light bramas.  The chick with more feathers, seems to be growing out more lighter feathers.  Hopefully she turns out like the one in your photo.

Here's hoping she does! Either way, she's still a pretty bird. And if you can keep roosters where you live, you might consider keeping him if he does turn out to be a boy. They're a very docile, gentle breed, and the roosters are gorgeous. Apple was still just a juvenile in that photo and he got even prettier

 

[Heidisgran]

Quote: I breed them also...at 6 weeks it would be obvious if 1 was a roo

 

[ChickenMama0330]

Those almost look like Wyandottes to me except for the feathers on the legs...I have 2 light brahmas that are about 1-2 weeks old and one is double the size of the other. I just figured one was "the runt" of the flock.