your experiences with Brahma roosters?

[dretd]

Quote:
They are slow maturing, but mind you they are ginormous when they are full grown and a 20 week old pullet is going to be the same size as a fully mature hen of most any traditional breed. So I guess I was thinking you wanted a roo to cover your hens and then get crossed chicks that would be large enough for use as eating birds? The lady that sent me hatching eggs where Butters came from (see previous post) has Brahmas, Marans, Sexlinks and EE. She is a subsistance farmer and raises her chickens for eggs and meat. She is quite happy with the half Brahmas for table fare.

Anyway, here is the difference between Bindi the Brahma (left) at maturity and Eva the EE (right):

Bindi is about twice the weight as Eva. Of course we would not eat her as she has a name, but her breast is very plump whereas Eva is pretty scrawny. The only other breed I have that matches Bindi for filled-out meatiness are my Speckled Sussex. They might be an idea for you, although their eggs are smaller than Bindi's.

 

[PtldChick]

dretd is right, my 18-week-old Buff Brahma cockeral is really big - you could eat him now and not complain. The 18-week pullet is bigger than my EEs and almost as big as my friend's Buff Orpington already. Slow maturing is to full-size, not regular chicken size.

I have several different breeds of cockerals right now, two that were supposed to be pullets - a SLW and the BB. I think the SLW is the alpha; someone just started crowing and I haven't caught him yet, so I can't say miuch about noise. Whoever it is though doesn't do so very loud or long (yes, yes, I know he's just started).

The Buff Brahma is definitely my favorite of the cockerals.

He will come up to me for treats (unlike the SLW) but will not peck at me for them if I don't have them, like the younger BCM will - cheeky chook!

I haven't seen him pecck or bully at some off the girls like the SLW and BCM occasionally do, but maybe that's because he's not alpha? He and the SLW are good buds, always hanging together.

I would highly recommend a Brahma cockeral/rooster based on my limited experience. 'Zilla is a big beautiful and gentle bird. I wish I could have roos where I live, because I'd keep him for a flock master. I'm hoping he'll be one of those quiet and infrequent crowers and maybe I can get away with it.

Smile for the camera, 'zilla!

 

[mickeymousears]

I just had to rehome my sweet boy

this is my first experience with chickens so I don't have anything to compare it to but he was a very sweet boy- mostly stayed out of trouble and let the ducks bully him. He was WAY bigger than the other chickens- I'd say almost double the size. And if he was planning on growing into his legs he still had some growing to do. My husband said his crow was out of tune LOL. I hand raised all of them from 3 days old so they didn't mind being picked up/cuddled (idk if that affected his temperment). And he was a good protector- crows/sparrows being the only intruder I ever saw but he loved chasing them off!!

 

[mickeymousears]

Oh as a baby he was definately the slowest growing one by far. But by the time my rir started doing the "love me" squat he figured it all out. And started crowing maybe a week or two later. I think he still had some growing to do but he had his male role worked out enough for our needs.

(well actually a little to worked out cause he had to go to another home- dumb neighbors!). My barred rock still doesn't do the squat and still isn't laying so in the end he beat her to it.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I have only had SF hens. In fact, I started out with three and our triple digit temps. this summer killed two of them. They are definitely not suited for the summers we have here in SW Arkansas. The remaining SF struggles but she's doing okay.

I think the SF roos are pretty, but nothing beats a brahma in my book. I had Thor's son, a dark/light brahma cross, but he was enormous and had to go. He was much too large for my standard hens and wouldn't stay with the brahma girls no matter what I tried.

 

[pinkwindsong]

OH my gosh... I have to tell you about Lafiat.....

Dark Brahma,, ( my favorite is the darks) he showed Roo quailites by 8 weeks.. both in his position in the flock as well as his maturing feathers..

Lafiat was the BOMB

( I lost him to the heat this summer it was rough her in the south,) at least Im assuming it was the heat? anyway... I have 2 DR brahma hen, 2 barred rock and 1 barred holland, whte leghorns and red comets. .. the girls would get into a swuable..

and he would run up to them stand there and look at each one of them... they would look at him.. a couple sec pass. and the girls would happily walk away. I would love to know what he said to them in chicken mind... he always stopped fights and squable without ruffling his own feather.. he had the girls in bed everynight 1/2 hr before dark.. he kept them in a safe group... perfect..

Lafiat got sick and I had him in the house for a couple of days on antibiotics, ( I think this is why the heat hit him so hard) , and I tell ya out in the yard was like " HENS GONE WILD"

" "he mister throw me some beads"

spring break wild.. none of the girls stayed with one another, they wouldn't go to bed, it took 3 of us almost 2 hrs to get them to bed.. It was horrible..

. I was soo glad when he had his last of his med and I put him out. it was like Magic... that night .. there was no squabbling over who roosted in what order. he had them all in bed before dark.. and kept his group together.. Perfect..

Now him as a people chicken.... Perfect... he loved to be stroked down his back.. he would sit on my lap for well over an hour and get his back rub... and he Purred.. yup, that's what I said he would Purr when he was sitting on my lap getting soft stroking.. I asked about this later and sure enough it is a breed characteristic that they purr.. cool huh???

the girls are slower maturing that is very true. my first flock were hatched out march 17th everyone is laying except the 2 Dark brahmas, they are very heavy birds true too.. when we lost Lafiat, Jezzabel ( who is my avatar picture ) took over as flock leader. she does a fine job ,, she had a good teacher...

I have been searching for a replacement to no avail... I think Im going to have to order one this spring, hoping that maybe I can find one at one of the upcoming chickenstock.. but then I wonder how he will be raised.. Mine are very spoiled.. and think maybe raising from a hatchling might give me that great connection like I have with all my other chickens I ve raised from hatchlings.

Good luck with your search and investigation if you get Brahmas ( I like the dark the girls are Gorgeous!!! again my humble opinion.. ) have fun with them I truly thing the wait for eggs is well worth the wait because I have some great hens..

blessed be )O(
Pink

 

[NYRIR]

I had some LB and BB roos...the experience I had was brief though as I butchered them. I was going to keep one LB roo but he turned out a bit too pushy we'll say, so he's gone. I will say not ALL of them were like him, and they were already larger than my RIR roos that are full grown. My hens are CONSIDERABLY larger already than the older reds,barreds, etc.
A couple of them were really gentle and sweet. I did not have a whole lot of crowing from them either...(well, you can't hear anyone over the little OEGB who has short mans disease

) I found out of several breeds, that the Sebright roos were the rowdiest and crowed the most.
I would say try a Brahma...they are gorgeous

 

[hipeatall]

A few years back we had 2 light brahma roo's. They were very aggressive and would chase my son and sadly both had to go.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Two questions just out of curiosity, if you don't mind.

#1 Did you or your family members baby those roosters when they were young, try to make pets out of them?

#2 Were they hatchery quality, breeder quality or show quality?

 

[GoChick]

Ok. Now I definitely want a Brahma roo. I've started looking for one. I still need some advice though. I have 13 girls, mixed flock, all standard size, but varying size from Faverolles to BOs, one Brahma. Do you guys think he wouldn't be too big for them?

Thanks for all the replies!