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We recommend 5-6 square foot for each chicken in the coop. In the winter these balls can freeze causing frostbite and in severe cases the loss of toes. However, any other Brahma color variety might cost you more. Written by Amy Fewell with a foreword by Joel Salatin, this book teaches you how to hatch your own chicks, prevent and treat common chicken ailments, start a poultry business, cook delicious recipes with your fresh eggs, and much more. The hens have a more uniform, feather structure, still quite triangular but wider than a Brahma rooster. Other than Brahmas, some chicken breeds with feathered feet are Booted Bantams, Cochins, Faverolles, and Silkies. Just got my first group of 51 Rooster and 4 egg laying Hens. Brahmas are considered a superior winter layer, so when your other chickens are having some downtime during the colder months your Brahma chicken will continue to produce eggs. The Brahma chicken is an Asiatic poultry breed named after the Brahmaputra River in India. Brahmas have feathered legs and feet. Brahmas can take up to 7 months until they come into lay however the wait is worth it. They will lay right through the winter and slow down as spring starts to arrive. They will need slightly more protein when they start to molt. Outside of the chicken coop, Brahma chickens can benefit from 15 to 16 square feet of space each. Brahmas have a large head with a slightly overhanging brow which gives the bird a mean look. While we provide information resources and canine education, the content here is not a substitute for veterinary guidance. You dont want those beautiful back feathers rubbing against the roof. At the time, no other chicken looked anything like the Cochin. The Brahmas have tight, soft, and dense feathers that extend to their legs and hind toes, making them appear even larger than they are. If youre considering a walk-in coop, Ive reviewed some of the best on the market here. Generally speaking, Brahma chickens start laying their first egg at around 7 months of age. However, if you must keep the Brahmas together with other pets, it would help if you trained and prepared the other pets beforehand. : 2023 Chick Feeding Guide, Top 5 Chicken Fencing to Keep Your Flock Safe (2023 Review), Bantam Chickens: Breed Profile and Care Guide (2023), Araucana Complete Care Guide: All You Need To Know (2023), The Polish Chicken: Breed Profile and Care Guide (2023), The Best Chicken Hatchery: A Guide to Buying Chicks Online, Best Egg Washer To Help You Clean Eggs Quick and Easy (2023), Best Animal Repellent to Protect Your Flock (2023) Guide, Best Chicken Starter Kit: All You Need to Raise Chicks. Raising chickens means providing them the right environment thats designed to accommodate their needs throughout all growth stages. This chicken species is renowned for their heavy, deep, tight plumage and a thick coat that makes them hardy poultry. 4. Even if they take confinement quite well, light Brahma and even other heritage breeds shouldnt live in a small chicken coop. What youll get will depend on the color variety of your bird. Males are straw-colored with reddish brown and black markings. This brooder box should be at least eighteen inches higher is better. To raise a happy chicken, allow your Brahma to free range and they will reward you with many pleasant clucks, beautiful eggs, and above-and-beyond friendliness! Although this breed of chicken originated as a meat production species, it is now frequently reared for egg production as it is so productive and docile to raise. No, there are actually some breeds of chicken that have 5 toes. Also, supplement the feeds with insects, mealworms such as Happy Hen Treats, crickets, omega-3, and feeds rich in calcium such as FLYGRUBS Black Soldier Fly Larvae Chicken Feed. However, Brahma chicken species grow slowly and can take up to 18 months to realize full maturity. All you need to do is feed them lots of treats, and they'll crawl right into your hand for a cuddle or a snack. Ready to purchase a flock of these chickens? According to the American Poultry Association, the accepted breed varieties include the Buff, Dark, and Light Buff Brahma in the feathered leg category. Brahmas will tolerate confinement since they are less active than Mediterranean breeds, but they absolutely shine when allowed to free range. A general indication of egg color is to look at the tiny feathers on the ear lobes. From April to June, they are likely to sit as a broody hen on their nests. Brahma chickens are large birds, so if you are looking for a smaller bird, then this might not be the right breed for you. I like to spend my time writing and teaching skills for homesteading and self sufficient living. Dark, Buff, light, white, gold, blue partridge, 30 inches tall with males weighing 12 pounds, females weighing 10 pounds, 16% proteins and layer feeds for layers, 18% proteins and chick feeds for hatchlings, supplements like calcium, omega 3, insects, worms, and crickets. The Brahma is a massive chicken and is only rivaled by the Jersey Giant. A Brahma hen can go into egg production as early as 6 to 7 months old; however, it is not uncommon for some birds to start laying as late as 12 months. 33. And this breed usually lays its eggs from October to May, just when other breeds are shutting down for winter. This giant chicken has distinct feather patterns compared to other breeds that were incorporated in its history. It should not leak and should be easy to clean and refill. You can expect 4-5 medium-sized, brown eggs per chicken every week during the spring, summer, and fall. Also known as the King of All Fowls or the yards gentle giant by most hobbyists, the Brahma chicken is a pretty breed of poultry that you can rear for meat and eggs. The Brahma is a big bird! If you are ready to raise a gorgeous chicken that can provide you with both meat and eggs, the Brahma chicken is the bird you should include in your backyard flock. Initiate their relationship gradually while monitoring their interaction. Although their large sizes can be overwhelming for new parents and children at first, it is easy to grow to love these birds. BFE, Nevada. They stand upright and seem to form a V when they are standing. 5. Do not go below this as less space leads to anti-social behaviors such as pecking and feather picking. But T.B Miner, author of the Northern Farmer, coined the name Brahma.. Brahma hens typically have a small pea comb, while roosters have a large pea comb set on a wide head. Read our Breed guide below to find out if the Brahma chicken is for you. Todays Light Brahma has black striping in the saddle feathers of roosters, while the flight feathers in both sexes have more black than their predecessors. Keep an eye on the baby chicks when they first hatch. The breed standard required by poultry judges includes sharp gray penciling along the hackles, and black penciling across the rest of the body. Brahma chickens, like all other chickens, have relatively long life spans. Landing on a thorn or sharp object when jumping off a roost can cause the debris to penetrate the skin and cause infection. Your pen area should ideally be stone or sand. While there will be some variation among the individuals of the species, these are some general similarities in appearance of the breed. Although males tend to be taller than females, both genders have strong feet and even stronger posture. You can expect the brown egg size to be medium to large. Because Brahmas are larger than your average chicken, they need extra care, medication, and suitable confinement should they suffer an injury or fall ill. Their feathered legs and feet also make them prone to ailments such as bumblefoot or broken quills. Brahmas may not be the best choice for the commercial market because of their slow growth rates, large size, and need for consistent care. The reason is, these breeds are more prone to bumblefoot than other species because of their heavy sizes. Advertiser Disclosure: EcoPeanut.com is a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca. Like other chicken breeds, it would still be best to observe a minimum of 16% proteins and commercial grade feed for layers most of the year or when molting. They dont tend to wander far but are relatively good foragers. On average, a Brahma chicken will lay about 150 to 200 eggs per year. While a generally healthy bird, lets look at some of the most common conditions that affect Brahmas. PetKeen.com does not intend to provide veterinary advice. Partridge is a unique color distinguished by mottled feather patterns, as opposed to the softer filigree feather patterns found across the body of darker Brahmas. (3). Brahma chicks have pea combs but there is a significant difference between the color varieties. This was because early birds were very large, with roosters weighing up to 18 pounds in some cases! Pet Keen is reader-supported. What, Chickens are wonderful animals to own, even if you dont count their many advantages, including fresh eggs and, Whether you are new to chicken keeping or youve had a run-in with a predator, the best way, Fluffy, speckled, bearded, and feather legged, you can find bantam chickens in every variety and because of their, If you could imagine a chicken with a mustache, and not just any mustache but one of imperialism,, While it may be either the prettiest or the strangest looking chicken youve ever seen, the Polish chicken, What Do Chicks Eat? These chickens are also great with children, and most birds wont mind a kind and gentle cuddle every now and then. Brahmas are good foragers and will like to spend the majority of their day roaming. Know Your Chickens is a free resource dedicated to teaching backyard chicken owners more about their flock. In the early 1850s after successfully breeding Brahmas, George Burnham, a poultry enthusiast, had a few gray shanghaes delivered to Her Majesty Queen Victoria of England. On the other hand, buff Brahmas have a similar coloration to the light Brahma but with brown feathers. Most chickens dont usually lay during the shorter days of the year unless you provide supplementary light. As for roosting space give them around 8-10 inches each. These are not only unsanitary, but they can be dangerous. How big do faverolles get? They are very good with kids just watch out for them being knocked over by these humongous birds. Heres an in-depth look at these fowls to help you make an informed decision before adding some to your flock. A large Brahma chicken will take much longer to mature than other chicken breeds. Chickens as large as the Brahma will need a fair amount of space to keep them comfortable. I absolutely love all of my chickens now and I dont think Ill ever be able to live without them now. Both the light and dark colors were accepted to the American Poultry Association in 1874. When my Brahma hen laid her first egg, I was surprised at the smaller size compared to my other layers. Probably the best way to get these balls off the feet is soaking in warm water. Didn't find what you need? It takes 21 days for the chicks to hatch, after which the Brahma hen provides the hatchlings heat until they are old enough to regulate their body temperatures. It would also be best to provide up to 14 hours of light to Brahma hens to allow them to lay eggs. If you are considering having Brahmas among your flock, it would be best to prepare for a mental check of items that might be different from the traditional chicken breeds. Some additional space considerations are perches and nesting boxes. They can accidentally squish their chicks, especially in a small enclosure. They are very sweet and docile which makes them the perfect breed for beginners or kids. The rooster has some feathers on his feet but the hens have none whatsoever. The breed is easy to contain, not being able to fly low fences very easily. These birds are jumbo-sized, meaning they eat a lot, too. The Brahma chicken the gentle giant of your chicken coop. While not "normal," the extra toe certainly is cute! Egg Production Though Brahma chickens were primarily bred for meat, they do have fair egg production. They were first imported to the US in the 1840s and developed over the next few years. This breed is also not among prolific egg layers. It was after that that the re-exportation of the chicken variety to America began. A full-grown and mature Brahma Chicken size can reach up to 30 inches tall. Can take 7 months before they start laying. After all, people originally bred them to thrive in cold climates this is also the reason for their fully feathered legs and feet! However, you may want to put some special considerations when taking care of them because these are large birds and require larger nests, more feeds, and lots of petting. American standards also require thin feathers on the feet with a large or heavy-set body.