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Brahma Chicken: Size, Egg Laying, Height and More…

Brahma Chicken- Size, Egg Laying, Height and More…

Brahma Chicken: Size, Egg Laying, Height, and More…

The majestic Brahma is an old breed with its roots far back in time; as with many heritage breeds, the exact genetic makeup of this bird is unknown.

Historians have reconstructed the likely origins of this noble bird from clues left in the poultry books and journals of the 1800s.

Famed for its size and known as King of ‘Chickens,’ it’s a docile, calm breed that is both meat and egg-laying bird.

In today’s article, we will discuss everything you need to know about this gentle giant, including its: size, disposition, egg-laying capabilities, breed history, and much more.

Brahma Chicken infographics

Brahma Chicken Cheatsheet

Brahma Chicken Cheatsheet
TypeStandard and Bantam
ClassAsiatic
TemperamentGentle and friendly
Kid-friendlyYes
BroodyNes
Heat HardinessNo
Cold HardinessYes
Space per bird5-6 square feet per bird
Beginner FriendlyYes
Eggs per year200+
Egg SizeLarge
Egg ColorBrown
Dual PurposeYes
Mature WeightMale: 10lb

Female: 8lb
Sex LinkNo
Comb TypePea
Heritage BreedYes
Processing Age Ready20 weeks
Lifespan8-10 years
Cost of ChickenMale: $3-$4

Female: $4-$5

Brahma Chicken: Background and History

Brahma Chicken

We first hear of this bird being called a ‘Shanghai’ in the mid–the 1800s. The Brahma Chicken breed fueled the US and UK ‘Hen Fever’ of the 1850s.

The ‘Shanghai’ is a cross between a Malay and Cochin bird. Since these birds were brought to the US by sailors who had been to the Chinese city of Shanghai, the name stuck for a while.

They crossed Shanghai with the Grey Chittagong, which hails India, specifically an area near the Brahmaputra River in Bangladesh.

The crossing between the two breeds may have occurred here in the US, despite the exotic names!

Development of the Brahma chicken occurred primarily in the US from imported birds, and they refined the breed over a relatively short period of time – around fifty years or so.

Most experts agree that the birds’ came initially from China with some Indian fowl influence.

In 1852 a breeder named George Burnham exported nine ‘gray Shanghaes’ to Queen Victoria in England as a gift, which she adored by all accounts.

Mr. Burnham must have been a smart businessman; he saw the price of his birds rise from $12–15/pair to $100–150/pair as a result of this gift!

The Dark Brahma was developed in the UK from the stock of Light Brahma imported from the US.

The Brahma chicken was the best breed for table fare until the advent of the newer production breeds in the 1930s.

The Brahma could not put on muscle and size as quickly as the newer birds and slowly fell from favor. The most recent listing of the Brahma in the

Livestock Conservancy directory puts it in the ‘recovering’ status thanks to its’ newfound popularity with backyard chicken keepers and homesteaders.

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Brahma Chicken Breed Standard

The official Poultry Club included both the Light and Dark Brahma in the first published British Poultry Standard in 1865.

They admitted the Light and Dark Brahma to the American Poultry Association standard in 1874.

The Buff Brahma was admitted in 1924.

The Brahma chicken is a large bird – almost as large as the Jersey Giant – a Brahma will stand around 30 inches tall. It has a long, deep, and wide body.

It stands tall, giving it a narrow ‘V’ when viewed from the side.

The Brahma has a pea comb and a ‘beetle brow’ where the forehead slightly overhangs the eyes. The beak is short and strong.

The plumage is dense and tight, with a thick covering down under the feathers.

The rooster should weigh around 10lb, with the hen around 8lb. In the 1850s’ the bird was much heavier – 18lb and 13lb respectively have been recorded.

There is a bantam variety of the Brahma with five recognized colorations – Light, Dark, Buff, Black, and White, although black and white are seldom found.

Bantam roosters will weigh 38oz and hens 34oz. The bantam varieties are hard to find, with few breeders listed.

It is considered an Asiatic breed for classification.

The Brahma chicken also sports their own set of boots that can actually be detrimental to their health in cold climates (more on that later).

Yes, they have feathered feet, which give them an adorably cuddly appearance.

Appearance and Feather Patterns

There are three recognized feather patterns: Light, Dark, and Buff.

The designs are very distinct, and there is no confusing one for the other. The contrasting of the patterns in each variety is quite intricate and stunning.

Light

A contrast in black and white, the Light Brahma is primarily white with a grayish undertone.

The hackle feathers have black striping with a little striping in the saddle area.

The tail is black, with the covert feathers laced with white.

Dark

The male Dark Brahma should have silver hackles and a saddle striped with black.

The shoulder area should be solid silver, the tail, breast, and body solid black.

The hens’ hackles should be black with slight grey penciling, laced with white.

The body, breast, back, and wings are medium grey with black penciling.

To obtain the absolute best coloring, the birds require ‘double mating.’

Buff

The Buff pattern is essentially the same as the Light, with Buff taking the place of the White.

The warm coloration of the Buff has made it a favorite with many folks.

White, Blue Exchequer, Gold Partridge have been other color varieties around. Still, none have remained popular enough to be put forward for admission to the APA or excite great interest in the general chicken-keeping world.

Pros and Cons of a Brahma Chicken

Pros

Cons

  • Friendly

  • Cold hardy

  • Gets along with other chickens

  • Great meat, and egg-laying chicken

  • Make great mothers, and not overly broody hens

  • Can lay eggs during the winter

  • Egg-laying capabilities takes about 7 mo.

  • Needs more feed than average chicken which can cost more $$

  • Can have foot problems if home is in wet soil

  • Feathering can make them more susceptible to lice and mites

Brahmas’ Disposition

We have already said that the Brahma is a large bird – it can be very intimidating to a child or person afraid of birds, but the Brahma is a gentle, non–aggressive bird.

It is a friendly, docile, and calm bird, and they are said to be very easy to handle.

They do not fly well, so they are fairly easily contained.

Although they tolerate confinement well, they do very well as foragers.

They are very suitable for cold climates with all that thick feathering.

The preference of soil/environment is well-drained soil that is generally dry and a moist, cool climate.

You should avoid having their living quarters in wet, swampy, or muddy areas since they might lead to foot problems.

They make great mothers and tend to set on the nest well, they are not overly broody, but this can depend on the line of birds you buy from.

They are usually fairly high in the pecking order since most hens seem intimidated by their size!

Brahma isn’t known as flock bullies either and can generally get along with most other chickens.

Brahma Chicken: Table Fare and Eggs

Brahma Chicken Flock

The Brahma was initially bred as table fare. In the 1800s’ the bird was, in fact, much larger, and one bird could easily feed a large family cheaply.

Between 1850 and 1930, the Brahma was the table chicken unrivaled by any other.

Even nowadays, the size of the bird is enough to feed a family of four, but if you prefer to keep your hens for eggs, the Brahma performs well enough.

A hen will produce 3–4 eggs per week – and here’s the excellent news; they prefer to lay from October to May, just when your other girls are thinking about shutting down for winter!

The eggs are medium to large in size, brown in color.

The downside is that the hens can take six to seven months before they start laying.

Common Health Issues

As with all feather–footed fowl, the feathering can be problematic in winter.

The feet can become wet and muddy, which can lead to frostbite in freezing temperatures. When the feet get wet or muddy, the toes can develop small mud balls, severely damaging the toe if not dealt with.

You, therefore, need to pay special attention to their feet if they are allowed out in the winter snow and ice.

Also, since their feathering is so dense and tight, keep a sharp eye out for lice and mites. Inspect their legs frequently for scaly leg mite, too – it isn’t easy to spot in feathered foot breeds.

Occasionally a foot quill will catch on something and break off.

They can bleed profusely, but the application of pressure followed by corn starch or styptic powder will usually take care of the problem.

Other than these minor issues the Brahma is a robust individual with good overall health generally.

Since the Brahma chicken is a hefty breed, they are more prone to getting bumblefoot.

When a large breed jump from roosts, for example, and they land on something fairly sharp, the weight of their bodies can push the foreign object into their foot.

This can cause infection, bumblefoot, and even death in the long run.

Brahma Chicken

Is the Brahma Chicken Right for You?

If you love large, friendly hens, the Brahma may be for you! This is a very calm hen, which would make a great asset to a family flock.

Small children may be overwhelmed by them due to the size but soon grow to love them.

Their calm demeanor makes them perfect for a 4H project or even the show ring, where they generally do quite well.

Some special considerations for the Brahma in the coop would be sturdy roosts, slightly larger nest boxes to accommodate the hens, and slightly wider doorways – this is a large bird, remember!

Since the Brahma is such a large bird, it takes longer than the average chicken to mature. Some folks say they can take up to two years to fully mature.

The chicks are usually robust and hatch quickly – they feather in rapidly too.

They are relatively inexpensive to buy from hatcheries – unsexed chicks are under three dollars. Sexed chicks are slightly more expensive but still well under four dollars per bird.

If you go to a dedicated Brahma chicken breeder, the stock quality will be higher, and the chicks will cost you more.

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  • Protect your Chickens from Predators with our self-locking feature

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  • Increase Egg Production
  • Stronger Egg Shells
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Brahma Chicken: Summary

The Brahma was known as the King of ‘Chickens’ until equaled or surpassed by the Jersey Giant.

If you think you might like to have Brahma chickens among your flock, do a mental checklist of things that will be slightly different from your regular, standard chickens.

You may need to modify the coop and its’ ‘furniture’ to accommodate these large birds.

There is also the feed cost, as they will eat a bit more than the common chicken, so feed bills need to be estimated.

Also, feathered feet require some attention in the wetter, colder months.

But I have to say that my feather–footed hens don’t go in the snow or mud – their choice.

I don’t think they like wet feet!

If you decide to get some of these lovely birds, you will not be disappointed.

I have never heard of a Brahma with an ‘attitude’ – they are friendly and docile.

Of course, the roosters might suffer a little from testosterone overload in the spring, but what rooster doesn’t?

If you have space and opportunity to home some of these fine hens, I encourage you to embrace them.

I don’t think you will be disappointed, and they are a good addition to any flock.

Do you already have Brahmas in your flock? Let us know about them in the comments section below…

Read How Loud Are Roosters? 5 Myths Debunked

Brahma Chicken

99 thoughts on “Brahma Chicken: Size, Egg Laying, Height and More…

    1. Sorry I don’t have a list Lisa. You could contact your local poultry club and they will be able to help. If not contact the national Brahma poultry club 🙂
      Claire

    2. I special ordered my light Brahmas through my local farm supply. Very high quality. They are 4 months old and have out grown the Rhode Island reds.

      1. I have 3 light Brahams which started laying in August.
        when they turn 6 months.
        They are great city backyard hens, friendly and quiet.

      2. My Lovely lady Dolly Parton took 2 weeks shy of a year before we saw her beautiful speckled egg.

      3. I bought a Buff Brahma from my breeder last summer. She is 6 months old now and not laying yet. She is so laid back, however, I figure she does everything slower than everyone else so I’m not too worried. When I got her she was pretty beat up by the other hens she was with. This, sadly, continued in my coop with her flockmates. I had to separate her for 2 months to heal completely. The Brahmas are so laid back and sweet they tend to get bullied as youngsters. After 2 months of daily baths and medicine applications I got very attached to her. She loved her baths and cooperated fully as my patient as I applied all the medical creams and salves. She was handled so much she is even more friendly than before. Once back in the flock she was much bigger and they didn’t harass her as much. My breeder calls her Brahmas “stoner chickens” as they are so laid back it’s almost like they are walking around stoned. I think if I ever start all over again I will have a lot of Brahmas if not only Brahmas. They are just so incredibly sweet and make wonderful pets. I think Laverne was worth all the effort I had to put into her as a chick. Definitely recommend this breed for backyard chicken keepers.

    3. Hey I’m not sure where your located but we have va small family farm. We specialize in light brahma, polish and naked neck chickens. We are a big hatchery so I usually have about 10 a month of each. Were located in central texas if your still looking

  1. Very interesting. I am in a warm, dry climate and they would probably get to warm here with all those feathers. Wish my environment was suitable. ?

        1. Ohhh, I don’t know about that. If you are concluding about the humidity you may have something, but if it’s the heat, I’m breeding brahmas in South Florida and they are happy and healthy campers.

          1. I’ve had as many as a dozen at one time in Alabama and they are fine here in the summer. They have lots of shade and a nice big coop. Their feathered feet are a bit of an issue with mud (we have had a lot of rain this year) but no health issues noted as of yet.

    1. Mine have done great in Florida! I’m replacing my other breeds with these, since they are docile, they stay near home, and they don’t fly over fences. I had to clip wings on the other 6 breeds I’ve tried, but not these. You won’t be disappointed!

    2. We live in central texas and our brahmas do fine. When it gets over 100degrees we put a fan on in the large run incase they do get hot. But they usually just play in a kiddy pool we leave out for them

    3. We bought ours from a large chicken ranch in Casa Grande, AZ. They had primarily Wyandottes and Brahmas. It has been 110 outside and they are thriving. They do very well here and were a recommended breed from locals (we recently moved from California). I make sure to buy chickens locally so that I know they are acclimated to the Arizona heat and climate.

  2. I have 2 Light Brahma hens in my flock of Jersey Giants,they all get along well. I have noticed over time
    when I go out to shut up the coop for the night, my 2 Brahmas are always the first ones in and they mostly hang out together so where one is the other is not far behind.As one hen went broody this fall I now have one 1/2 Jersey 1/2 Brahma all black with leg feathers. Maybe next time more color.

      1. My young Brahma won’t go in the coop with the other birds to roost. I have not figured out where it hides at night. Why would this happen?

        1. Hi Chris,
          They could be getting bullied/pecked, have you noticed any bully behaviour during the daytime?
          Claire

  3. I have 2 light Brahmas and 2 Jersey Giants. They all get along well. The Brahmas are So friendly. They come running like dogs every time I come out. I would highly recommend these birds.

    1. How long to mature in size. We have two. Not sure if they were cross bred but at 5 month already as big or bigger than our 11 other chickens

    2. I do too and same here! They are trying to come in the house now though, so over stepping boundaries! They follow me everywhere!

      1. I think Brahma must be part of the hybrid mix to get som of my sexlinks, because I let one of my broody bantams hatch 4 of her own eggs and 4 random eggs from second gen golden comet roo over barnyard mix. One of the chicks looks like straight up Light Brahma and is twice the size of the others already. Of course I would never try to sell it as such, it is fascinating how the genetics work. I couldn’t have done that on purpose!

    1. I live in Central FL and I would recomend a different breed. My girl is super high maintenance from May to October. Between the heat and the rainy season…. She’s a lot of work. UNFORTUNATELY I’m treating her for mites on her feet. I currently have her separated from the other girls.

  4. I have 2 Gray and black Brahma hens and they are fantastic and a joy to have. Only thing is one is more friendly than the other. Not sure why. I rescue battery hens also ,they get on well with them. They are still quite young. 3.1/2 month’s old. Would recomend them to any one. I handle them all the time.

  5. Hey there!
    I want to add Brahmas to my coop. Most people where I live sell them as two hens with one roo.
    I was only wanting one of each. Do they need to be kept in threes?
    Thanks

    1. Hi Ruth,
      Providing you have an existing flock then no they don’t need to be kept as threes.
      Claire

      1. I have quite a few 1/2 Brahma 1/2 Jersey Giants also. Some have very long legs and look like flamingos or a small ostrich. A few have some amazing colors. I have about 100 chickens with lots of roosters. They get along well. I enjoy hatching them in the incubator and letting them hatch their eggs. It’s getting expensive for food but we have a lot of fun. Many different varieties too.

  6. I have a black Brahma my brother hatched for me as a gift. He gave me her last summer and she just started laying this week. She is very docile and my favorite. Thanks for the informative article!

  7. We live in a small farming community in Arizona, where FFA is very important to all of the school aged kids and families. We recently bought a home with a little over an acre of land, a friend bought us three Brahma chickens as a housewarming gift, best gift EVER! They have DEFINATELY been enjoyable and it’s almost as if they know we are family. We go outside to relax or work and here they come, we had our 4 year old nephew here to check em out and the chicken just sat down and let us pick it up. I highly recommend these Awesome birds, they have brought us joy and not to mention delicious great eggs.

  8. These Bahamas sound perfect chickens to start with. Especially chicks. We cared for our neighbors many birds while they were on vacation & what an education & love for birds we went away with. Great site & sharing of information here. Thanks!

  9. I have 2 Brahamas that are 3 years old, just bought another this year. They are my favorite chickens. They talk to me, let me handle them. I’m a Brahma fan

  10. I hatched out some dark and partridge Brahmas about five weeks ago is there a way of telling which ones might be roosters.

    1. Brahmas are very difficult to sex. I have some 11 week old Brahmas and can just now see I have 2 Cockerels. You get to recognise Cockerel behaviour and my 2 have a little bit more comb than the hens. Brahmas don’t have very big combs anyway, but with my babies the pulleys have almost invisible combs while the Cockerels have more distinct and rather than a single line of comb bumps they have wider ones. But you can’t be absolutely certain often until 4 months.

  11. I just ordered 2 Brahma hens and 1 rooster to eventually add to my flock of 3 Barred Rock and 4 Rhode Island Reds.
    We had a rooster but he died this winter. I wanted another rooster to restore order to my flock (5 of the hens are looking pretty hen pecked). The Brahmas have always intrigued me.
    I’m wondering how big the nesting boxes should be when I do add the Brahmas to my flock?

    1. Hi Karen,
      You should use larger nesting boxes that are 12×12 and 14 inches wide.
      Best of luck with your Brahmas,
      Claire

  12. I started with 4 Brahma hens 5 years ago, and this year decided to hatch some eggs. I have 2 gold and a black and white, all hens who are going to friends in Scotland. I have 2 black I am keeping, plus a lovely grey and white Cockerel. I have just found a home for my mainly black Cockerel. They are my favourite chicken breed. I also have a few Silkies I have hatched this year.

  13. We have a flock of 18 hens and roosters, 9 are older and the rest are about 1 month old. We have 5 Brahmas in the younger mix and I have been noticing that the Rhode Island Red Hen is the biggest (out of the small ones, even the Brahma roosters). Is this just because of the age of the young ones?

  14. This post was wonderful! I was searching for why the Light Brahma wasn’t laying with the other ladies (unrelated lol) but it makes sense now! She’s waiting until Autumn. Thanks!

  15. We had lost two of our six hens this summer and decided to get six more pullets. They were about a week old. We purchased 4 Gold Laced Cochins and two Light Brahma pullets. Our other four hens are black Sex Links and like to roost high. How high would you recommend the roosts to be for the Brahmas and Cochins, since both are quite large? We have room to work with so that is not an issue. Also, the Sex Links wander quite a bit. Once the chicks integrate do you think that they will wander as far as the older hens?

  16. I have 2 buff Brahma hens age 3 months. They were raised with 2 turkeys. When the Brahmas run and flap their wings, the turkeys follow suit. So funny to see the big birds running and flapping wings. The chicks cuddle up to the turkeys at night. The 4 hang out together, not with the other chickens.

  17. I have 1 light brahma 4 months old, named Liberty. He is so big compared to all of our other chickens.
    But he scared of everyone and everything. We hand feed, pet and cuddle our babies but he is needs a lot more attention than everyone else. Any idea if he can out grow this stage? I feel sad for him because he won’t/can’t mingle with other chickens ans stays to himself. I just ordered 3 female brahma chicks to arrive next week.

  18. Hello! I have a light brahma that I love. She has either lice or mites (light brown bugs). How do I get rid of them? Thanks

  19. I have three light brahmas that just started laying, at 26 weeks of age. Beautiful, nice gals. It is my first attempt at backyard chickens.
    I see your comment about them preferring to lay in the winter. Do you have a suggested breed to live alongside my girls, to supplement egg production in the summer? Perhaps another breed that will get along with them well, sharing a coop? Thanks.

  20. My buffs are 6 months old and lay small eggs, my question is will the eggs get larger as they get older?

  21. We bought a Brahma female because we thought is was gonna get very big. She is almost a year old and she is not smalll but we are disappointed in the size we thought they were gonna be. When we look on the sites they say Brahmas around here don’t ever get that big. Is this true? Disappointed ☹️ They say the pictures you see have been altered to get that picture.

    1. Brahmas that come from commercial hatcheries are often quite small. If you want large, really standard size Brahmas, go to someone who breeds for show.

    1. We have 16 light brahmas, compared to our Wyandotte’s and australorps, they are sooooo quiet. Even our roosters (we have 4) are quiet. Their crows sound like growls underwater lol. Our girls are super quiet, even their egg songs are soft.

  22. I live in Western Australia and have been wanting to buy
    some pure breed Brahma light eggs all the ones I have seen are
    Small think they might be xbreed

  23. I have just started raising brahmas they are the sweetest very gentle and set in my lap ,I got the dark and the partige got buff in the incubator

  24. I stumbled on some Breanna chicks when I was at my local farm store. Having no idea what they were but loving the color I added two to the half dozen I was adding to my flock. I’m so excited to see them grow!

  25. My dads rooster is healthy and runs around the farm all day. His tail feathers are drooping down. We see no signs of anything being wrong with him. His color is good. He eats well. We have no idea as to why.

  26. I have 5 dark, 6 light and 1 buff hens. i did have 4 more that turned out to be roosters so they were given to my farmer friend. Beautiful calm birds, no problems with Florida heat but they do like to roost in front of one of the many fans in the coop. I recommend this breed to add to any flock.

  27. You mentioned in the article that you had never heard of a Brahma with attitude. I have one! I have two with 7 other various hens and 1 rooster, but one is much larger than all the others and is a real bully. They are 4 months old, and I’m wondering if it’s a rooster. I’m sad because I’ve had Brahmas before, and they were gentle. I’m wondering if I need to separate it for awhile.

  28. Went to the feedstore and bought “Baby (buff) Brahma” not knowing a thing about the breed. I added her to my 5 Golden Comets along with a Blue Production Pullet as soon as the two were almost the same size as the others. The 5 girls bully the snot out of her and “Blue” but not for long. She’ll soon be the queen but doesn’t know it yet. Never sorry I did what I did because I adore this little jewel. You won’t be disappointed with a Brahma. They are magnificent birds! Can’t wait to see the size of her eggs. Only regret is the feedstore only had one Brahma left or I’d have bought another.

    1. It’s harder to find a grown or mostly grown chicken but I would recommend looking in your local wants add for someone who sells chickens. But if you’re up for raising one – they are easy – we got 4 light Brahmas at the end of the season for 75 cents a piece – they were a straight run (meaning I don’t know if they’re male or female yet).

  29. I have six light brahma hens they just started laying after seven months. They are such sweet and docile birds my kids love them.

  30. I have a 3yo Lt Brahma boy named (Baby) Huey, for obvious reasons. He is the consummate gentleman always allowing his girls to eat first, calling them constantly, and even dropping treats for them instead of eating them himself. He always stands at the back of the pack to let the girls have their fill. I have to reach over the girls to offer him treats. Last summer, there was a young (2-3weeks?) chick that the worthless game hen abandoned. Sweet Huey let the baby sleep on, next to, and under him. During the day, Huey called to and fed the chick constantly and chased off all other animals, protecting baby. Huey is solid gold. Even my dad loves him dearly and gives him a treat every night at bedtime and pets him.

  31. glad to see everyone commenting on this website. I read all
    comments from the very top to the bottom … I feel like in a big family of brahma chicken lovers … thank you for making today better.
    I pictured comments from Joyce and Mrs. rhonda … imagine how nice they are to maintain it..My greetings from Indonesia

  32. I would have to disagree with the information about their laying habits. My Dark Brahmas lay eggs February through November, and lay on average 6 eggs a week. All of this depends on how cold ii is. If the weather is mild in the winter they will start laying sooner.
    My Mom has Light Brahmas and the have pretty much the same laying habits as mine.

  33. How much are pure breed Brahma Chickens wondering if there expensive if you get them from a breeder

  34. Hi, I have a Light Brahma rooster (Buster) he turned 1 yr old 5th June. My 7 girls are various smaller breeds like Leghorn, Susex etc. I put 6 eggs under a broody hen as Buster has been “doing the business” for months. No chicks hatched, I’m so disappointed. Another hen went broody this week so I’ve given her 6 eggs, but feel I will be disappointed again.
    Both hens are model mums.
    Is it that Buster hasn’t matured enough or am I just to impatient?

  35. Had both light & buff brahmas and loved both. The light was a really big bird and liked being held. she was a bit loud as she was raised next to a pen of geese and even sounded like them – which is how she got her name Goosie. The buff was a bit fatter & did not seem to lay as well, nor was as friendly, though she was very curious . Neither lived that long as they seemed prone to heart attacks, I suspect due to their size, Egg-laying was very average, but their looks & personality made up. They are hard to find in the SE US, but I would gladly have them again if I could locate them as pullets.

  36. I have a flock of non-laying Buff Brahmas. They were hatched in August, however. Would this be a reason for their failure to lay? I love them, and find them beautiful, but would appreciate a FEW eggs… I do have both hens and roosters. Do they brood easily?

  37. I have had all three standard colors of Brahmas. My favorite is the dark, I find them totally beautiful. I have a male and some females now and they are the nicest chickens. I had one who was the best broody hen. Her name was Meg. She kept her chicks with her for months and never stopped mothering them. They do not lay as well as some other breeds that I have, but they are the ultimate “pet” chicken.

  38. I had 3 Brahma chickens, 1 rooster and 2 hens. I also had blue australorps. They bullied the australorps especially when they weren’t free-ranging. They were very friendly to people though. But Percy started to become very territorial about his brahma hens. Long story short we ended up rehoming all three to a farm 5 miles away.

  39. I have 8 light brahmas . 2 are laying eggs already at 21 weeks. How can this be possible? can’t find any info on the net about it? Not complaining really excited!

  40. My Brahmas are on order… waiting for them to arrive. Looking forward to them. (First time chicken owner.) Article was quite helpful, thank you!

  41. Brahmas that come from commercial hatcheries are often quite small. If you want large, really standard size Brahmas, go to someone who breeds for show.

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