Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Chicken meat is most likely the most common type of meat on a global scale, so it is not surprising that chicken meat breeds are widespread, including in our country.

One of the best of these breeds is Brahma, which many farmers like not only for their abundant weight gain and significant final weight, but also for their rather attractive, decorative appearance.

The story of

Brahma chickens are named after the Brahmaputra River, which flows through the territory of India – it is from there that the wild and semi-wild ancestors of the thoroughbred bird originate, although the breed itself was not bred there at all. About a century and a half ago, in the USA, representatives of this breed interested local breeders with their massiveness, but they decided to add even more advantages to an already good breed by crossing it with several other breeds from Southeast Asia.

As a result, the pets remained impressive in size, but became very calm and harmless, completely non-aggressive. At the same time, experts say that representatives of this breed are much smarter than many of their relatives.

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Such a bird first came to the exhibition in 1850 – this date can be considered the official year of birth of the Brahma breed. It happened in Boston, and two years later the chicken came to Europe, and not in a simple way, but as a gift to the British Queen Victoria. At that time, it was called the Brahmaputra ermine chicken, but after its appearance in the Old World, the breed began to spread to the masses, and its magnificent name was quickly reduced to its current form.

Brahma reached the territory of our country for about 100 years and almost immediately fell in love with local poultry farmers, hitting the top 5 breeds in popularity. Today, this breed is no longer so popular, since fast-growing broilers have occupied its niche, but such a bird is still present in many farms, since, in addition to meat, it also carries eggs, and also performs certain decorative functions.

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Breed description

Among the chickens of this breed, there are several varieties, each of which has its own characteristics – we will talk about them a little lower. Moreover, all these varieties have certain common characteristics, due to which they are still not divided into separate breeds. Consider how to determine the real brahma. The dense and fleshy body of such a chicken is covered with soft plumage, closely adjacent to the body, with a tail in the form of an unfolded fan.

Males are also distinguished by a characteristic collar of a contrasting color. The body of the bird is distinguished by significant development, which equally applies to all its parts, characterized by power and width. Despite such massiveness, the bones of the representatives of the breed do not differ in great thickness. The lower limbs are covered with thick down, not very long, but strong, the wings are also described as well developed.

Varieties

The above described structure of the body of the brahma is common to all its varieties. Almost the only noticeable difference between them is the color.. If you are not raising chickens for ornamental purposes, this criterion may not be significant, but it helps to distinguish representatives of this breed from other chickens. There are several varieties.

Light or Colombian

The Light or Colombian Brahma is considered by most breeders to be the most decorative variety of all the representatives of the breed. In general, such chickens are predominantly white in color, but the neck, paws and tail may be decorated with black strokes or spots. A yellow shade for a thoroughbred bird is considered a marriage.

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Dark

The dark brama, if we are talking specifically about a chicken, looks no worse – its color cannot be described in one word, since each individual feather has its own beautiful pattern of black and white stripes, which is usually called a crescent. The rooster looks less impressive – its feathers are monophonic, in general, the color is all the same black and white strokes, although there are much more black feathers with a characteristic green tint on the stomach.

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

fawn

The fawn variety is a red hen with a minimum of white or gray feathers. The one exception that is normal within the breed is that the cock’s mane can be slightly darker than the general light golden color.

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Partridge

The female pattern on the feathers resembles her relatives of the dark variety, only instead of white blotches between black strokes she has golden ones. At the same time, partridge roosters look much more interesting than their dark counterparts, since they have several bright colors in their color at once – their neck is usually reddish-red, their back is designed in golden hues, and the lower part of the body is painted greenish-black. An unusual color is noted not only in chicks and adults, but even in eggs that are covered with an unusual speck.

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Performance indicators

Since Brahma belongs to meat breeds, it should not be surprising that representatives of this breed are distinguished by significant weight gain. So, even a chicken can weigh up to five kilograms, and a rooster will pull all six kilograms. The meat of such a bird is distinguished by a certain rough texture, but no one complains about its taste. Brahma should not be expected to produce impressive egg production – yet this is not her profile.. Young chickens begin to lay rather late, at the age of nine months – until this moment, the body of the bird is busy with a much more important matter, it is gaining mass.

At the same time, the first production of a young laying hen is small in size, only after 4-6 weeks the eggs reach their average weight of 65 grams. Egg production volumes are relatively modest, since one female usually gives 120-150 eggs per year, but the huge plus of the breed is that it can be laid all year round.

At the same time, Brahma eggs are usually characterized from the best side, indicating pleasant taste qualities.

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Advantages and disadvantages

The very fact that at certain points in history Brahma was one of the most popular and sought-after breeds of chickens indicates that such chickens have a lot of advantages over competing breeds. At the same time, it is not in vain that today they have somewhat lost their initial positions – not every farmer considers it necessary to grow representatives of this particular breed, which means that at least a few minuses will still be found, like any other varieties.

If you do not yet have experience in growing such living creatures, but want to try it, you should prepare for its specifics by studying the main advantages and disadvantages.

To begin with, consider the characteristics for which the brahma is usually praised.

  • High viability. Chickens of this breed are born immediately with a fairly reliable immunity that lasts for life. These chickens are not very susceptible to the most common diseases and are distinguished by good health, so there are rarely any problems with them.
  • Undemanding to conditions. Contrary to the seeming exoticism of the breed, Brahma does not put forward any special conditions for the farmer in terms of keeping – this is the same chicken as any others. Moreover, in a warm barn, it rushes, albeit not so often, but all year round, which is highly valued in households.
  • Meat production efficiency. Brahma is a classic representative of the meat breed. She quickly gains weight and at the same time turns out to be heavier than the vast majority of her relatives. Perhaps someone will consider the meat of representatives of this breed unworthy of being called a delicacy because of its high density and rigidity, but judging by the reviews, this is far from the worst option.
  • Good egg production. In general, you should not demand much from a meat breed in terms of laying eggs, but Brama copes quite well with this task. Of course, it does not reach the level of egg breeds, but its ability to rush all year round will be very useful for a balanced human diet. At the same time, eggs have a positive taste and a decent size.
  • Ready to push. Brahma is not one of those chickens that are very active and constantly looking for food while on the move. The calm temperament of such a bird allows you to place large populations in a relatively small area, which only increases the profitability of the enterprise.
  • Developed mind. This indicator, of course, is more important if you breed chickens not for meat, but for eggs or as pets. However, there is also a practical side to this characteristic – a wise bird is less likely to find problems for itself.
  • Attractive appearance. If for you a farm is not just an efficient and profitable enterprise, but also a beautiful rustic decoration, you should get just such chickens. For lovers of cute living creatures, one look at such birds can cheer you up.

Compared to all the pluses described above, there are practically no minuses for the brahma, but it is still worth noting that, at least with a stretch, it can be included in this category. First of all, the females of this breed start laying rather late, but, as already mentioned, it is not very productive to demand high egg production rates from the meat breed.

In addition, many farmers simply do not want to buy these chickens, because they are quite expensive – you will have to pay several hundred rubles for eggs, and even several thousand rubles for hatched birds.

However, numerous comments on various specialized forums show that such an investment almost always fully justifies itself.

Conditions of detention

One of the best characteristics of these breeds is that their representatives are very unpretentious. Many farmers say that even against the background of chicken “commoners”, this aristocratic breed seems undemanding. Brahmas put forward not so many requirements for the chicken coop – in particular, despite the large size of individual individuals, they don’t need too much space. At the same time, the chickens that came to us from sultry India turn out to be surprisingly resistant to low temperatures.

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

As a rule, a barn for them does not require any special insulation, even in our harsh conditions. Almost the only important requirement is the presence of good ventilation in the absence of drafts. As for perches, here you can find different opinions. Some farmers say that such a structural detail is completely useless for a flightless bird, while others point out that at a height of 40–50 cm from the floor, a perch still does not interfere.

Feeding and care

In order for a thoroughbred bird to consistently meet its high performance, it must be fed regularly and correctly. Some tricks for inexperienced farmers are not obvious, so let’s look at the basic rules that contribute to the manifestation of their best qualities in bramas.

  • Like many other domestic animals, it is undesirable to overfeed these chickens – it is important to understand that a good weight gain is ensured not only and not so much by the abundance of feed, but by their balanced composition. There is no universal formula that allows you to calculate the amount of food per chicken – the dosage will have to be determined by eye. The general recommendation is still present – it says that the birds should have time to eat the entire portion within 30 minutes.
  • The normal diet of chickens of this breed involves a three-time schedule, while lunches differ from breakfasts and dinners. In the morning and evening, the diet consists mainly of dry grains, but in the middle of the day the set of ingredients is richer – it includes vegetables with root crops, grass, and various mashes.
  • Unlike eating, brahmas can want to drink at any time, so water should always be somewhere nearby and freely available. At the same time, it should not be allowed to stagnate – if the pets did not drink it in a day, then the liquid needs to be replaced. In hot weather, this procedure is advised even more often.
  • The digestive system of birds is very different from the human one – in birds, full digestion is impossible without swallowing river sand and gravel. That is why such minerals, although they are not food in the literal sense, must be present in the diet.

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

If everything is relatively simple and understandable with food, then in terms of care, the brahmas are a little more complicated – at least if it is important for you how your farm looks. For example, beautiful and dense plumage on the lower limbs can become clogged from contact with dirt and droppings, so sawdust litter should be provided in the chicken coop. Such litter is subject to daily maintenance – it will be necessary to remove all visible droppings from it, while a full-scale replacement of lumber is carried out monthly.

In most cases, even such measures do not provide a XNUMX% guarantee that the feathers will not stick together. If this happens, the most reasonable thing is to just cut them off. If you are not used to such subtleties, at first it will definitely seem difficult to you, but over time everyone gets used to it.

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Although the brahma does not belong to the egg-bearing breeds, the eggs it gives are perceived as a highly desirable bonus. The beauty of these birds is that they rush all year round, but under the obligatory condition in the form of a long daylight hours. Fortunately, artificial light will also work for chickens, but in general, the duration of illumination should be 12-14 hours a day.

At the same time, birds kept in a semi-dark chicken coop do not receive their dose of light on a cloudy day, so under such conditions additional lighting is also necessary.

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Breeding

Representatives of this breed have no complaints about the weak incubation instinct – the females are just not against taking care of the offspring, only their significant weight often leads to problems: a young chicken can easily crush the entire masonry. Experienced farmers in the first days, instead of real eggs, put dummies on pullets, hoping that smart birds will soon see their mistakes and correct themselves – most often this is exactly what happens.

Many breeders prefer to breed chickens in an incubator, since in the spring even this breed rushes daily. Not all eggs are suitable for such needs – it is customary to choose only those that are of medium size. At the same time, hatching eggs are usually not taken from pullets – only hens over the age of two years can apply for the role of raw material suppliers.

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

The height and weight of babies, compared to adult birds, seems too modest, but this is not a problem – the brahms mature for a relatively long time, which is due precisely to the need to first grow to an impressive size. For this reason, laying eggs in the incubator must be done quite early – if chicken children hatch after June, the remaining 1-2 months of summer will simply not be enough for them to get stronger, they are unlikely to survive the next winter. With a timely birth, such chicks show themselves from the opposite side – almost always the entire brood survives, losses are not expected.

Young people need a slightly modified diet, their menu consists of four main ingredients – crushed grain, greens, cottage cheese and chicken eggs. During the first few weeks, babies also need additional heating from the lamp, since the normal temperature for them is quite a significant 30 degrees.

As they mature, it will become possible to tell males from females, but given that the main profile of the breed is meat, even an all-male population is not such a big problem.

Common diseases

The fact that representatives of this breed are relatively unpretentious and are distinguished by fairly good health does not mean that the breeder is completely relieved of the obligation to protect the wards from diseases.

Improper maintenance and some other factors can still weaken the natural immunity of the brahma, then even she can get sick. Growing such a bird at home, it is extremely important to comply with all hygiene requirements, because otherwise the risk of various diseases increases significantly. Absolutely all components of the chicken coop are subject to regular processing, including not only bedding and perch, but also drinkers with feeders.

A certain danger to the brahma is its own magnificent plumage, in which a variety of insect pests are happy to start. To prevent the bird’s own ecosystem from forming in the bird’s feathers, additional components, such as ash or ashes, are added to the sawdust litter.

A rather complicated but useful procedure is also antiparasitic foot baths, which must be done at least once every three months. For this purpose, one third of ordinary sunflower oil or, even better, tar, is poured into any vessel of a suitable shape.

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Brahma is relatively vulnerable to bird flu pathogens, so Chicks must be vaccinated at an early age. A big problem for chickens, and especially their babies, is a draft, because of which they catch a cold quite easily. Although the common cold itself is not so terrible, it reduces the ability of the immune system and paves the way for more terrible bacteria.

Finally, due to constant keeping in closed or semi-closed chicken coops, representatives of this breed receive relatively little real sunlight. In this regard, they often develop rickets. As a preventive measure, you need to give the chickens a little fish oil every week, if there is fish waste on the farm, you can get by with them.

At the same time, when feeding the chicks the remains of fish from the master’s table, you need to carefully check the product for the absence of bones – if one of them gets stuck in the baby’s throat, theoretically this can completely destroy him.

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Brama description of the breed. When do they start laying and what is their egg production? Chicken care and feeding, owner reviews

Reviews

The comments of the owners of such living creatures, which can be found on specialized sites, are surprisingly contradictory – most other breeds are usually praised, but not everything is so simple with this one. From criticism, you can often find complaints that such a bird grows too long – and it won’t gain the final weight in any way, and it starts to rush for a long time, but it’s not cheap at the same time. In addition, commentators write that bram meat is not for everyone, because of its specific structure, not everyone will like it.

There are also doubts about the advisability of breeding such a breed – they say, in terms of meat, they lose to much more precocious broilers, and not the most impressive egg production rates are not surprising because of the meat profile. Moreover, such pets are also very prone to obesity, which does not contribute to good egg production.

However, they usually do not forget to highlight some positives – in particular, purchased chicks really have excellent vitality and are able to reach adulthood. Even if you yourself are not a fan of the meat of these birds, you can always sell them in a grown form for much more than they were purchased – you can make a good profit on this.

In the end, representatives of this breed may be of interest not so much to the farmer as such, but simply to a lover of beauty, looking for aesthetics in everything around.

In the next video, you will find a description of the breed and the cultivation of Brahma chickens.

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Anna Evans

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