Backyard Poultry Forum

Okay thanks muchly

Mine are just 3 weeks old, and I have been assuming the females will feather faster, like the Sussex. I have certainly seen a difference in the rate of feathering, and I'm hoping I have 3 girls and one boy.
I would be tempted to say all girls from your first set of photos. I'm curious to follow this thread through to it's natural conclusion. I will try and get some photos of mine at 4 weeks to compare.
Cheers, Jan

I am getting a four pullet vote from the people over at Backyard Chickens, but it is based on their colour I think american Brahma show their sex faster - or it appears that way from the photos they have - but they don't have much in the way of gold partridge.

Aurra is getting a definate red blush around her eyes and ears :O they are changing very fast at the moment. Some are getting pale feathers coming through on their wings and Aurra is growing very dark feathers around her face. I have also noticed that all their combs will flash red after they have ben running around, and been in the sun.

Photos would be great chicory!!!

The changes are coming thick and fast now we are at the 7wk stage. they are also a lot harder to catch so I just had to be patient and click away from a distance. They are also going to be leg banded today as they are getting harder to tell apart - if I can catch them that is.

Asajj 7wks - showing a few sneaky dark gold (but still banded) feathers, not developing barring on chest, flight feathers are black edged with gold. I want her to be a pullet, but possibly a cockerel.



Aurra 7wks - I think a name change is in order for this one, feathers are getting darker, has a lot of sneaky black in wings, slowest in feathering, has always been a darker - more reddish colouring than the others.




Padme 7wks - She has a very red comb and face, but she also has the most barring on her chest, is very evenly feathered and is the largest of the chicks. I am voting pullet.




Riyo 7wk - voting pullet

Still only 1 pullet. Aurra has the best barring out of your boys, so I would leg band him so you can recognise him when his feathers change. The barring in a young cockerel will give you the best barring in your pullets when you use him to breed with(pullet breeding line).
They are looking good and healthy.

Daza

I was afraid you'd say that. If that is the case I will be only keeping one cockerel. I think Mr Man would shoot me if I insisted on keeping anymore as we already have a large cross breed rooster with our layers.

I am going to close my eyes and pray very hard for at least two pullets!!! please please please let Padme and Riyo be a pullets!

I think you would have a better chance of winning lotto.

Daza

thats it I am going to buy a lotto ticket!

Elysiann,

It is hard to pick boys versus girls in the Brahma. You can do it at week old and then not until later on. However your colour Gold partridge makes it easier for you. The boys wll start to develop a lovely DARKER brown across the back and this is an easy way to tell. In saying this i usually can sex by looking down onto the bird instead of sideon shots.

My opinion is

Asajj = Boy
Aurra = girl
Padme = boy
Riyo = boy.

For your sake I hope I'm wrong

I also agree wholeheartedly with Daza.
Keep them off the ground until about 8 weeks or even longer if its still wet. The Feathered breeds do not like their feet wet and their wet feathers keep them colder. Some of my Brahma's do the "High' stepping even when the grass just has dew on it.

Elysiann, never be in a rush to put your young ones outside and especially if the weather is wet or cold, thats when Cocci will be a real issue..

But good luck with your babies and of course you love them, they are Brahma's

Cheers

Victoria

_________________
Wish It... Dream It... Do It...

Thanks for the advice I have actually just about written Aurra off as a cockerel as her/throat is going a lovely gold colour :O but now I just don't know!!!

Oh well alls I can do is watch and wait. I am definately in no hurry to put them on the ground but they are there - on a two inch thick pile of woodshavings under my verandah with a tarp over the top at night. They get to free range twice a day, supervised - but I have seen no signs of sickness since those first four days.

It is very hot here at the moment, and we have all but dried out.

Hi Victoria, it's good to see more Brahma post's.

Elysiann, I wouldn't let them free range untill they get their yellow back in their legs. The first 3 months is the most important for their health. Unfortunatly because of a lot of different issues with their long term health you must keep them off the ground until they are older. Wood shavings are perfect.

Daza

I am not sure what you mean by that. When I got them they had pink legs, they were always pink as far as I know, but have slowly been developing yellow as they get older... which I am happy about as they are suposed to have yellow legs.

Still lots to learn about Brahma, but I am getting there. I had three of them snuggling up on my lap and getting in under my arms the other afternoon, the fourth was determined to get in under my hair - quite a juggling act as they are now the size of a pekin.

Daza, please explain? I have just moved mine from a brooder box into a small dry timber shed, with a deep bed of soft hay. I have been waiting for a free chook tractor, but everything here is so wet at the moment, and this little shed came free so I took it. I had to move the big brahma boy and his hens from this run as it was flooded badly, so they have a crap shed for a few nights, and the babies have the nice shed until I can set up a safe chicken tractor for them.
Mine are 6 weeks old. I won't have them free ranging for months yet. They are too valuable to me even though they are a mixed bag. I don't want to lose them to hawks or eagles.

So when I put them in the chook tractor on grass, should I just fill it up with straw?

Brahmas are suposed to have yellow legs but I have found in my pens that if the chicks get a dose cocci they will lose the colour in their legs, and they won't grow as big as they should. keeping them off the ground will stop them from getting this problem, Until they are old enough to slowly become immune from this intestinal problem. if you don't take precaution they will die and the ones that live will be very weak pullets/cockerels.