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improving brahma laying ability
hi folks. I absolutely love brahmas, they look great and have a great personality but they are not great layers.
Can anyone suggest what breed i can mix into the brahma to improve the laying ability but with minimal impact to the look and personality of the breed {I know its impossible not to have some impact]?
any and all constructive advice is greatly appreciated.
Finefowl
Thursday, November 7th, 2024 I would be tempted to cross to the biggest Sussex you can find or run a black copper marans rooster with a few of your hens, that should give you big solid hens with feathered legs who lay chocolate brown eggs (it won't work the other way around, the marans has to be a rooster).
Glyn
Friday, November 8th, 2024 50 yrs ago I would have suggested a cochin as they were originally bred from the same shanghai foundation stock as brahmas, as layers rather than meat birds. Unfortunately most have lost their laying ability in the quest for show perfection, but if you can find someone with a utility strain that would be an option.
Glyn
Friday, November 8th, 2024 BCM is a good call, nice birds too. thanks for your reply
Finefowl
Friday, November 8th, 2024 any other thoughts?
Finefowl
Friday, November 8th, 2024 Consider crossing with the faverolle.Both breeds are of similar temprement,soft feathered, feathered legs, ect and the faverolle is a pretty good layer.You will end up with a bird that sill in many ways a brahma.I have had both breeds in a mixed flock and one breed is as good natured as the other. I also had Cochins over the years and they were always a bit wild.. Still my favourite is the faverolle.They used to greet me every morning and follow me around the garden along side the dog. I don't have any left right now .old age and all that.l will get some again when my current flokk of layers reduces in numbers.
If you are considering this breed look fore the biggest rooster you can find.Crossing them will give you birds in many ways very close to the brahma and the benefit of a better layer..oh and and possibility a slightly bigger egg.Faverolle eggs tend to be a little bigger.
roostercroweburn
Sunday, November 10th, 2024 There is a breed I had forgotten about until now and looks like the brahma with clean legs, its the Kraienkoppe,but this breed maybe hard to find. And egg laying appears to be similar or slightly better from what I know about them.
roostercroweburn
Sunday, November 10th, 2024 Put a copper maran over your best hen then put the best cock off this over a pure hen again and do the same with the pullets I would say using the pure brahma hen side will give better results.
paddycrawford
Sunday, November 10th, 2024 I have kept Black copper marans and faverolle and crossed them.The faverolle was always the better layer.But I do agree the black cooper maran is a good bird to cross with the brahma too paddy.But for a better layer and keeping the same temperament as the brahma the faverolle is the bird to cross with.Maran roosters can be quite mad. I had to cull some roosters over the years because of attacks on family and friends and pets. One used to kill the crows if it they tried to steal feed and fight with my kakhi Campbell drake when he saw him treading his kakhi girls and attacked everyone.This maran rooster was a real physcopath! Faverolle roosters were always friendly calm and easy to catch. Just like the brahmas.
roostercroweburn
Monday, November 11th, 2024 I would be allowing for eggs colour too.
paddycrawford
Tuesday, November 12th, 2024 Yes it is nice trying to keep egg shell colour but when I'm having eggs for breakfast or an omelet for lunch I never think about egg shell colour and I doubt anyone does.
roostercroweburn
Tuesday, November 12th, 2024 You would be supprised brown eggs are favoured here over white,not many use leghorns here,I have only seen one free range producer that use leghorns,green eggers have becoming some what popular here over the last number of years.
paddycrawford
Wednesday, November 13th, 2024 Not so fussed about egg colour here paddy but we do like having a mixed bowl of eggs on the table here. Ah sher variety is the spice of life!
roostercroweburn
Wednesday, November 13th, 2024 Another good breed to cross with the brahma is the barnvelder.but you need to find a rooster from a good laying strain.
roostercroweburn
Friday, November 15th, 2024
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improving brahma laying ability
hi folks. I absolutely love brahmas, they look great and have a great personality but they are not great layers.
Can anyone suggest what breed i can mix into the brahma to improve the laying ability but with minimal impact to the look and personality of the breed {I know its impossible not to have some impact]?
any and all constructive advice is greatly appreciated.
Thursday, November 7th, 2024
I would be tempted to cross to the biggest Sussex you can find or run a black copper marans rooster with a few of your hens, that should give you big solid hens with feathered legs who lay chocolate brown eggs (it won't work the other way around, the marans has to be a rooster).
Friday, November 8th, 2024
50 yrs ago I would have suggested a cochin as they were originally bred from the same shanghai foundation stock as brahmas, as layers rather than meat birds. Unfortunately most have lost their laying ability in the quest for show perfection, but if you can find someone with a utility strain that would be an option.
Friday, November 8th, 2024
BCM is a good call, nice birds too. thanks for your reply
Friday, November 8th, 2024
any other thoughts?
Friday, November 8th, 2024
Consider crossing with the faverolle.Both breeds are of similar temprement,soft feathered, feathered legs, ect and the faverolle is a pretty good layer.You will end up with a bird that sill in many ways a brahma.I have had both breeds in a mixed flock and one breed is as good natured as the other. I also had Cochins over the years and they were always a bit wild.. Still my favourite is the faverolle.They used to greet me every morning and follow me around the garden along side the dog. I don't have any left right now .old age and all that.l will get some again when my current flokk of layers reduces in numbers.
If you are considering this breed look fore the biggest rooster you can find.Crossing them will give you birds in many ways very close to the brahma and the benefit of a better layer..oh and and possibility a slightly bigger egg.Faverolle eggs tend to be a little bigger.
Sunday, November 10th, 2024
There is a breed I had forgotten about until now and looks like the brahma with clean legs, its the Kraienkoppe,but this breed maybe hard to find. And egg laying appears to be similar or slightly better from what I know about them.
Sunday, November 10th, 2024
Put a copper maran over your best hen then put the best cock off this over a pure hen again and do the same with the pullets I would say using the pure brahma hen side will give better results.
Sunday, November 10th, 2024
I have kept Black copper marans and faverolle and crossed them.The faverolle was always the better layer.But I do agree the black cooper maran is a good bird to cross with the brahma too paddy.But for a better layer and keeping the same temperament as the brahma the faverolle is the bird to cross with.Maran roosters can be quite mad. I had to cull some roosters over the years because of attacks on family and friends and pets. One used to kill the crows if it they tried to steal feed and fight with my kakhi Campbell drake when he saw him treading his kakhi girls and attacked everyone.This maran rooster was a real physcopath! Faverolle roosters were always friendly calm and easy to catch. Just like the brahmas.
Monday, November 11th, 2024
I would be allowing for eggs colour too.
Tuesday, November 12th, 2024
Yes it is nice trying to keep egg shell colour but when I'm having eggs for breakfast or an omelet for lunch I never think about egg shell colour and I doubt anyone does.
Tuesday, November 12th, 2024
You would be supprised brown eggs are favoured here over white,not many use leghorns here,I have only seen one free range producer that use leghorns,green eggers have becoming some what popular here over the last number of years.
Wednesday, November 13th, 2024
Not so fussed about egg colour here paddy but we do like having a mixed bowl of eggs on the table here. Ah sher variety is the spice of life!
Wednesday, November 13th, 2024
Another good breed to cross with the brahma is the barnvelder.but you need to find a rooster from a good laying strain.
Friday, November 15th, 2024