Have little experience with this breed. Picked up a few and they are now about 7 months old. Are they slow to start laying or maybe they need more feed? Since we live in Northern Oklahoma I thought they would be good for our cold and hot weather. Any info on these buff babes would be helpful.

Going to take a dip in the info pool again. My wife picked this breed because they were pretty. She calls them little cowboys because the feathers on the legs look like chaps. Anyway, from 5 hens she is only getting one or two eggs a day. If they did good we thought about adding them to the egg producers. Is this typical that they start slow? If so I guess we could let them play in the yard and impress the folks down the road.

I have had lousy experience with a Brahma rooster.
He was too big for the hens, badly tore up my favorite hen's feathers, then he attacked my little brother, causing him to bleed. He was an overall lousy rooster.

I live in northwest oklahoma, the breed is known for laying year round and very hearty in both cold weather and hot. The large breed usually begins laying at nine months of age and the bantam at five months, Have been enjoying this breed for six years. when all the others stop laying this little trouper continues. The female will go broody fairly easy but does not have the aggression to protect young in free range. If you need any more info please feel free to email me a&jpoultry@nwoknet.net

Yes, their impressive size gets them off to a slow start, considering that they are a dual purpose breed for meat and eggs... but they do make pretty "lawn ornaments" in the meantime.
Though they are not truly an "egger" it seems that they could do much better than two eggs from five hens... it may be time to re-evaluate your husbandry system. Their age, feed, housing and parasites all are considerable factors. Find out what is stressing them.
They were "built" for the cold weather and usually keep producing through the winter when others do not. They have a bit more trouble with the heat though because of their dense feathering, so tend to them closely when things start to warm.
Brahmas are noted for their docile nature and broodiness, so I wouldn't let one "monster" rooster taint your consideration of the breed. After all, he was just doing the rooster thing and being a hefty bird in his own rite, no less intimidating.
I have yet to have the opportunity to question their protective nature, however, next spring I intend to free range a flock for the first time on my new Oregon farmstead, so I too will be taking "a dip in the info pool" soon.

I have been exposed to buff brahmas for about a year is all. We live up north in Washington and if I kept the coop around 40 or so my chickens layed about every other day. I like the beauty and the gentleness of the female, I know nothing about the males.

I recently purchased two Buff Brahmas for a small backyard. I choose this breed for its quiet, calm way.However, one did not make it. Is there any way I can find a replacement without buying 25?{I had split an order with someone} What other breeds would be as gentle or quiet? Can one chicken be happy on his own? If I added a Rhode Island Red would this make the brahma not as nice? This is new to me and would appreciate any input.

Jeanne, Can you get your friend that you split the order with to share just one with you?? Breed of another chick won't make much difference, but don't be surprised if your little one is afraid of a stranger, even another Buff Brahma from the same hatch! A chick raised alone is often a pestie, as they just don't do as well and can be very dependent on you. But do what you can. CJR

To Cjeanr, Would you recommend another breed for being quiet and calm? I see from this site that the Cochins seem to be a popular breed. Thanks for responding.

Jeanne, I have kept many breeds over the years (only bantams, now) and I never had problems with wild or flighty birds in any of the breeds. You can get calm or wild ones in any breed. Assume you want hens for eggs. Remember that any of the largest (quiet?) breeds are not great layers of many eggs, so don't expect them to produce like the "egg laying" breeds--that are, indeed less calm. I like birds with fewer (tighter) feathers than the Brahma and Cochin--just that much cleaner coop. But I wouldn't worry too much about the breed, if you raise them kindly, kindly most will be--and at this time of year, you must probably take what you can find! Good luck, CJR

This whole time I thought I had a buff brahma rooster? Mine looks exactly like one, only he is tiny, like a bantam. Is there a 'bantam' brahma breed?

I have two Buff Brahma chicks and one of them is very slow to feather out. In general, they are both slower to feather out on their backs than other breeds of the same age. They seem to use all of their energy on the foot feathers instead of the back feathers.

I don't know if this is normal for the breed.

Hello Steve, I do have buff brahmas chicks, 8 weeks old now, it is my first experience with brahmas, as yours, some of mine are slow to feather, but thoses babys are bigger, taller and heavy, it seem that the food is going in the bones and in the flesh, they are healty and playfull, so may be it is the way they grow, I can not explain this difference. Bye, Johanne