Buff Brahma Chickens: Complete Breed Information

Many people call Buff Brahma Chickens “King of Chickens”. Buff Brahmas are a different color than standard Brahmas, and they are very striking. The breed is easy to take care of and is fun to have around.

She does well in backyards and can live with other chickens because she won’t fight with them. You want to keep this breed, right?

Buff Brahma Chickens Breed History

It’s not clear what genes make up this breed, as it is with many old heritage breeds. They came to the West for the first time in the 1840s. Queen Victoria, who loved keeping chickens, got the first ones as a gift.

These people were called Shanghai’s at this point because they came from that port. Some genes likely came from the birds that lived in Chittagong and were Malay. There were a lot of different kinds of Shanghai’s, and in 1852, people worked hard to come up with a standard and a name for them.

The name of this new standard breed came from the main river in Bangladesh where the Chittagong came from: the Brahmaputra. It was also around this time that the buff variety was made.

These days, the Brahma can weigh about twelve pounds, but it was normal for birds to weigh up to eighteen pounds in the past. They are now common as backyard chickens, which is good news, and the Livestock Conservancy names them as a species that is recovering. 

Buff Brahma Chickens Overview

Many people disagree on where the Buff Brahma came from. We do know that in the 1800s, they came to the US through the UK. This type of chicken is very calm and gentle. They get along well with kids and are calm, so they make good pets too.

They lay big brown eggs that aren’t too bad. You may have seen videos of big Brahmas stomping around the chicken coop. But Brahmas that big don’t happen very often; most are between eight and eighteen inches tall.

Their calmness and ease of handling make them a popular choice for bird shows and showrooms. But lately, they’ve also become popular as garden chickens. These pretty and calm hens will lay eggs all winter long, even when the other hens have already left for the season.

Why We Love This Breed

Pros:

• The Buff Brahma doesn’t mind that kids love to cuddle with them.
• Since they are quiet, they work well if you have friends close by.
• Even though they are big, these giants are very gentle.

• They lay eggs all winter long, even when all the other girls have stopped.
• Those feet with feathers. It’s impossible not to love them.
• They are quiet, peaceful, and sure of themselves, which makes them a pleasure to handle. 

Appearance

It looks like a big chicken. This breed is both big and heavy. A beetle brow is a name for the brow that sticks out over the eyes on their big, broad heads. Their combs are pea-shaped, which makes them great for colder places.

Even though they have broad shoulders, they can’t move very well. If you look at them from the side, they look like a V-shaped bird. Their feathers are smooth and have a lot of thickness under them. They have feathers on their legs and feet, and each foot should have four toes.

The bright and dark The American Poultry Association let Brahma join in 1874. Not until 1924 did the buff variety become a member of the APA. There isn’t much difference between Buff Brahma roosters and hens in terms of looks.

It is common to notice that roosters are more interested and outgoing, while hens stay out of the way and aren’t as bold as the boys. The boys’ combs will get a little bigger as they age, and the hackle feathers will become more pointy. But because Buff Brahmas take a long time to grow up, you might not be able to tell the difference for a while. 

Size and Weight

Brahma Hens can weigh about 10 pounds, while roosters can weigh about 12 pounds. They can even grow up to thirty inches in height, but mostly are between eight and eighteen inches. Some people have bantams, which are about six inches tall, but they are hard to find. 

Color

This is the only Buff Brahma that you can get. There are, however, different color types of the Brahma. These are the three colors that people in the US know:

• Light
• Buff
• Dark

How Does It Feel To Have A Buff Brahma Chickens?

Buff Brahma likes to move around and look for food in the yard. These will help keep their food prices as low as possible since they eat a lot. They like to stay close to home when they’re hunting, so you won’t have to look for them. Because their feathers are so thick, the Brahma is not a good choice for southern regions, as they can experience heat stress.

Personality

Small homesteads work well with them. They are very calm, like Silver Laced Wyandotte’s, and don’t attack people or other chickens very often. Even the roosters are not mean to them; they are gentle, calm, and nice.

People who keep Brahmas in their groups will tell you that they don’t fight with each other or other chickens. Only because they are big do other birds pick on them. It’s not because they are mean or violent.

But kids might be scared of a Buff Brahma because of its size. After some time, kids will get used to them, and if they are pushed enough, they will start to want to sit on their laps. 

Egg Production

The number of eggs a Buff Brahma hen lays is average. After a year, these hens will have laid about 150 eggs, which is about three big brown eggs per week. They also tend to lay eggs in the winter, when most other girls have stopped.

They should reach a point of lay between five and six months (20 to 24 weeks). The hens are not all broody, but some girls do get a little broody when it’s time to mate. They are good at keeping eggs warm until they hatch and taking care of chicks. 

Noise Levels

When they’re not singing the egg song, crowing, or setting off alarms, Brahmas are pretty quiet. Because of this, they should not bother your friends whether you live in the country or the city. They are quiet and peaceful and don’t get fussy or scared easily.

Facts About This Breed

1. You need to be patient with them because heritage chickens take longer to reach their full size.
2. Because their fur is so thick, they can get heat stress in hot weather.
3. It fed the US from the 1850s to the 1930s.
4. The APA calls them an Asian bird, but they were actually created in the United States.
5. The Chittagong, the Grey Shanghai’s, and the Brahma Putra are some other names for them. 

Buff Brahma Chickens Care Guide

Health Issues

The Buff Brahma chickens breed has good health and strength. There are constant concerns regarding ticks, mites, and lice. Brahmas have a lot of feathers, so you will need to check them for bugs often. You can choose to treat your chickens at set times or whenever you feel like it.

It’s not right or wrong; do what works best for you and your plan. Their furry feet are the only thing that makes them stand out. This means that scaly leg mites can be a problem if you don’t keep an eye on them.

They need to be careful with their feet. Around their toes, mud and ice can build up and form mud or ice balls. In the worst cases, this can cause them to lose their fingernails or even their fingers.

Feeding

The food you give your Brahmas must be of good quality. For the first few weeks, until they are ready to lay eggs, chicks will need 20% crumble. When they are sixteen weeks old, you can switch them to 16% layer feed and give them crumble or pellets.

Along with their food, Buff Brahmas will need bowls just for oyster shells and grit. It’s important to have grit for good nutrition, and oyster shells help build strong bones and eggshells. Why not leave the oyster shell out of the food? Some birds might not need the extra calcium.

You should always be able to get clean, fresh water. To keep them healthy in the summer, you can add vitamin and hydration powder to their water. 

Coop Setup

Because they are big, you need to give them a lot of room. At the very least, each Buff should have six square feet. Eight square feet is better. You should make some changes to your coop so that these chickens can live there. They can grow up to 30 inches tall, so the door will also need to be bigger. You’ll be close if you picture an opening about the size of a turkey (12 by 14 inches).

Each of them needs a twelve-inch perch. Also, since the Buff Brahma chickens is so big and heavy, the perches should be lower to the ground so that falling off doesn’t hurt its feet or legs.

The nesting boxes are the last part. It’s going to be hard to fit everything in the large boxes. It should be twelve inches deep, fourteen inches tall, and fourteen inches wide. 

Summary Of Buff Brahma Chickens

The Buff Brahma chickens are beautiful chickens that can live in both country and urban areas.

If you can get one or two hens to join your group, they will lay eggs for you during the winter while other breeds rest. Keep in mind that they do eat a lot because they are big (especially in the winter).

These hens take a while to grow, but they are worth the wait. These birds are very pretty, and they walk like kings and queens. Are you going to add this royal chicken to your flock? Leave a comment below and let us know…