Why Brahma chickens are exceptional for backyard, commercial farming

One of the most ideal birds for backyard poultry or commercial purposes, which most farmers in Nigeria ignored is the Brahma chicken breeds.
 
The Brahma chicken is one of the largest chicken breeds, often referred to as the king of chickens. Brahmas are large breed of chicken that has feathered feet with a fluffy appearance. They are both a meat and egg laying chicken. They also make great backyard pets.
 
Brahmas have attractive plumage, with lots of feathers, which makes them hardy in colder temperatures. They come in a variety of colors – white, buff Columbian, light, dark and gold.
 
The breed has a pea comb and short but strong beak. Their head is broad with their forehead hanging over the eyes, referred to as a ‘beetle brow’. They have dense plumage with a thick layer, making them a suitable breed for colder climates.
 

It can take the Brahma chickens up to seven months before it starts laying eggs. On average, chickens start laying eggs at about three to five months of age, so the Brahma hens do lay a little later than the average time frame.

Brahmas are known for being very friendly and approachable chickens. They are calm and gentle. This makes them very easy to handle. They make great backyard pets including for those with children. Most Brahmas can be kept with other chicken breeds without any issue.
 
They can be kept behind low 60-90cm fencing, as they cannot fly well. They are a quiet breed, even the males do not crow loud.
 
Investigations have shown that raising Brahma chicken is relatively easy due to the breed’s no-fuss attitude and docile nature. Farmers say the breed also don’t require any special attention and don’t have many health problems, which makes them a good choice for novice and backyard chicken flocks.

Like other breeds of chickens, Brahmas need to be fed daily and provided with fresh clean water. They also require some shade on hot days and shelter to protect them from the elements.
 
Due to their temperament, they tend to get along well with other breeds of chickens. This means they can co-exist and match with other breeds of hens and roosters being raised in a flock.
 
They are also considered as breeds that mature faster and become more profitable for their meat. Brahma chickens have an average lifespan of five to eight years, though some live for over 10 years.

It was discovered that majority of farmers in the country, especially core poultry farmers, do not have requisite knowledge of the breed. This was discovered in the course of gathering information for this report. They couldn’t provide any information on the breed.

A farmer based in Kaduna State, Mark Tagwai, who knows much about the breed, said in addition to the fact that the breed is not susceptible to parasites, such as mites, worms, and lice, they don’t contend with too many health problems.

He said: “The best way to ensure your chickens are at their ideal weight is to provide them with plenty of fresh, clean water and high-quality food. Along with their normal chicken feed, you should also supplement their food with fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as grass and grains.

“Chickens love to scratch and the Brahma breed is no different. Make sure you give them plenty of room to stretch their legs and scratch the dirt.”

He added that another advantage the breed has over other chickens is the fact that it can withstand cold temperature because of its abundance of feathers.

Tagwai, who revealed to The Guardian that he mainly breed brahma mixed (Brahma mixed with noiler), said the interesting fact about Brahma chickens is that they prefer to lay their eggs during the cooler portions of the year.

“This translates to the fact that when other chicken breeds are starting to slow down their egg production for the year, the Brahma chickens are just getting started.”

Another farmer, Sadiku Ibrahim, said the chicken breed is very profitable due to the size and quality meat it provides, as an average size sells for about N10, 000. He added that the breed doesn’t require much to maintain, hence anybody could rear them successfully.

Ibrahim said: “Brahmas don’t require a rooster to lay eggs. In fact, the chicken can lay unfertilised eggs without a rooster present. A rooster is needed, however, if you want the eggs fertilised, which will then turn into chicks. But even then, you don’t have to use a Brahma rooster to fertilise the eggs. .

“The main reason to have a Brahma rooster with Brahma chickens is if you want chicks that are 100 per cent Brahmas. If that isn’t important to you or your need, then you can use any rooster breed to mate and fertilise the eggs,” he said.

Sadiku urges more poultry farmers and potential farmers to key into rearing of the breed, adding that more efforts will need to put in place for the breed to be popularised.