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Brahma (chicken)
Encyclopedia
Brahmas are an Asia
tic breed of chicken
, originating in the Brahmaputra region in India
where they were known as "Gray Chittagongs." Their heritage is unclear, but they are believed to be closely related to the Jungle Fowl (Gallus Gigantus) and the Cochin
.
The first Brahmas were brought to the U.S. from British India in 1846, and were used as a utility fowl
for their edibility and generous egg
laying and hardiness even during the winter months, although today they are kept mainly for ornamental purposes as selection for utility has taken a back seat to selection for appearance. Some of the earliest imports to the U.S. reached weights of nearly 14 pounds, but rarely is such massive size seen today: standard weight for a cock
is 11 pounds; hens
are 8.5 pounds. By the 1870s Brahmas had become so popular that they were admitted into the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection.
recognizes three Brahma varieties: light, dark, and buff. The light Brahma has a base color of white, with black hackles edged in white and a black tail. The cock
s' saddle feather
s in a light Brahma are striped with black. The dark Brahma has the most notable difference between cock
and hen. The hen
has a dark gray and black penciled coloration with the same hackle as the light whereas the cock
has black and white hackles and saddle feather
s, and a black base and tail. The wing
s of a dark Brahma are white-shouldered and the primary feather
s (remiges) are edged with white. Buff Brahmas have the same pattern of black as light Brahmas, except with a golden buff base color instead of white.
In Australia Brahma Breeders are creating more colours and along with the accepted American varieties - Light, dark, and buff
the Australian Poultry Association have accepted black, blue, partridge, crele and even barred varieties of Brahma.
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
tic breed of chicken
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
, originating in the Brahmaputra region in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
where they were known as "Gray Chittagongs." Their heritage is unclear, but they are believed to be closely related to the Jungle Fowl (Gallus Gigantus) and the Cochin
Cochin (chicken)
The Cochin or Cochin China, originally known as the Chinese Shanghai, is a breed of chicken.The name Cochin came from the original Chinese name 九斤黄, meaning nine jin yellow, erroneously conflated with the then-current names for what are now parts of southern India and Vietnam, where jin is a...
.
The first Brahmas were brought to the U.S. from British India in 1846, and were used as a utility fowl
Fowl
Fowl is a word for birds in general but usually refers to birds belonging to one of two biological orders, namely the gamefowl or landfowl and the waterfowl...
for their edibility and generous egg
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
laying and hardiness even during the winter months, although today they are kept mainly for ornamental purposes as selection for utility has taken a back seat to selection for appearance. Some of the earliest imports to the U.S. reached weights of nearly 14 pounds, but rarely is such massive size seen today: standard weight for a cock
Cock
-Ornithology:* the male of most species of bird, but especially** A Rooster or cockerel, the male of the domestic fowl or chicken, Gallus domesticus*The English name of several species of bird incorporates the word cock, such as...
is 11 pounds; hens
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
are 8.5 pounds. By the 1870s Brahmas had become so popular that they were admitted into the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection.
Temperament
Brahmas are calm, friendly birds that make good pets or exhibition fowl. Males are calm and generally not aggressive towards humans. They are not skittish or easily scared, making them a popular choice for families with children. Due to their docile demeanor, Brahmas can be easily trained so that they can be handled by almost anyone. They should be hand trained when young because their large size makes them difficult to control in the early stages of training if they are full grown.Appearance
Brahmas are massive in appearance, in part due to profuse, loose feathering and feathered legs and toes. Approximate weights:- CockCock-Ornithology:* the male of most species of bird, but especially** A Rooster or cockerel, the male of the domestic fowl or chicken, Gallus domesticus*The English name of several species of bird incorporates the word cock, such as...
- 12 pounds (5.443 kg) - Cockerel - 10 pounds (4.536 kg)
- HenChickenThe chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
- 9 pounds - Pullet - 8 pounds
Recognized varieties
The American Standard of PerfectionAmerican Standard of Perfection
The American Standard of Perfection is the official breed standard for the poultry fancy in North America. First published in 1874 by the American Poultry Association, the Standard of Perfection classifies and describes the standard physical appearance, coloring and temperament for all recognized...
recognizes three Brahma varieties: light, dark, and buff. The light Brahma has a base color of white, with black hackles edged in white and a black tail. The cock
Cock
-Ornithology:* the male of most species of bird, but especially** A Rooster or cockerel, the male of the domestic fowl or chicken, Gallus domesticus*The English name of several species of bird incorporates the word cock, such as...
s' saddle feather
Feather
Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds and some non-avian theropod dinosaurs. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates, and indeed a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty. They...
s in a light Brahma are striped with black. The dark Brahma has the most notable difference between cock
Cock
-Ornithology:* the male of most species of bird, but especially** A Rooster or cockerel, the male of the domestic fowl or chicken, Gallus domesticus*The English name of several species of bird incorporates the word cock, such as...
and hen. The hen
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
has a dark gray and black penciled coloration with the same hackle as the light whereas the cock
Cock
-Ornithology:* the male of most species of bird, but especially** A Rooster or cockerel, the male of the domestic fowl or chicken, Gallus domesticus*The English name of several species of bird incorporates the word cock, such as...
has black and white hackles and saddle feather
Feather
Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds and some non-avian theropod dinosaurs. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates, and indeed a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty. They...
s, and a black base and tail. The wing
Wing
A wing is an appendage with a surface that produces lift for flight or propulsion through the atmosphere, or through another gaseous or liquid fluid...
s of a dark Brahma are white-shouldered and the primary feather
Feather
Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds and some non-avian theropod dinosaurs. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates, and indeed a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty. They...
s (remiges) are edged with white. Buff Brahmas have the same pattern of black as light Brahmas, except with a golden buff base color instead of white.
In Australia Brahma Breeders are creating more colours and along with the accepted American varieties - Light, dark, and buff
the Australian Poultry Association have accepted black, blue, partridge, crele and even barred varieties of Brahma.