Standard
Varieties of Chickens:
Brahmas
The leading variety of the Asiatic class is the
Light Brahma (fig. 9). This fowl has a history that
would fill pages were it recorded. They are the
fowls which caused the "hen fever" of the fifties,
about which so much has been written in later
years. Their early history is a matter of
controversy, the best authorities differing as to
their origin.
They were first known as the "Brahma Pootras,"
"Gray Shanghais," "Chittagongs," "Cochin Chinas,"
and what not. The early breeder named them according
to his fancy for high sounding and sensational names
to sell his stock. Fabulous prices were paid for
them when the craze for fine poultry was at its
height in the early days of the last half of the
present century. The standard of the present Brahma
fowl was fixed in 1869, and no deviation from the
type adopted then has been made. It has stood high
in popular favor since then without abatement; the
vast number of breeders who are raising them fully
attest their worth as a practical bird to the
industry. The Brahma is characteristic fowl; it is
unlike the other varieties, and it should not be
confounded in shape with the Cochin.
The average Light Brahma male is in height 26
inches; back from the ground, 16 inches; keep from
the ground, 8 inches; length of body, front of
breast to rear of fluff, 14 inches; height of tail,
a trifle over 21 inches; saddle hangers to rear of
fluff, 2 ¼ inches; eye, from tip to beak, 2 1/6
inches; length of head and beak, 2 ½ inches; breasts
to rear of a drop line from point of beak,
three-fourths to 1 ¼ inches. As specimens depart
from this proportion they become awkward and
valueless as exhibition stock, and often also as egg
producers. In share, oblong, with full, broad, and
round breast, carried well forward. The fullness and
oblong shape is typical of the Brahma and is
characteristic of prolific birds. The curves of neck
and back are facsimile in shape of the outlines of
an egg.
In plumage the male is pure white, excepting
hackle, tail, and flights, which are black, and
white striped with black. Any other color but white
and black is against the standard-bred bird. The
hackle is white with a black stripe extending down
the center of each feather and tapering to a point
near the extremity (see fig. 10). The tail feathers
are black, and sickles are glossy greenish
black. The shanks are well feathered, with the
feathering extending down the middle tow; the toe
feathering may be white or white sprinkled with
black, pure white preferred. A small pea comb (see
fig. 9), broad crown, projects over the eyes;
bright-red face, wattles and earlobes are essential
to a good head. The shanks and toes are bright
yellow.
The Brahma female is much like the male in head
qualities, having broad comb, projecting well over
the eyes, and small pea comb. The head of female
should be masculine in appearance, indicating great
control and will power. The head is white; hackle,
white striped with black as in male; cape, white and
black, but is completely covered by hackle when the
bird stands erect; tail, black, excepting the two
highest main tail feathers, which may be edged with
white; tail coverts, one or more rows, distinctly
covering a part of bother sides of the main tail,
two being preferable, are black edged with
white.
The Light Brahma is a valuable bird for the
farm. They have always been made to pay for their
keep and have seldom been set aside by any who have
bread them. They are the largest of domestic poultry
and do as well in confinement in small runs as on
free range. As layers they will average from twelve
to thirteen dozen of eggs a year, and lay
exceptionally well in winter. Their eggs are large,
about 7 to a pound, of a rich brown color and
excellent flavor. For table purposes they are good;
they do not mature as early as do the varieties of
the American class, yet they are hardy and can be
raised with as much ease as any of the
earlier-maturing varieties. As sitters and mothers
they are fair.
The Dark Brahma is not so popular as the Light- the
difficulty being in breeding them true to
feather. Their delicately marked plumage is
extremely pretty when bread to standard
requirements, but if not so bred it becomes most
disagreeable and unsatisfactory to the breeder. The
head and neck of a Dark Brahma male are similar to
those of the Light, the head being white and the
hackle rather more striped. The back is nearly
white, a little black appearing here and there. The
black should predominate between the shoulders, but
is nearly hidden by the hackle flowing over it. The
saddle feathers are, like the hackle, silvery white,
striped with black, which should be distinct. As the
feathers approach the tail the stripes become
broader till they merge into the tail coverts, which
are rich, glossy green black, with a margin or
lacing of white. The tail is pure black, with green
gloss. The wing coverts are black, forming a
distinct black bar across the middle of the wings,
which the ends of the secondaries have a large black
spot on the end, making the top edges of the wing
appear almost black. The remainder of the
secondaries are white on the lower half and black on
the upper. The flights are all black, except a
narrow fringe of white on the lower edge. The breast
is black; the things and fluff either black, or
black very slightly mottled with white.
The shank feathering should correspond with the
breast, being black if the latter be black, and
slightly mottled with white if not. The shanks are
deep yellow, inclining to orange.
The color of females is a white ground, closely
penciled with dark steel gray, producing a beautiful
effect, frosted or silver gray in appearance. There
should be no show of pure white in the plumage
except in the margins of the hackles. Unless extreme
care be taken in mating, the hens are likely to have
a dingy color, and the pullets are apt to have necks
almost white for some distance down. These
light-necked birds generally breed to worse, but the
evil may be remedied by choosing birds for breeding
whose heads are distinctly marked. The shape and
character of the markings of the Dark Brahma pullets
also varies. They should be medium sized, so that
the pencilings can be clearly discerned at a short
distance. A great point in regard to color and
marking in Brahma pullets is that it should be
uniform over the body, and the hackles should be
silvery white, heavily striped with rich black, and
the shank feathering penciled same as body.
For more practical purposes the Dark Brahma is not
to be commended as highly as the Light. The close
breeding for points in feathers is likely to
interfere with their productiveness, yet with proper
attention and care they can be bred profitably as
well as for beauty. The standard weight of Light
Brahma cocks is 12 pounds; hens, 9 ½ pounds;
cockerels, 10 pounds; and pullets, 8 pounds. The
standard weight of Dark Brahma cocks is 11 pounds;
hens, 8 ½ pounds; cockerels, 9 pounds; and
pullets, 7 pounds.
FOR
FURTHER READING...
The first two images come from the Oklahoma State
University Department of Animal Science's Poultry
Breeds pages. The remaining three are from the FeatherSite, "an on-line zoological garden of domestic poultry". The Brahma
page at Oklahoma and the Brahmas page
at FeatherSite contain further information about this breed's
history and more images of these fowl. Clicking on
each image takes you to the page specifically about
that particular variety.
Image Credits
(from left to right):
Copyright © 1996, Oklahoma State University
Board of Regents;
Copyright © 1996, Oklahoma State University
Board of Regents;
Courtesy of Sue Tivol;
Courtesy of Virginia Martin;
Courtesy of Jeff Iurato
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