Chicken breed
Brahma
Also called Light Brahma, Dark Brahma, Buff Brahma
Brahmas are one of the largest chicken breeds, with feathered feet and a small pea comb. They are calm, lay brown eggs (many of them in winter) and start laying late. They are very cold-tolerant but struggle in heat.
At a glance
150–200eggs a year
3–6eggs a week
24–39weeks to first egg
9.5 lbhen weight
12 lbrooster weight
Largeegg size
Traits
- Cold hardyhigh
- Heat tolerantlow
- Goes broodyhigh
- Fine in a small runhigh
- Egg colour
- brown (medium brown)
- Temperament
- calm, docile, gentle
- Good with kids
- Usually, yes
- Noise
- quiet
- Origin
- Developed in the United States from large fowl imported from China (Shanghai), with some Indian (Chittagong) influence
- Comb
- pea
- Bantam size
- Available
- APA standard
- Recognized
- Conservation
- Graduated 2023 (no longer on the Conservation Priority List)
- Purpose
- dual
Good for
- cold climates
- winter eggs
- families
- confinement
Watch out for
- does not tolerate heat well; needs shade and water
- feathered feet can collect mud or ice
- slow to mature
- large size can intimidate small children; heavy hens need watching around chicks
Looks and feathers
Feathered shanks and toes; heavy, dense feathering. APA varieties: Light, Dark, Buff (large fowl and bantam).
Our drawing shows the most common US variety; colours vary.
Similar breeds
All breedsSources
- 1Accepted Breeds & VarietiesAmerican Poultry Association
- 2Light Brahma Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
- 3Dark Brahma Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
- 4Buff Brahma Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
- 5Brahma Chicken (breed facts)The Livestock Conservancy
- 6Light Brahmas (product/breed profile)Cackle Hatchery
- 7Brahma (breed page)My Pet Chicken
- 8Dark Brahmas (product/breed profile)Cackle Hatchery
- 9Buff Brahmas (product/breed profile)Cackle Hatchery
- 10Chicken Breeds & Varieties (A2880), incl. APA standard weightsUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension
- 11Which chicken breeds may need extra heat in winter?My Pet Chicken
Hatcheries often disagree on eggs a year; ranges span every source we read. How we check the facts.