Brahmas

Brahmas are sweet, huge heritage breed chickens with feathered feet. They were initially bred for meat production, but they are good mothers and pets, so they make a great dual-purpose breed. They tolerate the cold weather and are relatively hardy but do not like hot weather as much. Because of their feathered feet, regular inspections are needed to ensure that their feet are in good health, especially if you have a lot of rain or mud. According to the Livestock Conservancy, their status is “recovering.”

• Origin: United States
• Purpose: Meat, eggs
• Climate: Cold hardy, prefers dry climates
• Temperament: Calm, docile
• Average weight: 9.5 to 12 pounds
• Average height: 30 inches
• Egg color: Brown
• Egg size: Large
• Egg production: About 150 per year
• Feather color: Light, dark, buff coloring with black tail feathers and neck feathers
• Comb type: Pea