Brahma Size and Weight

Standard weights, record birds and the chicken that broke the internet

The Brahma is one of the largest chicken breeds. The Livestock Conservancy describes it as "often called the King of All Poultry" and says birds can reach up to 30 inches in height. But "how big" depends on whether you mean the weight the breed standard calls for, the average bird in a backyard flock, or the exceptional individuals that make headlines.

Standard weights

Breed standards give target weights for mature birds. A cock is a male a year old or more; a hen is a female a year old or more; cockerels and pullets are younger males and females.

Large-fowl figures are from Oklahoma State University's breed reference; bantam figures are from a University of Arkansas Department of Poultry Science summary. Farm and Dairy's 2017 article gives the same cock and hen weights for Light, Dark and Buff. The University of Arkansas summary notes that the Dark weights were eventually raised to match the Light, so current editions of the standard may differ from the OSU table.

Other sources round the numbers. The Livestock Conservancy gives 12 lb for males and 10 lb for females and says that norm "still holds today." Wikipedia gives averages of about 5.5 kg (12 lb) for cocks and 4.5 kg (10 lb) for hens.

Record birds

Individual Brahmas have been recorded well above the standard. According to The Livestock Conservancy, by 1901 individual birds had been documented at 13–14 lb for females and 17–18.25 lb for males. Wikipedia mentions very large birds of about 8 kg (18 lb) for cocks and 6 kg (13 lb) for hens. When the 2017 video went viral, CTV News reported that females can weigh up to 14 lb and males more than 18 lb.

These are exceptional birds. A typical Brahma is impressively large next to most backyard breeds, but not double the size of the standard.

The 2017 "giant chicken" video

In March 2017 a short video of an unusually large Brahma spread across social media. CTV News reported on March 21, 2017, that the clip had been posted on Facebook late the previous week and had been viewed more than 105 million times. Some online commenters suspected a person in a costume; CTV said flatly that it was not a person dressed as a chicken. The reports did not identify the farm or the person who posted it.

On March 20, 2017, Farm and Dairy published "10 facts about the giant chicken that went viral," by Sara Welch, explaining what viewers were looking at. Its key points:

• The bird belongs to the APA's Asiatic class, whose breeds share Chinese roots.
• It is a Brahma, and its coloring suggests the Light variety, generally the largest.
• At maturity, Light cocks reach about 12 lb and hens about 9.5 lb; Dark and Buff cocks about 11 lb and hens about 8.5 lb.
• Brahmas grow slowly, which is why they were passed over as commercial meat birds.
• From the 1850s through the 1920s they were the principal US meat breed.
• Light and Dark entered the APA Standard in 1874; Buff in 1924.

Why Brahmas look even bigger than they are

Several breed traits make a Brahma seem larger than its weight suggests. The Livestock Conservancy describes dense down throughout the plumage, and feathering down the shanks and onto the toes. Oklahoma State University notes the "profuse feathering." Thick down and feathered legs add visual bulk on top of real body weight.

Slow to mature

Size comes with time. Oklahoma State University notes that slow growth and a long time to reach maturity kept Brahmas out of commercial production. Historically, The Livestock Conservancy says, roasters were ready at about eight months, and cockerels stayed tender until 12–13 months.

Practical implications

The extension guideline used for heavy breeds — about 4 square feet of indoor floor space and 9 inches of roost per bird, per University of Missouri Extension figures — is the baseline for Brahmas as well; see Keeping Brahmas for details.

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