Brahma chickens are super big in size and they grow to half the height of an average human being. Their lifespan is, however, much shorter compared to humans but are able to reproduce much faster than humans.
What is Brahma chicken?
The Brahma chicken is a large-sized fowl, three-and-a-half feet tall, with long tails. They have black and white feathers, with the males having more prominent ones.
Brahma chickens were developed in the US by breeding the Shanghai fowl with the grey Chittagong fowl of India. The resultant chicken was called the Brahma Pootra, which literally translates to ‘Brahma’s offspring’.
The first appearance of the word Shanghai fowl was in the mid-1800s. Some records indicate that these Shanghai fowls interbred with the grey Chittagong fowls native to India in the Brahmaputra in Bangladesh. That’s one account of how Brahma chicken came to be.

Other records point to the work of breeders in the US who imported different bird breeds and refined the now popular Brahma chicken.
Below is a brief history of these fowls;
- 1865 – Brahma chicken formally admitted to the British Poultry Standards (BPS)
- 1895 – Black Brahma Chicken was admitted to The American Poultry Association Standard (APAS)
- 1898 – Black Brahma Chicken admitted to APA
- 1946 – Bugg Brahma chicken admitted to APA

Table of Contents
Brahma Chicken compared to human
The most notable comparison between Brahma chickens and humans is the size difference as fully-grown Brahma chickens have about half the height of an average human. Humans are, however, 10 times more than the weight of present-day Brahma chicken but worth noting that 18th-century Brahma chickens were much heavier than the present-day chicken.

Brahma chicken is a quiet chicken breed and not known to be particularly vocal, in contrast, humans are much more talkative creatures.
Brahma chickens are omnivores like humans and will eat just about anything, from insects to small mammals. Humans, on the other hand, are mostly herbivores with some people being omnivores.
Brahma chickens are interesting creatures and make for great pets. If you’re looking for a chicken that is relatively quiet and not too high maintenance, then the Brahma chicken is a good choice.
I have provided a further comparison between Brahma chicken and humans below;
Brahma chicken vs Human size – Height:
A fully grown Brahma chicken is about 30 inches which are 48% of the average height of female humans and 44.5% with an average height of 62.4 inches. The average male humans grow to a height of 5.6 feet or 67.4 inches which is 2.2 times the height of a fully-grown Brahma.
Below is an image of a human being standing side-by-side with a male human being. The image gives you an idea of how tall the bird(Brahma) and mammal(human) can be.

Watch the short video of a giant chicken Brahma below
Brahma Chicken compared to human in weight:
In the late 18th Century, the Brahma chicken rooster used to weigh 19 lbs while the Brahma chicken hen used to get to 13 pounds.
Compared to the average size of humans, this would make the Brahma chicken rooster be equal to a human baby of around 6 months and the Brahma chicken hen would be close to a 3-month-old human baby.
The average weight of an adult male human is 197.9 pounds while the average weight of an adult female human is 170.6 pounds. This means that the average male human is around 9 times heavier than a Brahma chicken rooster and the average female human is around 13 times heavier than a Brahma chicken hen.
The heaviest recorded weight for a Brahma chicken was 20 lbs for a rooster and 15lbs for a hen.
But that’s the comparison of the Brahma chickens of the 18th century.
Today, Brahma chickens are much smaller. An average Brahma hen is 8 pounds and an average Brahma rooster only gets to 10 pounds.
Compared to humans, this would make the Brahma chicken rooster be equal to a human baby of around 3 months and the Brahma chicken hen would be close to a 2-month-old human baby.
This means that the average human male human today is around 20 times heavier than a Brahma chicken rooster and the average female human is around 17 times heavier than a Brahma chicken hen.
Brahma Chicken vs Human Lifespan:
The average lifespan of a Brahma chicken is around 5 to 8 years.
The average lifespan of a human is around 79 years.
This means that a human being lives around 10 times longer than a Brahma chicken.
Brahma Chicken Origin compared to human:
The Brahma chicken is an Asian breed of chicken that was developed in the United States from birds imported from China and Britain.
The first humans are thought to have originated in Africa and then migrated to other parts of the world.
So, the Brahma chicken originated in Asia while humans originated in Africa.
Brahma Chicken vs Human Reproduction:
A Brahma chicken can lay up to 200 eggs in a year while the average human can only give birth to 1 baby every few years.
Therefore, a Brahma chicken can lay eggs at a rate that is around 40 times faster than the human reproduction rate.
Brahma Chicken Colors vs Humans:
There are 3 colors of Brahma chickens which are light, dark, and partridge.
Human skin colors vary from very light to very dark depending on their geographical location. The most common human skin colors are black, white, brown, and yellow.
So, there is a greater variety of colors in humans than in Brahma chickens.
Eggshell Colors of Brahma Chicken vs Humans:
The eggshells of Brahma chickens can be white, brown, tinted, or greenish-blue.
Human eyes can be blue, green, brown, hazel, or amber.
Therefore, there is a greater variety of colors in human eyes than in Brahma chicken eggshells.
Is Brahma Chicken good as pets and friendly to humans?
Brahma chickens are not typically kept as pets but they can be if you have the space for them. They are a large breed of chicken and need more room to roam than other smaller breeds. They are also generally calm and docile, making them good around children.
While Brahma chickens are not typically kept as pets, they can be friendly to humans if they are raised around them. Like any animal, how you treat them will determine how they treat you. If you raise Brahma chickens in a crowded and stressful environment, they may not be as friendly as those that are raised in a more spacious and relaxed environment.
Brahma chicken compared to regular chicken:
The Brahma chicken is a large breed of chicken that was developed in the United States from birds imported from Asia. The average weight of an adult male Brahma chicken is around 9 pounds while the average weight of an adult female Brahma chicken is around 8 pounds.
A regular chicken is a smaller breed of chicken that was developed in Europe. The average weight of an adult male regular chicken is around 4 pounds while the average weight of an adult female regular chicken is around 3 pounds.
This means that Brahma chickens are around twice the size of regular chickens.
When it comes to egg production, Brahma chickens can lay up to 200 eggs in a year while regular chickens can only lay around 150 eggs in a year.
Therefore, Brahma chickens are more prolific egg layers than regular chickens.
When it comes to meat production, Brahma chickens are also larger than regular chickens. This means that they can provide more meat when slaughtered.
So, if you are looking for a chicken that is larger in size and can lay more eggs, then the Brahma chicken is a good choice. However, if you are looking for a chicken that is smaller in size and can provide less meat, then the regular chicken is a better choice.
FAQs:
Q: Do Brahma chickens have feathers on their feet?
A: No, Brahma chickens do not have feathers on their feet.
Q: Do Brahma chickens eat bugs?
A: Yes, Brahma chickens will eat bugs if they are available.
Q: How much does a Brahma chicken weigh?
A: The average Brahma chicken weighs between 8 and 10 pounds.
Q: How long do Brahma chickens live?
A: The average lifespan of a Brahma chicken is around 5 to 8 years.
Q: What colors do Brahma chickens come in?
A: There are three colors of Brahma chickens which are light, dark and partridge.
Q: What is the main difference between Brahma chicken and humans?
A: The main difference between Brahma chicken and humans is that humans are much larger in size. Brahma chicken roosters only get to 10 pounds while the average human male today is around 20 times heavier than a Brahma chicken rooster. Additionally, the average lifespan of a Brahma chicken is around 5 to 8 years while the average lifespan of a human is around 79 years. And finally, Brahma chickens can lay up to 200 eggs in a year while the average human can only give birth to 1 baby every few years.
Reference/sources:
- APA Recognized Breeds and Varieties: As of January 1, 2012. American Poultry Association. Archived 4 November 2017.
- Egg Traits, Fertility and Hatchability of Brahma, Cochin and Orpington Chicken Breeds
- Brahma Chicken Wikipedia Page
- APA Recognized Breeds and Varieties Sept2012.pdf
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.

Hi there! My name is Ben Domb, an owner of two pets and I am one of the co-founders of OurPets HQ. I have several years of experience as a pet care professional in the New England region having spent time in various roles including a stint at a veterinary hospital in Upstate New York, Syracuse area. I am a certified pet care professional and mostly spend my time researching pet nutrition and sharing my thoughts in various blogs and columns. With quarantine and COVID restrictions, I have been spending a lot of time a lot with my dogs and cat and loving it! I also run a small consulting business providing advice to parents on pet nutrition, and especially safe homemade options to try. You can reach me at ben@ourpetshq.com