The American Brahma Club is divided into five districts in the United States. We want to make sure that anyone can be involved, show, earn points, and meet fellow enthusiasts with like-minded interests in their respective district. Current members include junior and open divisions and can compete in Special Meets, State Meets, District Meets and the annual National Meet.
District 1 (Northeast) – Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and Viginia.
District 2 (Southeast and South) – Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.
District 3 (Midwest) – Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and Kansas.
District 4 (West) – North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, California, Alaska, and Hawaii.
District 5 - Canada
History of the Brahma Breed and Club
The Brahma chicken is often thought to have taken its name from India’s Brahmaputra River. However, the breed as we know it today was developed in the United States using birds imported from China through the port of Shanghai. It is believed that in India, Malay chickens were crossed with Cochins (then known as Shanghai fowl), producing large, feather-legged birds. These birds were later transported to Shanghai, where they were crossed with Gray Chittagongs from India. This final cross introduced the distinctive pea comb and beetle brow that genetically and physically distinguish Brahmas from Cochins.
During the breed’s early refinement—before any formal written standard existed—the Brahma was known by many names, including Chittagongs, Gray Shanghais, and Brahma Pootras. Some accounts suggest the breed carried as many as twelve different names throughout its early history. Brahmas were imported to America and England between 1840 and 1850, and the breed appeared in the first poultry book published in 1856. The name was eventually shortened from “Brahmas” to “Brahma,” either after Queen Victoria received a small flock or, according to other sources, by T. B. Miner of The Northern Farmer, who abbreviated it in the early 1850s to save printing space.
The original color variety was the Light Brahma. In December 1852, poultry breeder George Burnham sent nine birds from his flock to Queen Victoria. These birds became the foundation for the Dark Brahma variety, which was developed in England and later returned to the United States. From this stock, American breeders refined the Brahma extensively between 1850 and 1890.
Historically, Brahmas were valued as a reliable food source due to their large size and excellent muscle development. Their hardiness and ability to lay well during colder months made them especially suitable for northern climates.
Both Light and Dark Brahmas were accepted into the first American Standard of Perfection in 1874. Although buff-colored birds appeared earlier, the Buff Brahma was not officially recognized until 1924. Bantam Brahmas later gained popularity, and most large-fowl varieties now have bantam counterparts.
Here are some Non-Recognized Varieties!
The American Brahma Club was founded in Boston in 1954 to preserve and promote what enthusiasts often call “The Majestic Ones,” a nod to the breed’s impressive size paired with its docile and curious temperament. While the club focuses on preserving recognized varieties, it also encourages the breeding of various varieties, that may not be recognized yet, of large fowl and bantams such as Blacks (large fowl), Mottled, Gold, Blue Darks, and others.