Buckeye Breed Thread

[flowerchild59]

Thanks for the sawdust idea. We have a great local butcher shop just up the road from me.

 

[Chickielady]

I had the same dilemma, I want to feed my birds great raw meat but what do I feed them, everything is so expensive and the least expensive are the large roasts... SO... I spoke with our local butcher shop and asked him about buying some "scraps" for my chickens and dogs. His immediate reply was "how about some sawdust"? He then explained to me that they clean out the band saws after cutting steaks and chops they have a clump or two of finely cut meat left over, they would usually sell it to the local rendering plant. I offered to buy every ounce of it from him. He'll fill up a 5 gallon bucket for about $10. The chickens devour it, I mean literally jump off the roost love it. I feed them 10 - 20 lbs of it a week.

Here is a video of my flock, at about :30 into it you can see the meat bucket with the "sawdust" in it.

Thanks for the video Dave !
I will talk to my meat guy in town as I was emplyed as a Meat cutter at Safeway for years.still in the union
It is interesting that you have so many birds in 1 coop................it is nice how they get along isn't it?Wonderful birds all
getting along !

 

[BuckeyeDave]

It is interesting that you have so many birds in 1 coop................it is nice how they get along isn't it?Wonderful birds all
getting along !

They really do get along, they have several other shelters to hang out in but it is 20 degrees out, they all choose to hang with the heat, the feed and the water. I kept the audio just so people could witness how laid back they are, 6 and a half minutes in a closed coop and no squabbles, chases, fights or bickering.

I have never seen buckeyes not get along, an occasional tangle here or there but honestly they are the most mellow breed I have ever heard of.

 

[cgmccary]

Great set-up Dave! Your video also proves the point that Buckeyes can be confined and unlike a lot of other breeds, Buckeyes are known for not feather-picking when crowded.

 

[BuckeyeDave]

Great set-up Dave! Your video also proves the point that Buckeyes can be confined and unlike a lot of other breeds, Buckeyes are known for not feather-picking when crowded.

If they didn't get along so well I'd be more inclined to get another box body so they could have more space, but honestly, they really do well exactly as they are and it keeps the space warmer for the birds. In the summer they spend more evenings out in the other structures but in the winter they love the warmth and confinement of the box truck and honestly, I'd rather them roost in the box truck that out in the windy 20 degree Ohio winter. They seem to be content with any situation they are in, just all around great birds!!!!

I wonder how many of the birds in the video came from your flock and their offspring. In my first years your roosters were the foundation sires and with the new batch of exceptional stock I received from you last year they are again the primary sires of the flock.

Your birds are the daddies and great grand daddies of BuckeyeChickens.com!

 

[Janet Hatch]

We have a website again! It ain't pretty, but it's there. I'll need additional suggestions, pictures, content, etc.

www.americanbuckeyepoultryclub.com

 

[BuckeyeDave]

Well done!!!!

 

[Terri O]

Hey Dave--popped over here to see your video. Bigz from WI cheeseheads sent me. I have some of his Buckeyes here. SO I noticed that you have peepers on some of the hens. Why is that? Are there certain ones that pick? Just curious...Terri O

 

[Stuck in the Coop]

We have a website again! It ain't pretty, but it's there. I'll need additional suggestions, pictures, content, etc.

www.americanbuckeyepoultryclub.com

Hi Janet,
Be sure to include the info on joining the club. I was going to join this week and couldn't get on the website. I was worried to send a payment to an email tied to the site in case the address may have changed with the update.

 

[Chickielady]

If they didn't get along so well I'd be more inclined to get another box body so they could have more space, but honestly, they really do well exactly as they are and it keeps the space warmer for the birds. In the summer they spend more evenings out in the other structures but in the winter they love the warmth and confinement of the box truck and honestly, I'd rather them roost in the box truck that out in the windy 20 degree Ohio winter. They seem to be content with any situation they are in, just all around great birds!!!!

I wonder how many of the birds in the video came from your flock and their offspring. In my first years your roosters were the foundation sires and with the new batch of exceptional stock I received from you last year they are again the primary sires of the flock.

Your birds are the daddies and great grand daddies of BuckeyeChickens.com!

Wanted to add to what you have said Dave, my birds have been in coop for 4 days straight with the blizzard, 20" of snow & the 3rd day we had freezing rain which laid up to 2" of solid clear rock hard ice on everything !
I opened a door to add feed & water, and all are well & happy inside, nice & warm.
I also noticed 2 hens are broody & in 1 nest box...one'd head out, the other's tail out LOL
In a blizzard !
I added scrambled egg & spaghetti squash cut open on the half shell...LOL and they had a nice feast...and all getting along so nicely.
Ameracaunas in their coop were flighty, restless and LOUD & wanting OUT!
I do think Bucks are absolutely awesome.
Today we had warm rain, melting off almost all snow & ice & rivelets of water pouring down the hill...I cut off pen nets that had collasped & broken tree branches fell by ice weight, and opened the coop door.......then they came out, looked about & saw me & were so happy....flew & ran around in the open pen and we had a visit in the sun, between more rain.
I adore these birds !
Went out first day since we could get out...most here have lost power due to the ice storm, and my chicks, juveniles & adult birds have had no issue, not 1 sneeze.
Fantastic !
Did not have time to talk to the many butchers out here.
My main will be the big game butcher and a small country store butcher, that has to be in a day or so.
We are picking up the peices here, repairing downed fences & sawing up dropped trees, limbs & the like.