BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[3riverschick]

I understood that they guesstimated the thousands and it was around 300. I got my info from The Front Porch Swing. Deb lives outside of San Diego. Just passing along what I hear.

Edited for content: After reading the article, I don't know what to think.

I agree with the local fire expert out there. There is just something way too coincident about these last 6 fires.
The implication being someone was setting them. Someone is setting those fires. At least the last 6. They
had Rancho Bernardo going and then the one on Camp Pendleton at the Naval Weapons Base. Then 6 more
sprang up the same day. What is suspicious is the location of the last 6 fires. They are evenly spaced in a
random pattern. Each looks just too far enough away from the other one to be started by flying embers
from another fire.
I smell a rat,
Karen

 

[hellbender]

Enjoy!!!!!

 

[3riverschick]

IT is unfortunate that the breed has a split faction of followers. Makes it difficult for the new comers. I experienced a similar event as you did . . . very uncomfortable at best.

As you made a decision that worked for you, I made a decision that worked for me. I steer clear of buckeye threads. Generally speaking I get my Buckeye information from Don Shrider as he is no nonsense and supportive of new comers. No ax to grind that I can see. Sorry you experienced such difficulties, unfortunately it goes with the Buckeye territory.

Hope you enjoy them!!!

I was advised to feed them well at 27% protein for the best results; mine are from a breeder that selects for fast growth. Perhaps this also pertains to the Cackle line, too, IDK.

When I am looking for stock or looking from someone else,
I always check the show stats from the region the folks are from.
I look for repeated wins by the same strain in quality competition.
It gives a good indicator of how that strain is performing
in different hands. If the breed isn't shown much or rare, I expand
the show results geographically until I see a goodly sample.
I also check the regional directors for a national club and their
show results. I agree it's a great idea to find someone in
poultry who is no nonsense. Like : Yellow House Farm; NYREDS,
Walt Leonard ; Dragonlady ; BGMatt ; SonoranSilkies ;
Henk69 and many others not room enough to list.
Best,
Karen

 

[hellbender]

When I am looking for stock or looking from someone else,
I always check the show stats from the region the folks are from.
I look for repeated wins by the same strain in quality competition.
It gives a good indicator of how that strain is performing
in different hands. If the breed isn't shown much or rare, I expand
the show results geographically until I see a goodly sample.
I also check the regional directors for a national club and their
show results. I agree it's a great idea to find someone in
poultry who is no nonsense. Like : Yellow House Farm; NYREDS,
Walt Leonard ; Dragonlady ; BGMatt ; SonoranSilkies ;
Henk69 and many others not room enough to list.
Best,
Karen

Call me crazy but I get the impression that Turk is not looking for show stock but is far more interested in eggs and more specifically...meat.

We ran into the same problems as he and his partner. I went to the Buckeye site and they seemed to be not of one accord with respect to ...anything.

Jason bought 25 pullets and 10 cockerels for his friend and guess what? We bought 100 Dark Cornish pullets for the 'clinic' and while he was at it, he bought an extra 25 (I think that's all) for his starter flock of DCs. Whats more??? Hows about 50 Buckeye pullets and 10 cockerels for himself! He hasn't said but I'm certain he will be mixing the whole DARNED bunch together, with intentions of creating a Super Meat Chicken!!!!

That's just fine...I'll be outa' here on the 21st if I have to walk to Porto Alegre! He has two ladies with multiple years of experience in dealing with chicks to help him over the hard parts and they can handle milking ...

Trust me...Nothing but some sort of natural disaster will keep me from boarding that flying machine on 5/21!

RON

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Don started the ALBC line a few years ago, and he has a number of "students" that support and work together. I bought my chicks from Chris McCathy. My suggestion is, wait until you have moved and are settled in before getting your chicks. YOu can contact Chris and order the chicks for a later delivery time if that works for him. He shipped me 26 chicks from his 3 pens, and all have thrived, no losses.

DOn occassionally makes a cockavailable to Chris and his other students -- he is a big supporter of rotational breeding to keep up the hybrid vogor started when combining several lines during the original ABLC project. Not sure if Don sells chicks-- I've never asked him. Chris has a website where his chicks can be ordered. He visits BYC occassionally. Try the Buckeye thread to find a post and his farm contact info. I was looking for a meat bird, a real meat bird. My chicks are only about 5 weeks so I still can't confirm carcass quality yet.

 

[Arielle]

FOr clarity-- CHris selects his buckeyes with an emphasis on meat production balanced with SOP criteria. But primarily meat. FOr me I was not looking for a show bird, but a good meat bird. Jeff Lay, don't quote me, has been selecting for laying in the buckeye via trap nesting. THis doesn't make sense to me, but to each their own. DOn Schrider keeps buckeyes and brown leghorns-- and that tells me all I need to know : meat and eggs. lol

Turkastralorp--- there are MANY good buckeye breeders around. Have you looked at the clubs--we are not allowed to list them on BYC, but you can find them. Perhaps contact a few near you and far, and see if one breeder has stock that interests you more than another.

 

[chickadoodles]

Our prayers are with California! I used to live in Vista on a huge hill that over looked Camp Pendleton.

 

[3riverschick]

FOr clarity-- CHris selects his buckeyes with an emphasis on meat production balanced with SOP criteria. But primarily meat. FOr me I was not looking for a show bird, but a good meat bird. Jeff Lay, don't quote me, has been selecting for laying in the buckeye via trap nesting. THis doesn't make sense to me, but to each their own. DOn Schrider keeps buckeyes and brown leghorns-- and that tells me all I need to know : meat and eggs. lol

Turkastralorp--- there are MANY good buckeye breeders around. Have you looked at the clubs--we are not allowed to list them on BYC, but you can find them. Perhaps contact a few near you and far, and see if one breeder has stock that interests you more than another.

Hi Arielle,
That's a classic way to prove out superior egg production. It is the heart of Oscar Smart's 'Winter schedule". system.
I have such a small flock, my breeders are in separate coops so don't need to trap nest. However, if I wanted to
prove to the world, my birds were superior layers, then a trap nesting rcrord would be so valuable.
Best,
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

Our prayers are with California! I used to live in Vista on a huge hill that over looked Camp Pendleton.

Very cool. newspaper quote today: "Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall said the blaze consumed an eight-unit condominium
complex and damaged eight homes and two businesses. Thousands were asked to evacuate their homes"
If that was Arvira, which my Mom said was burning , then those condos were 250 K and up. That's a really
expensive area of Carlsbad. What a mess, I hope they catch this fire bug. I see they have a 9th fire going today.
Mom's house was across the street and up the hill in la Costa. She and Dad lived there from '80 to '05.
Dad passed in '00 and Mom sold it for 760K in '05. Arvira was "the new development on the block" back then
and much pricier than La Costa. We always said it was over-priced for the neighborhood.
Best,
Karen

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Yes, this would be the method for sure. What I meant to point out is that Buckeyes are meant to be meat birds, not super layers. YOu might remember in conversations on the heritage thread that usually a breed needs to be one or the other; only a rare few can do both well = they are the exceptions. Jeff Lay is h ighly respected and has alway been gracious in hiss emails, so I value what is his choice/options. Perhaps it will attract others interested in the egg aspect to meet the buckeyes and then realize they are also a wonderful meat bird.

One of the reasons I picked the buckeye was because if I have 15 pullets/ hens, I can't eat a dozen eggs a day, and the cost of production is much higher to supply enough p rotein and nutrients to pack on the meat if a growing pullet and put out an egg a day. I eat a lot of eggs every day, but even I get sick of eggs, eggs, eggs.

I'm already overloaded with eggs, and it is time to start pickling and freezing . . . . for the lean fall/ winter.

In my case in particular I"m trying to find a bird that can match the rhythm of feed production at my own farm. Feed prices keep soaring: In the last 6 ish years my grain prices have doubled and hay has doubled. Constant threats of grain shortage gives me sleepless nights. Much of our grain is going abroad--- we are bleeding ourselves dry. WE produced it ,we keep it. I don't know the current numbers, but I'm betting there is still a high $$ amt spent on subsidizing the farming in the US. Called the Farm BIll. I only know enough to be scared. So . . . Looking to have the land be their primary food source. A big change from eating out of a bag. lol

Trap nesting has its place-- would really like to know how many eggs the old girls are giving-- they are producing but how many? THey are fat and sleek and glossy . . . production is certainly down. THese girls are my learning ground -- a trap nest system would be helpful to breed from productive old girls.