BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Turk Raphael]

I was not asked if I intend to show when I contacted Laura Haggerty; not asked when I emailed Chris McCathy. When I had a wonderful conversation with MR Rhodes he did not ask me if I would be showingOnly on BYC have I encountered the show pushers. lol . I go to the shows, but I don't take birds to show lol Many people with good flocks do not show.

Besides the lists on the club websites are posted free to look at and access!!! THere are two buckeye clubs and member names and phone numbers are listed. Don't need to talk to any one to get the information.

Maybe you can PM me the info to get ahold of these people you have mentioned. I have not ordered from anyone yet. Thank you for your help.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Well said George. As far as production on the buckeye, whiel they are certainly dual purpose as you said, I think they are on the lower end of all purpose. Maybe I am mistaken. Certanly not a porr producer but certainly cannot hold a candle to a rock or RIR.

Isn't amazing to see how much a bird can hussle up for food?? I was jut out spreading seed and compost and right behind me were the SS, trying to ggoble up the seed. That crew travels far in a day. THey give a med egg almost every day.-- which is high than the breed standard.

I do think the lighter birds can be more cot effective. If a fast growing, heavily muscled bird need s at 30% protein diet to reach maximum capacity, that worries me. I think I am missing a peic e of information about feeding. Since the buckeyes were a farm bird, I try to imagine the different senerios that would have been possible and which one was the start of the BUckeyes. I would guess that MS MEtcalf was propserous given only the rich and enear rich have the means to actively develop a breed. in short time. THat means there was extras on the farm to support the birds. GOod crops, and likely dairy cows. I often wonder fi the chicks were fed milk, or meat residue. Or the corn fields were teaming with insects and the broodies could take the chicks out into the fields. I only have my imagination to wonder at the feeding of the buckeye chicks. ANd wonder if the weight gain was as fast as it is today. THen to look at the current set ups and wonder how can I provide for the chicks for fast growth and perhaps feeding from a bag is the only way right now . . . . .and how to improve the insect population here and when to have chicks to match that timeing . . . . as always, I have more questins than answers.

 

[Fentress]

Last year I let my flock of hatchery birds (NH,BR etc) have full run of the property, 3 acres plus some woods, for 6 months. Feed consumption was cut be almost half, but I got tired of them tearing everything up and pooping everywhere, plus I finally did take a hit from a coyote in the middle of the afternoon. This year they have a yard area of over 8,000 square feet for 4-6 week intervals, before I move them to fresh ground. Compared to last year, the reduction in feed consumption is minimal, except for when I move them into plots that I have specifically planted for them, such as clover or the compost pile. To truly reduce feed consumption, I think you need acreage to forage in. A dog would probably be the best form of protection for this type of free ranging.

This year, I got a line of BR that have been bred with an emphasis on meat production. I would be very interested and I think fun, if we posted carcass pictures of dressed cockerels with age and weights provided and a few comments on management methods. Arielle could post here Buckeyes, Gjensen his New Hamps. just to name a few. My chicks are 3 weeks old, so most of you are probably running ahead of me.

 

[Arielle]

Last year I let my flock of hatchery birds (NH,BR etc) have full run of the property, 3 acres plus some woods, for 6 months. Feed consumption was cut be almost half, but I got tired of them tearing everything up and pooping everywhere, plus I finally did take a hit from a coyote in the middle of the afternoon. This year they have a yard area of over 8,000 square feet for 4-6 week intervals, before I move them to fresh ground. Compared to last year, the reduction in feed consumption is minimal, except for when I move them into plots that I have specifically planted for them, such as clover or the compost pile. To truly reduce feed consumption, I think you need acreage to forage in. A dog would probably be the best form of protection for this type of free ranging.

This year, I got a line of BR that have been bred with an emphasis on meat production. I would be very interested and I think fun, if we posted carcass pictures of dressed cockerels with age and weights provided and a few comments on management methods. Arielle could post here Buckeyes, Gjensen his New Hamps. just to name a few. My chicks are 3 weeks old, so most of you are probably running ahead of me.

LOL my buckeyes are only about 5 weeks!!


I have dressed enough hatchry stock that I'm tired of wasting my time. Geez, I don't even remove the neck any more. ANd my breeder birds are NOT meat birds by any stretch. I looked long and hard to find meat birds. lol

I love the idea of comparing though. Right now my growth is compared to cornish cross x hatchery chicks.

 

[Fentress]

What I meant was, as DP birds go, let's see what the meat qualities are? I too was very dissapointed with hatchery stock. I'm going to eat my layer flock, so from my perspective, they should have good meat qualities as well.

 

[LindaB220]

I am getting the impression that almost every thread I've visited is dedicated to showing chickens with the possible exception of this one. Even if I wanted to show chickens, I couldn't. I work 12 hour days and often enough that turns into 18 hour days. I'm a RN and work in Louisville hospital complex. When I have a weekend off, I don't want to head out onto the traffic again to look at chickens and in fact, I'm a bit afraid of carrying some disease back to what chickens I might have. End of Show discussion as far as I'm concerned.

I quite agree. I'm too old to show. Don't have the drive, energy or desire. I'm still wanting the best chickens out there for my meat chickens. Looking into White Rocks and Delawares.

 

[bnjrob]

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.

I have read recently several people trying out mineral oil wiped on the eggs for long term storage. One woman showed photos after a year and said she was thrilled with the results. I know that besides putting into brine or lime water, that they used to pour lard or tallow over eggs for storage. So I've now started putting mineral oil on ours to keep them longer, in addition to working on some dehydrating of eggs. We're running an abundance of eggs here also even though I've had broody hens coming out my eyeballs since December, and this year's pullets haven't started laying yet.

 

[bnjrob]

I am getting the impression that almost every thread I've visited is dedicated to showing chickens with the possible exception of this one. Even if I wanted to show chickens, I couldn't. I work 12 hour days and often enough that turns into 18 hour days. I'm a RN and work in Louisville hospital complex. When I have a weekend off, I don't want to head out onto the traffic again to look at chickens and in fact, I'm a bit afraid of carrying some disease back to what chickens I might have. End of Show discussion as far as I'm concerned.

Most stuff that chickens get are things that require closer contact, so going to a show is fine, just change your clothes after attending a show, before you go into the chicken pen if you are worried about it. But I understand the frustration when everything seems to be about showing. I only care about showing because it would be nice to have a judge tell me if I'm doing well with my breeding - but the showing aspect itself has never been something I was really interested in. But otherwise, I am into chickens for homesteading purposes and preserving some old-time birds that nearly went extinct. This one and the Homesteading with chickens is a good thread and I think there is a gardening with chickens that occasionally gets some good stuff. There's more people out there than you think that are wanting useful chickens and not just pretty chickens, so don't run off.

Shameless plug: Javas are good eating and decent egg layers too

 

[southernmomma]

Thank you. others have mentioned clubs as well. I haven't tried any of them yet because I'm worn down with the show pushers. They might make me join the clubs to get a breeders list and I'm not certain the members won't ask me to be a show person. I getting put off.

Don't be discouraged. All of the talk of color left a sour taste in my mouth as well until I realized, with the help of others, that the breed standard can in fact be your friend....don't let the show crowd dissuade you of seeking out a well bred bird. Poke around and find some pictures of hatchery versus breeder stock- the size difference can be significant. On the flip side, there are some things some hatchery strains can bring to the table. Just know what you want and then find it Easier said than done I'm sure. I don't think the process is for the impatient
I believe Chris also selects for broodiness which is handy.

M

 

[southernmomma]

Last year I let my flock of hatchery birds (NH,BR etc) have full run of the property, 3 acres plus some woods, for 6 months. Feed consumption was cut be almost half, but I got tired of them tearing everything up and pooping everywhere, plus I finally did take a hit from a coyote in the middle of the afternoon. This year they have a yard area of over 8,000 square feet for 4-6 week intervals, before I move them to fresh ground. Compared to last year, the reduction in feed consumption is minimal, except for when I move them into plots that I have specifically planted for them, such as clover or the compost pile. To truly reduce feed consumption, I think you need acreage to forage in. A dog would probably be the best form of protection for this type of free ranging.

This year, I got a line of BR that have been bred with an emphasis on meat production. I would be very interested and I think fun, if we posted carcass pictures of dressed cockerels with age and weights provided and a few comments on management methods. Arielle could post here Buckeyes, Gjensen his New Hamps. just to name a few. My chicks are 3 weeks old, so most of you are probably running ahead of me.

please, please, please y'all do this!!!
It drives me mad trying to find carcass pictures. It's like some giant secret~ shhh, don't tell anyone we actually EAT our livestock, lol. Even if pressed, folks use really generalized terms to describe carcass quality, so the information is ultimately useless.
I think it's interesting that several people on this thread are moving in the same direction ~ sustainability seems to be a key word.

M