Buckeye Breed Thread

[bayocum]

He looks like quite a lovely boy! Can we see photos of the hen? And remind me, do you know what line(s) these birds come from?

They are from feed store lines..

I don't actually know but I am trying to find out. I just happened upon them at the feed store last year and the young man informed me that a breeder had brought the pair in earlier in the day. I've asked him to inquire about lines the next time the man comes in, but not sure that's going to actually happen. I tried to get the hen up, but she was so interested in the camera I couldn't get a good shot. I'll try again today. Thanks!

 

[cgmccary]

Actually, Chris McCary is the best one to address the feed issue, not me. I used to use Kent feeds until they stopped being sold locally. Now I'm using a local brand which won't be of much use to post about as it isn't carried nationally.

Chris, thoughts?

I can only relate what I feed mine. In the morning I do treat mine (start them out), as a distraction so I can put their feeders out each morning, with a "Super Scratch" from a local Alabama company. It is a mixture of cracked corn, black oiled sunflower seed, popcorn, milo & wheat. To this scratch, each morning I add extra black oiled sunflower seeds, rolled oats & whole kernel corn. I feed only enough to occupy them about 5-10 minutes & I scatter on the ground.

Buckeye Chicks up to about 8 weeks old (or when the last bag runs out give or take), I feed a Game Bird Starter. The one available to me is Purina's Game Bird Chow (Startena- 30%) - unmedicated. After about 8 weeks, I feed the Game Bird Conditioner (Purina's 19%). Adult Buckeyes get Game Bird Chow -- Conditioner (19%), Layena (20%) or Maintenance (12%) depending on age. When I have chicks out in the Spring, I am careful not to put a Layena in the feed troughs (range feeders) or where they frequent. The Layena is mainly used only in breeding pens with younger adult birds. The Conditioner or Maintenance game bird feeds, I use in the regular feed troughs. All these game bird feeds are in crumble form. I also feed either a 16% or 22% mini-pellet layena from a local feed company. I find that the birds do not waste the mini pellets. They can flip crumble out of most feeders. Whether a group gets 16% or 22% mainly depends upon the age of the birds with older birds getting the 16%. All the feeds I use have both animal and plant protein. I feed only what I think they will finish off during the day. I bring in feeders at night so as not to feed the mice. (Also, if I brood chicks inside, I will sometimes put amprolium (or other coccidiostat) in their water when I first introduce them to the ground outside. I have never lost chicks to cocci whether I have done this or not.) My La Fleche chicks are eating an 18% medicated Starter (but then they are slower growing and being raised/ brooded inside -- at least one group is).

Most of my Buckeyes free range so feed & what I give them is only part of what they eat (I have a good dog outside to protect them). Even right now in the winter, there is some green grass out there and they always cover the pasture for bugs in the drying cow patties. Seasonally, they get plenty of tomatoes, watermelon, pumpkin and strawberries as well as fallen fruit from the muscadine vines, the grape vines and the blackberries.

There are many right ways of feeding and mostly, as far as feeds and other things, it depends upon where you live and what is available to you. I am not advocating everyone do it my way. I am open to new ways of doing things. Try things and see what works for you and your birds. I will also add that I have a group of about 8-9 Buckeye hens (and one Ameraucana hen) and a couple of roosters who wait by my back door each morning (on the steps) after they have been fed. They have learned that I feed the dogs in their bowl dry dog food. The buckeyes will eat while the dogs are eating and eventually I have found they antagonize the dog enough to run her off. I now try and feed her inside, but I still give them a couple of cups of dry dog food each morning. They will follow me around on my heels until I do this. The group devours all of it in minutes (this is after they have eaten their "Super Scratch with additions" and some of their feed). I don't know if this helps. You can take from it what you want.

 

[cgmccary]

They are from feed store lines..

I don't actually know but I am trying to find out. I just happened upon them at the feed store last year and the young man informed me that a breeder had brought the pair in earlier in the day. I've asked him to inquire about lines the next time the man comes in, but not sure that's going to actually happen. I tried to get the hen up, but she was so interested in the camera I couldn't get a good shot. I'll try again today. Thanks!

Hey Brice,

Your male bird looks great. Good job raising him to that good condition.

Chris

 

[bayocum]

Thanks Chris!

 

[bayocum]

He looks like quite a lovely boy! Can we see photos of the hen? And remind me, do you know what line(s) these birds come from?

Ok, here she is... thanks for asking and thank you for the comments:

 

[bayocum]

Just to chime in on the feeding, there's a good article here that talks about trying to feed your flock from home-resources: pasture, table scraps, etc. I think its really worth a look. If you've read it already, my apologies.
-Brice

 

[Pathfinders]

Ok, here she is... thanks for asking and thank you for the comments:

I like her! I wish we could figure out who's lines she's from, and how she wound up at a feed store! Ah well, it's good they wound up with you, it looks like you got some nice birds.

 

[bayocum]

Thanks...it was odd to find them there...which is why they caught my eye. I think I might have to ramp up my efforts and do some super sleuthing.
Best,
Brice

 

[cgmccary]

Ok, here she is... thanks for asking and thank you for the comments:

Nice hen! And I had not read that article on feeding you linked, thanks! Good ideas.

My chickens often visit the compost pile and hens love to take their chicks to the pile daily. Among other kinds of oaks, I have one very large white oak tree & have thought of getting a food grinder for those. I also use oak leaves as the deep litter in my coops.

 

[bayocum]

Nice hen! And I had not read that article on feeding you linked, thanks! Good ideas.

My chickens often visit the compost pile and hens love to take their chicks to the pile daily. Among other kinds of oaks, I have one very large white oak tree & have thought of getting a food grinder for those. I also use oak leaves as the deep litter in my coops.

They do love those compost piles don't they. I've placed a few in my enclosed runs and within a day or two they go from piles to well-spread ground cover. Ha ha!