Buckeye Breed Thread

[Cats Critters]

Thank-you!

 

[faykokoWV]

Here's the Buckeye's I just got. I love them already! I don't know much about the breed standard, so I'd like to know how these look. I will try to get some better pictures, but these are the ones I took today.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Quote:
They look great to me. But I am not a Buckeye expert.

 

[faykokoWV]

the one hen has her tail down in both pictures, but the others are up... I'll have to watch and see how they hold them when they aren't nervous about being photographed

 

[Tailfeathers]

Hi Y'all,

I apologize for being such an intermittent visitor but life has packed about 27 hours worth of stuff into 24. So I only get to BYC when I can and that ain't been very regular lately. I try to follow the thread as much as possible but I have no doubt I have missed out on a whole lot.

I have a quick question for the "Old-Timers" in the know. Some time back in this thread I saw someone (I believe it was Chris) who suggested that Buckeye chicks initially be provided a Gamebird Starter feed with the higher protein vice Chick Starter. So I got some of the Purina 29% protein stuff and started them on that. Then about a month ago I started adding regular Medicated Chick Starter to it to the point where it is now about 50% each.

The youngin's were three months old on April 8th. Everytime I think I'm finally set up to handle all my birds I realize I'm not. I've got a dozen pullets and cockerels in a coop that are somewhere around 8 to 10 months old I think. The pullets all started laying about a month or two ago. So with that being said, here's my question: Since there's no way to feed them separately unless they stay in the brooder house (I've got 3 cockerels and 3 pullets in a 4x8' wooden brooder house), do you think it would be ok to put my Buckeyes in with them and let them start eating with the older birds?

I feed them a mixture that consists of:

Flock Raiser (2 parts)
Layer Pellets (2 parts)
Game Bird Flight Conditioner (1 Part)
Rolled Oats (1 Part)
Scratch (1 Part)
VigorPlus (½ Part)
Cat Food (½ Part)
DE (1/8 Part)

Or should I move the dozen birds in the lower coop up to the first coop where my older birds are and just use the lower coop for my intermediate birds?

Suggestions, recommendations, and opinions are all welcome!

God Bless,

 

[BuckeyeDave]

Quote:
Yep, dim be buckeyes!!

 

[jenjscott]

Tailfeathers, Why are you feeding them so many different kinds of food? I'm not exactly being critical, I really want to know. I couldn't find protein content for vigor plus, but looking over what you're feeding in a flock with laying hens, you're short on the calcium unless you have oyster shell out for them. It looks like you're feeding 17-18 percent protein (estimating vigor plus at 30 percent) which is still a little low for three month old birds. You kind of confused me on the upper and lower, not sure who is where. If you have an older flock your 10 months olds could go with them and feed they younger ones the higher protein for at least another month. If I obviously don't understand whats going on, sorry, straighten me out.

 

[PrinceSandwich]

Heres some of mine

their only about 6 weeks old.

 

[Tailfeathers]

Quote:
That particular mixture is something that the wife came up with after reading a bunch of different stuff. It is supposed to help their plumage. The VigorPlus is either 26% or 29% protein. I haven't actually sat down and calculated the calcium but they do get free choice oyster shell and I don't have any problems with soft egg shells. On top of all this one thing I neglected to mention is that they free range over about 2.5 acres or so.

Having said that, thanks for pointing out the overall protein percentage. I don't think I could have done that. I guess that answers my questions. Looks like I'll have to move the younger birds (lower coop) up with the older birds (upper coop) and just use the lower coop for intermediate birds. That or build another coop. Ugh!

God Bless,

 

[bigzio]

I'm wondering too why you're making the nutritional feed harder than it is? While you may not have a soft shell problems now...the constant stress from laying when the flock gets older might cause for a good reason to supply a seperate feeder with oyster shell. Once you see how much they eat, if it's provided, when they desire it, will change your thoughts about oyster shells importance. In my opinion.

~ bigzio