Buckeye Breed Thread

[BuckeyeDave]

Quote:
Just like children, it really depends what you feed them and the quality of feed. I feed mine a custom 23% protein feed mixed by the feed mill, basic grower rations with 1% fish meal, 2% de. I also give them free choice of oyster shell and a couple of days a week dog/cat food. Along with that plenty of pasture for them to eat their fill of bugs, goat droppings, table scraps, green bean tips, corn cobs, etc.

The basic feed you buy in the store is really the bare minimum that chickens need for survival, I feel that my birds really benefit with the additional and various types of proteins. They produce more, eat less, act less hungry and seem happier if they have a nice variety of vittles.

Feed your chickens well......

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Quote:
It really depends what you feed them. I feed mine a custom 23% protein feed mixed by the feed mill, basic grower rations with 1% fish meal, 2% de, and I also give them free choice of oyster shell and a couple of days a week dog/cat food. Along with that plenty of pasture for them to eat their fill of bugs, goat droppings, table scraps, green bean tips, corn cobs, etc.

The basic feed you buy in the store is really the bare minimum that chickens need for survival, I feel that my birds really benefit with the additional and various types of proteins. They produce more, eat less, act less hungry and seem happier if they have a variety of vittles.

Feed your chickens well......

Mine get 20% grower pellets along with free ranging when I am out there. Lots of bugs and grasshoppers. They also get oyster shell, DE and scraps.

But they are still small? What is small for a Buckeye? Dave, about what do your average roos and hens weigh in at? I am not complaining, I am trying to understand.

 

[kathyinmo]

I just don't understand this either. I mean .... Buckeyes are "just chickens," right? Why is it that some say they require different feed than other chickens? I really do not understand this.

 

[BuckeyeDave]

Quote:
It really depends what you feed them. I feed mine a custom 23% protein feed mixed by the feed mill, basic grower rations with 1% fish meal, 2% de, and I also give them free choice of oyster shell and a couple of days a week dog/cat food. Along with that plenty of pasture for them to eat their fill of bugs, goat droppings, table scraps, green bean tips, corn cobs, etc.

The basic feed you buy in the store is really the bare minimum that chickens need for survival, I feel that my birds really benefit with the additional and various types of proteins. They produce more, eat less, act less hungry and seem happier if they have a variety of vittles.

Feed your chickens well......

Mine get 20% grower pellets along with free ranging when I am out there. Lots of bugs and grasshoppers. They also get oyster shell, DE and scraps.

But they are still small? What is small for a Buckeye? Dave, about what do your average roos and hens weigh in at? I am not complaining, I am trying to understand.

I'd say my production hens weigh 7-9 lbs and the roos probably push 10-12 but I do have some really healthy boys from Chris that easily top 12-14 lbs.

They aren't a huge bird, average at best, my biggest buckeyes are smaller than my Black Copper Marans and Chanteclers.

 

[BuckeyeDave]

Quote:
I think all chickens need more than the average store bought feed, that's just me.


I feed mine goooooooood....... they love boiled eggs and beef liver ($.20 a pound at the local meat market). I do not put mouse poison in my house but load up on traps and then feed the mice I trap to the chickens, those tasty little buggers make the buckeyes go wild.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Well, the SOP calls for 9 pound cocks and 6 1/2 pound hens, so yours seem to be quite overwight then, correct?

12 - 14 pounds? AND, you say they are smaller than your BCMarans and Chanteclers?????

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Thank you! I guess mine are small then. And that is ok.

I know this will sound off the wall but for some reason and I don't know why--Buckeyes don't seem to do well here in Idaho. A friend of mine had terrible luck with hers, but hers were also huge.

I am wondering if (now don't laugh) if we have some sort of something in the air or ground here that is offensive to the Buckeye gene...?

They originated in the Midwest right? The Buckeye state? There could be alot of reasons that this particular area is kind to Buckeyes.

I hatched out alot of eggs. Good eggs, even great eggs. The Buckeye chicks were always the first to die. Out of about 60 eggs I have 6 birds.

A few of the casualties were either my fault or nature but most just happened. The chicks were in with a menagerie of other chicks their age but the other chicks were fine.

Anyway... I am hoping (hard) that these 6 Buckeyes will be able to start a hardier more resistant breed going for us here in Idaho. If these made it then hopefully their chicks will make it too. Maybe I can get some back up to the heftier weights like yours are Dave!

 

[BuckeyeDave]

Quote:
Well, the SOP calls for 9 pound cocks and 6 1/2 pound hens, so yours seem to be quite overwight then, correct?

12 - 14 pounds? AND, you say they are smaller than your BCMarans and Chanteclers?????

I am sure mine are overweight, they have free choice all day and night, I could make them skinny.... but they seem so happy.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
You aren't the only one, Germaine. I have heard the same story from others, as well. I have several breeds of chickens, and the Buckeyes have been the least hardy in my experience. Out of 18, I have only 10 or 12 left.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Well, the SOP calls for 9 pound cocks and 6 1/2 pound hens, so yours seem to be quite overwight then, correct?

12 - 14 pounds? AND, you say they are smaller than your BCMarans and Chanteclers?????

I am sure mine are overweight, they have free choice all day and night, I could make them skinny.... but they seem so happy.

Because I do want to breed my chickens towards the SOP, I think I will try to keep mine closer to the weight it calls for. Cockerals are 8, and pullets 5 1/2 pounds; I think mine are close to that. I do feed high protein chicken feed to all of my chickens free choice, however I rarely feed any scratch or extras.