Buckeye Breed Thread

[Germaine_11.20]

Kathy, thank you! I have just been boggled by what is going on with them. They are a fun breed and I am enjoying them but I was starting to wonder just what the heck we Idahoans were doing wrong!

 

[BuckeyeDave]

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That's great!!!

I personally try to keep with the founders original intent for the breed, a " functional breed that could produce well in the bitter Midwest winters".

 

[BuckeyeDave]

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I'm sorry you have had issues, that is no fun at all. I have kept many chicks for flock/stock in my GQF brooders, I have not noticed a higher mortality rate in the buckeye than the other chicks, 1 out of 10 - 12, may not survive. I feed my chicks medicated starter feed until about 6 weeks.

 

[Pathfinders]

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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.

I am really quite surprised by this comment. Of the many chicken breeds I've raised over the past ten years, Buckeyes are among THE MOST hardy of all!

- They don't need supplimental heat in the winter.
- They don't need fans on them in the summer unless it gets up over 100 degrees.
- I've never had one drop dead from heat exhaustion as I have with other breeds.
- When it comes to Mareks, I've had far fewer birds contract it than in other breeds.
- The chicks fairly pop out of the shell when they hatch, my fertility rates are very good.
- Of the almost 500 chicks I shipped/sold this year, only 1 arrived at its location a deader.

I really struggle with the idea that Buckeyes don't "do well in Idaho." That just doesn't make sense to me, and has not been my experience at all. I have customers in ID that I will contact and see if they've had problems, if so, I haven't heard about them. I appreciate that your other birds are doing fine, but just can't imagine that Buckeyes will fail where other breeds do well, it boggles my mind. Would you email me privately and let me know the source of your birds (let's not point fingers in public at breeders who may not be at all responsible for this problem, ok)?

- Can you explain how it is that the Buckeyes die? What are their symptoms?
- Are you feeding medicated feed? I find it important for all breeds.
- Are you feeding a real source of animal protein (not the "vegetarian" feeds that some big feed producers sell, which IMO are not good for any bird, but especially not Buckeyes)?
- Are you giving your birds access to clean areas with plenty of grass? (Pens that have had birds in them for a number of years might well be overrun with Cocci.) See this link by Robert Plamondon, a well-known expert on poultry, where he talks about the drawbacks of fixed housing and how they can build up parasites: http://www.plamondon.com/chicken-coops.html

Scroll down to where he says "Chickens quickly destroy the turf adjacent to their houses, and over time this will extend for some distance in all directions, leading to a yard that is alternately muddy and dusty. The concentration of manure in this area also leads to a build-up of manure-borne pathogens such as coccidiosis and roundworms."

I just can't believe that Buckeyes are "fragile", it makes no sense to me, they really are the most hardy birds I've ever had. You want to talk fragile, let's talk Silkies, or Cornish Cross meat birds! Those suckers drop dead if you look at them cross-eyed!

One thing that might make sense, especially if you're buying egg stock from breeders in the midwest, is if you have a strain of MG in Idaho that Midwestern breeders don't have. Mycoplasma gallisepticum is, like Mareks, pretty much everywhere. Many flocks that carry it will show no symptoms at all. Perhaps there's a strain in your area that is stronger or different than elsewhere, and birds/eggs imported from other states don't have any natural immunity to it? That would make some sense to me.

Or perhaps there's a strain of Cocci in your area that birds from other areas are more susceptible to? I hate to sound so stubborn, but I just don't find it reasonable that Buckeyes would not be hardy unless there was an underlying reason that had nothing to do with the breed itself.

Just puzzled...

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Hi Laura,

Wow, I didn't get to read it all yet, but would love some help figuring this out. I will be gone for the early morning but will get back with you when I get home.

Thank you!

And yes, I know that they are a hardy breed. That is why I am puzzled!

 

[kathyinmo]

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Laura,
As a matter of fact, I had a necropsy done. It came back totally clean, with not even a parasite or a worm (though there was pieces of glass found?). They told me it was, "an acceptable" loss, and that I should expect to lose some birds. (I don't understand that either) Personally, I feed Game Bird feed most of time (because I like the animal by-products). Mine showed no symptoms at all. I would just find one dead. I have only had chickens for a little over a year, and my areas are all new to birds (not previously occupied by chickens).

You mention Silkies and CornishX..... My Cornish Cross exceeded my expectations, (as I just processed them) raised in 100* weather, and I did not lose even one (except 2 that drowned). My Silkies have had no problems what-so-ever, and never have.

I just couldn't understand the losses, like Germaine, as I have other breeds and have never had a problem like this. When I saw Germaine's post, I had to comment, as I wondered the same thing. I know there are others that have experienced losses like this, as well. I just figured they were a less hardy breed, than I had thought. I double checked, and in total I lost 3 Buckeyes (out of 18), though not all at the same time.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

I never thought to have a necropsy done on the chicks. I have some that will hatch over the next 3 weeks. If they do die, then I will have it done (but where do I go?)

I would really like to know what the problem is. I will also check into they symptoms of Mycoplasma gallisepticum. Problem is they all were healthy one day and gone the next.

My friend mentioned that her Buckeyes combs started turning purple before they died and their shanks turned a darker red (I think) I will have to ask her.

 

[kathyinmo]

Germaine ..... This is who you would contact:

IDAHO
Name: Dr. Bill Barton
Title: State Veterinarian
Agency: Division of Animal Industries
Department: Idaho State Department of Agriculture
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 7249
Boise, ID 83707
Office Address: 2270 Old Penitentiary Rd
Boise, ID 83712
Office Telephone No: (208) 332-8540
Fax No: (208) 334-4062
E-mail : [email protected]

Animal Health Laboratories

For any questions or concerns regarding the Animal Health Laboratories, please contact:

Animal Health Laboratories
2230 Old Penitentiary Road
Boise, ID 83712

Phone: 208-332-8570
Fax: 208-334-4619

or

e-mail: [email protected] or

[email protected]

 

[Pathfinders]

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Purple combs is often a symptom of heat stress/heart failure. Short reply, really busy today, but trying to keep up with this thread.

 

[punky rooster]

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my BA hen did The same thing before she died.