Buckeye Breed Thread

[Tailfeathers]

Thanks to all those who answered my questions. Just to be clear, it is the female I have with the gray bar and the male doesn't seem to have one. I'll check the other male and female this weekend.

As for the black spots, I guess I'll just go with "start with what you have" and try to improve from there. At least I know the birds I got came from really good blood.

God Bless,

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

In raising our first group of Buckeyes, I have some more questions. First of all, when I do a search here, it seems to search the entire BYC forum - is there a way to search just this thread? I'm sure the questions I'm coming up with have been asked before.

Now the questions - how soon can I mix the young pullets (currently 16 weeks) with the birds I already have (all laying hens), how soon should I put the cockerels in with them (I think I can only keep two), how soon do Buckeyes begin laying, and what is the best age to cull the cockerels/hens that don't meet standard?

Also, in choosing the two cockerels to keep, what would be main criteria to use. We are not planning to show, but would just like to help maintain/utilize good dual class heritage birds in Ohio. The chicks came from Buckeye Dave, so don't have any specific line associated with them. At this point, they are just intended for dual class birds, good egg production, good meat, successful free rangers, and self-perpetuating after culling.

Thanks for any help

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:

 

[PortageGirl]

Quote:
Use the "search" button at the top left of the page IN the blue bar, (under the BYC title) NOT the button to the right. That gives you much more refine-able search options.

 

[cgmccary]

OSUMAN: . . . but what I was wondering is if they she used Royal Cochin Chinas instead of the feathered legged cochins that we have now.

Good question. I don't know the answer to that but I would bet (and I am guessing for the fun of it) that "yes" is more likely than "no." -- just because we don't ever see feathered legs or should we????

Betterhens***: Also, in choosing the two cockerels to keep, what would be main criteria to use.

Above all, choose for shape-- in choosing, select shorter, wider back with best heart girth width. This will not necessarily be your heaviest bird but it is good if the cockerel weighs about 5 lbs at 16 weeks old. Look for a thick skull (the thickest skull bird will usually be the one with best heart girth) also thick shanks. I get a lot of decent combs so I don't select on that feature nor do I necessarily select for color. With some experience, you will learn to know the most likely keepers at 16 weeks of age. For the first couple of times, try to keep more cockerels for longer so you can see the differences.

I also think it is OK to put 16 week olds with your all grown laying hens if there is ample room for them to get away if they have to. Sometimes, the older hens can be vicious to young pullets. The older hens will also bully young cockerels. Unless the pullets were hatched in May or June, they should start laying at 24-28 weeks old. If in May or June, it could be 30-36 weeks of age before laying just because of the decreasing daylight hours coinciding with start of laying age (from my experience).

When you have a full grown rooster, I advise not introducing pullets to him until they are laying. I have had a big rooster accidently break a wing of a young 16-20 week old pullet. Young cockerels can also hurt smaller birds. I had one trying to jump on young keets (and everything that moved), and I had to put him up.​

 

[Kwartel]

Are any of you Buckeye folks coming to the APA Nationals in Shawnee? I bet you have chicks, eggs or good-looking adults to sell, you could find a buyer or two pretty easily...hint, hint.

 

[D Bar J Acres]

Hi, I would like to get some quality Buckeyes in very early 2011.

One option I have is driving to Duane Urch's to pick up 15 chicks (he's about 4 hours away), but he hatches Mondays, can't give me an exact date, he said he'd call me the morning they are ready. Well, I work full time M-F as does my DH, so we'd have to take a vacation day a week or two in advance. So, this would be a total pain in the butt.

Other options would be eggs (got a new Brinsea for x-mas, never hatched before) or chicks elsewhere. I don't want more than 15 chicks tho.

I'd like whatever by the end of Feb for sure. I am in Wisconsin tho. Can eggs be shipped in winter? I emailed Dave and he said he could around that time, but I saw another post of his that said 50 degrees. Well, this is Wisconsin! lol We do get some warm weeks tho in winter where it's above freezing, but 50 is usually Mar/Apr.

input appreciated!

Jenny

 

[Pathfinders]

Quote:
What are you feeding them?

Layer and broiler crumble 50/50, broiler is 20% layer is 15% protein, animal and vegetable source.

Is this too little Protein for Buckeyes at this stage?

That leaves you with feed that is about 17.5% protein. I'd up that a bit to get to about 19% if you can. What really matters is what kind of protein it is. Adding in more vegetable protein isn't going to improve things, you need a good source of animal protein.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Synthetic sources of Lysine and Methionine just aren't the same as natural sources. I've discussed this at length with the nutritional rep at a huge feed company (we talked for at least 45 minutes) and although he insisted (as he had to to keep his job) they are the same, what he said between the lines was that they're not. Bear in mind also that feed companies create feeds for the largest broiler and egg producers, not for us small hobby farmers and exhibition folks. As such, they make feed with the minimum amount of nutrients needed to keep egg and meat production at good levels. That's not the same as what our birds need, which is why we supplement with real, honest to goodness animal proteins for our birds. And the difference really shows.

 

[Pathfinders]

Quote:
If I lived close enough to drive to Duanes I'd be there, vacation day or no, and I'd buy more like 50 chicks from him if I could. But that's just me.

 

[knittychickadee]

Quote:
Good question. I don't know the answer to that but I would bet (and I am guessing for the fun of it) that "yes" is more likely than "no." -- just because we don't ever see feathered legs or should we????

Two quotes from Nettie on using Cochins or getting feathered legs:

"I traded eggs with a neighbor who had Buff Cochins, and
used the cockerels so raised with my Barred Rock hens and
pullets. This produced a big, lazy fowl, so I looked around
for something else to mix in."

and-

"My! what a flock I raised that year! No wonder my friends laughed! Green legs and feathered legs, buff chicks, black chicks, and even red and black barred chicks; single combs and pea combs, and no combs at all, but fighters from away back."



Marci