Buckeye Breed Thread

[vmdanielsen]

I have been plugging away at a hoop house for that very reason!

 

[Chickielady]

 

[vmdanielsen]

query--Last year I got my buckeyes at point of lay- in October. They laid well all winter. My new batch(just 2 pullets)were hatched in June. Will they come into lay this late and lay in the winter? Also,will the older girls(18 months) come back into lay when they finish their moult? I did not light last year and was not planning to this year.
Ginny

 

[Chickielady]

Quote:
This is an arguement many have.
If you provide light, the birds will lay.
If you do not provide light, they will not, or depending on where you live, will lay internittenly.
Some say it is better to let the pu;llets take winter on, without laying, in that the protein needed , as well as calcium & other nutirents, can be used by their bodies, instead of used to 'make eggs'
In a natural sense, we should let them be.
They need all the fats & proteins to be used for their heat & health in cold.
But, some do supply extra light in an effort to get eggs.
It depends on how cold your hens will have to survive.
In warm climes, is should not be an issue.
In severe cold, I would let the birds survive, and not force them to lay.
It is up to you, pertaining to your climates.
Your new pullets hatched in June should lay intermittenly thru winter's dark hours if provided no extra light.
But if you do apply light, they should all lay daily.
I have my coop lights come on about 6 AM, and off by 5 PM, so the birds can roost before dark falls.
The reson I have lights, is because it is dark in the coop year round.
I do not leave lights on for the sole purpose to force lay.
Hope that helps, and it is just my one opinion.

 

[Tailfeathers]

Just to add, if you do use lights during the winter to prolong egg production, they will need at least 14 hours of light. In the past I had the lights come on in the morning and go off about daylight and then come on again at dusk and go off about 2200. This year I'm doing it a bit different because I've got a lot of different birds at different ages together. So the lights are now coming on about 0300 and going off at 0800. I don't have them coming on at night now at all. I just put a headlamp on to make my rounds at night and lock them all up for the evening. Most of them are already on the roost but I usually have to pick a few up off the floor and set them on the roost. Since it gets dark about 1900 now, that gives them plenty of light. Fortunately, I'm far enough away from my neighbors that the crowing at 0300 in the morning doesn't bother them!

As for making sure they get enough calcium and other vitamins, I don't sweat that. They get free choice oyster shell, VigorPlus in their feed, Rooster Booster in their water, etc. Everything around here is supposed to pay for itself and that includes my birds.

God Bless,

 

[Chickielady]

Hi Tailfeathers! Long time no see!
Most people are saying Hens need 15 hrs of light to lay, under that, it is iffy.
But then again, how hard do you want to press your birds to lay if you are in a severe weather area?
In NY...it gets awful cold!!
I do about the same as Tailfeathers, he & I are in the same clime.

 

[vmdanielsen]

Last year, I did not heat nor light. The buckeyes did not seem to mind the cold. During the day (after I shoveled them a path) they would spend the day outside(their choice) under my porch, sitting on a ladder up on some wood blocks, sunning themselves when it wasn't snowing. I may add lights this year in late winter so I can get some quality hatching eggs a little sooner, so I can hatch before June. It would be nice to have someone laying now. I have resisted buying eggs in the store, but do need more than an egg a day!
I appreciate any and all opinions. Many methods work and I can choose what works for me! Thank you!

 

[punky rooster]

Here's an Buckeye looking more like an Araucana;

 

[vmdanielsen]

Quote:
I have a buckeye rooster that has lost his tail too! Moulting is sure a funny process!

 

[Chickielady]

My Java Cock moulted his entire tail except for the two long sickle feathers, and THAT looked so darn funny!

My coop lights now, come on about 6 AM, and stay on until about 5 PM..then there is still an hour of daylight so the birds can coop up & find a roost before darkness falls.
This works great for us, all winter.