The Buckeye Thread

[Canieldonrad]

It is very difficult to find a good picture of chickens. I don't understand why people just don't use their own birds to point out faults. Post them and I'll find plenty of faults if you don't see them.

Walt

I don't mind tearing a bird apart either. But I do prefer to look at them in person. Pictures only give you a millisecond view of the bird. It doesn't matter how long you look into the photograph, all you get is a perspective of the bird at that exact moment.

That being said I tend to be a lot more critical of my own birds than others are. I see them everyday. I don't grow blind of their faults. They just dig deeper into my perception of the individual bird.

 

[LSBuckOE]

I'll throw out the first one for learning. I know the flaws feel free to comment newbies and all.

Oh bambam the chicken soup man.... Piched tail. He is also long/flat in the back. His feather width leaves much to be desired, nearing 1/2 the width of our 2yo male. If I remember correct he is one who only has slate barring in his undercolor on his back, being why he is overall a light bird. Neck looks shorter in the photo than in person. Not bad on him. Head is ok but could be wider. Beak is shortand thick. Structure of face around his eye is what I prefer. His comb has little to no "pea" definition. His brothers aren't the same there. Both have small, even combs. One has a very well defined "pea" shape. Such a shame as they aren't advancing to show/breed. Bird pictured is odd in balance. Chest is "sunken" and his weight is often focused forwards, making him tip forward in balance. Which also exaggerates the back length.

And! He has a fluffy orange butt. He is moving on to a new, recently started "farm" to be the man of a 10 hen flock! (NOT a show farm. Owner is a dog breeder I bought a pup from. Only wanting for eggs, also preferring more cold hardy breeds)

 

[MunchiesChicks]

Wow do these guys grow. I'm signed up for two upcoming shows and hopefully everything will turn out alright. Being they will be my first my only hope is to survive

Bawk Bawk (Buckeye in the back) my 3 year old named him because of his noises he makes. He's looking good so far except a broken wing feather from fighting for his position when I introduced him to the established flock. He's the one I hope to show if everything else turns out alright. Sigh.

I bought Jr. (Front) because I just liked his temperament and will be crossing with my ladies come spring. I wish he'd hold his tail up more. He's a ladies man for sure and is a sheep dog in disguise. He's constantly keeping the 13 ladies in line and keeping the other males away.

My beautiful girl (not pictured) from Laura's line is currently in molt however I have two eggs incubating prior to her laying stopping but no guarantees to hatch since I've never done this before. I think her new feathers coming in are actually darker.

I had to move my flock to a friends property 1/2 mile away which may actually work out better for how many I can have however, limited to sq ft per chicken per 25x25 pen. I have 1 and am building a second. Only issue is predators with my Beagles at home not protecting them. This move has taken a lot of time and resources so I haven't been on the thread. Nice to see tensions are still the same but people are being amicable.

I'm looking forward to spring and breeding season! I'm hoping to find a few birds from one more line so spring can't get here fast enough. So glad I found Buckeyes!

 

[LSBuckOE]

Read somewhere pedialyte is another route for electrolytes. Would that have less of a taste to it? If its even useable for birds to begin with??

 

[buckeyechicken]

Read somewhere pedialyte is another route for electrolytes. Would that have less of a taste to it? If its even useable for birds to begin with??

Yes I have read that too I know you can give it to rabbits and it work with them. You give them the non flavored kind but my rabbits likes the orange kind too

 

[Apdeb]

I was speaking with jan brett at little rhody
she puts something called replenish I will get exact details sat
she brings it in water for shows. Her birds are amazing,,,
ps shes bringing her tour bus for the national
speaking and signing autographs

 

[cgmccary]

Read somewhere pedialyte is another route for electrolytes. Would that have less of a taste to it? If its even useable for birds to begin with??

I don't believe chickens have much, if any, sense of taste.

 

[slfarms]

I don't believe chickens have much, if any, sense of taste.

Birds have an interesting sense of taste. They have taste receptors like other animals, and their general structure is essentially the same as that in other vertebrates. The starling and chicken have a few dozen taste buds as compared to 25000 for the cow. The chicken has all the taste buds at the back of the tongue with the front half of the tongue highly cornified. In the chicken, the taste buds are so far back that it would appear that by the time it can taste something, it is too late to change its mind about swallowing it.
Most birds do not respond to what we describe as sweet. The parrot and some of the fruit-eating birds do, but the domestic and song birds do not respond to sugar as do humans. Blackbirds on an adequate diet do not appear to respond to sugars, certainly they do not avidly select dextrose, maltose or sucrose in water in a choice situation. They do, however, reject xylose which can cause an eye condition.
Birds responses to sour are different from ours. They are more tolerant of sour. Chickens will take acidic fluids down to a pH of 1.5, and the blackbird's re- sponse is somewhat similar. At slightly higher pH they exhibit a preference.
Commercial efforts to flavor chicken medicines are ludicrous. When an animal is sick, it stops eating, but the drive to drink continues for a period of time. Therefore, medicines are commonly administered in water. If medicines to be used for fowl are acid they are commonly neutralized and then sugar is added. The sugar does no good and neutralizing reduces the acceptability. To get medicine into a bird, the thing to do is put in the minimum amount of medicine so that the bird will not find it offensive. The other thing is that water should be cool or even cold; and the third is that the solution should be on the acid side. These three points will insure the maximum possible acceptance by the bird.

Unl-edu

 

[buckeyechicken]

Even an old sow can find an acorn every once in a while, and I found mine. Anyone can get lucky and win a show I even won with Hatchery Bucks from Meyers. The show I won 1 first place, Grand Champion, and Best of Show with the same bird was a small show of about 650 birds and yes I had to compete against all the large fowl in open class to win the Ribbons. This was my first show and first time entering a poultry show, and it was a big surprise to me. Just because one of my birds won at this show does not mean that he/she will win every time. All that says is that he/she was the best bird at that show. I have a lot of work to do with my flock and I know it They are lacking a lot of things but I will keep trying to breed to the SOP, and consistency in type is one of the things I will work on. Here is a picture of my buck so you can critique it so cut away your comment are welcome. I cannot learn if I don't know what to look for. I have Good Mentors around the country to follow as well as in this group.

 

[campbellorchard]

Cool read Slfarms
Who knew they had taste buds. Interesting. This is what I like to see on here. We learn something and who knows how that will help down the road. It's also funny what some chicks will go for zucchini etc. and some will ignore pumpkins etc.
thanks for the read !