The Buckeye Thread

[CanadianBuckeye]

Good luck with the hatch! I really hope your hatch rate is far better than mine has this year.

Thanks! I'm having dismal luck with shipped Buckeye eggs -so far only 4 out of 2 1/2 dozen made it to day 12 :-( , very good luck with shipped Buckeye cross production red eggs (almost all out of 48) that I got for eggs, and my home flock rooster is very fertile, I'll have pure Buckeye, Buckeye x dark cornish, and Buckeye x red sex link chicks if all goes well. I only had to toss 2 out of 4 dozen of those eggs, and they were eggs I got out of the fridge!
Gotta fill that incubator!
I'm sorry your hatch rate is poor, any thoughts why?

 

[sumi]

Good luck with your hatch @CanadianBuckeye I hope that final 4 will make to the end. Shipped eggs are... something else. I swear the PO workers and couriers read "fragile" as "football" lol

 

[stryker]

Thanks! I'm having dismal luck with shipped Buckeye eggs -so far only 4 out of 2 1/2 dozen made it to day 12 :-( , very good luck with shipped Buckeye cross production red eggs (almost all out of 48) that I got for eggs, and my home flock rooster is very fertile, I'll have pure Buckeye, Buckeye x dark cornish, and Buckeye x red sex link chicks if all goes well. I only had to toss 2 out of 4 dozen of those eggs, and they were eggs I got out of the fridge!
Gotta fill that incubator!
I'm sorry your hatch rate is poor, any thoughts why?

The operator does not follow directions! I should know better. Your hatch rate was better than mine..

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

The operator does not follow directions! I should know better. Your hatch rate was better than mine..

No hatch rate yet, only on day 12. But down to 2 shipped Buckeyes.

 

[stryker]

No hatch rate yet, only on day 12. But down to 2 shipped Buckeyes.

Well you are more than half way there. Just 6 more days of

then 3-4 more days of

. And if there was a nail biter smiley I would have used that one instead the finger crossed one.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Is 18 % chick starter going to be enough protein for my Buckeye and Buckeye/Cornish chicks?

 

[Minniechickmama]

I would go 20-22% not matter what breed of chicks.
At 3-months I drop to 18% Grower/Finisher.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

I would go 20-22% not matter what breed of chicks.
At 3-months I drop to 18% Grower/Finisher.

OK thanks I will try to source a higher protein chick starter.

 

[sumi]

Feeding buckeyes: It is hatching season and there are several different opinions regarding how birds should be fed. I find most of them amusing as well as very expensive. Its well known that the buckeye is a dual purpose bird and does require the proper feeding schedule to ensure proper genetic development. Have in mind that just because you feed the proper feed doesn't necessarily mean or will determine the bird is genetically engineered to meet the ideal breed standard or description. Good breeding stock is of the upmost importance. I've noticed several buckeyes being bred short in the back and excessively wide in the chest of which narrows as you go back toward the tail.....please remember the standard states a rather long back and not a short one. Buckeyes should never be round; wyandottes are round.....One thing to consider that I've observed is the shorter the bird, the less effective it will be for egg production......I spoke with a judge just this past weekend and he mentioned he judged some buckeyes in IL, he made mention that the color was poor and the backs were short. So those breeding buckeyes should pay attention to those features. There is far more to the breed that a big wide chest; it often provides an unbalanced bird and one that looks "off" in a show pen. I'm sure they make for a great table bird; but Nettie Metcalf wanted the breed to be more than that. So make sure you have adiquate breeding stock to begin with...afterall it starts with the egg.

Just because someone can talk a good game and sound like they make sense doesn't mean they actually do.......when selecting a breeder to acquire birds from make sure their practices mirror what they are preaching. The offsprings will never be any more that their perspective parents; the apple never falls far from the tree. So if the color is poor or any other trait is not right; expect those problems in your offsprings.

Back to feed.......I start out with a 22-24% meat grower (which ever my feed mill is carrying at the time) for about 8-10 weeks and cut it back 20%. Typical cornish crossed are raised on a 24-22% protein diet so why is it necessary to exceed that? All it will do is cost more money and little to know advantage is gained. My bucks have thrived with these values. As they mature; you will need to adjust your feed to ensure that it is properly balanced with grains they will eat. I don't advise ever feeding just a crumble or pellet diet to mature fowl because their are multiple grains available that will benefit your birds.

There are opinions floating around that high protein (27-30%) is the best way to feed young buckeyes. I see 3 problems with feeding high protein feeds to young poultry.Sure, it is well documented that the growth rate do increase and pretty rapidly, but what isn’t visually witnessed is what long term effects feeding high protein does to them. Unless you are feeding them out to be Cornish X’s (to which they are not) for rapid growth then slaughter, I would greatly recommend not feeding feeds that have protein contents of greater than 24%.

If we look closer at the meat production chickens, specifically Cornish Xs, the protein content is reduced to keep them as breeders. So why would we want to provide buckeyes with feeds that have high protein content if we are wanting to produce breeding and egg production stock? Feed manufactures (poultry scientists more likely) developed the formulas for most of the chicken feeds on the market today. They have done a lot of experimental trials and research to determine what a "balanced" feed would yield the best results for the different stages of growth for poultry. You have to remember, these are only chickens and not rocket science.

Which brings to problem #1: If you’re raising young pullets to become layers, you want them to grow efficiently to develop good strong bones and to reach a normal body weight before they begin producing eggs. High-protein diets tend to hurry the birds into production before their bodies are quite ready. Therefore, the ration for growing pullets, from leaving the brooder at 8 weeks to about 14 weeks, should be about 18-20% protein. I’ve personally witnessed a few layers get too big too fast and have leg and joint problems from being fed high protein feed. Your laying hen only need 16-18% protein and anything above that is a waste, both in the feed lot and your pocket book.

Which runs right into problem #2: Protein costs money and the higher protein feed is almost certain to be more expensive.Feeds that contain 30% protein is too high of protein for poultry and a waste of money just because they don't need that much protein. Excess protien passes through the system and therefore is wasted.

Which ends us at problem #3: How they pass it out of their systems and problems that could result if it isn’t passed due to a variety of reasons. I have read that high protein levels can contribute to gout or kidney damage in poultry. Feed containing 30% of protein or more causes uric acid production which in turn creates an excretory load on kidneys. In birds uric acid is the end product of nitrogen metabolism. Uric acid is a nitrogenous waste from protein breakdown and is produced mainly in the liver to which is excreted by the kidneys. High blood levels of uric acid favor its precipitation in tissues. Uric acid is not toxic but precipitated crystals can cause mechanical damage to tissues like kidneys, heart, lungs, intestines and also in the joints. These crystals severely damage body tissues. So Gout is a condition in which kidney function decreases to a point where uric acid accumulates in the blood and body fluids.

So to conclude; if you choose to feed your birds with feeds that have a high protein content, it is your choice but you should be made away of side effects that may occur.

 

[Sherry13]

I am new to raising chickens, but do love everything i have read about buckeyes. I have 5 chicks coming in june 4 hens and a rooster. I did buy from hatchery so hope they look good. I was about to ask about the food and protien in it so im glad to see this post from sumi. Thanks so much i cant wait for them to come.