The Buckeye Thread

[Minniechickmama]

I would say that is too low for growing chickens. I would keep it around 20% until about 4 months, then drop to about 18%.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

I would say that is too low for growing chickens. I would keep it around 20% until about 4 months, then drop to about 18%.

OK thanks I'll get some higher protein feed then.

 

[Minniechickmama]

OK thanks I'll get some higher protein feed then.

 

[Hebandgene]

Minniechickmama - just wanted to say you are so right about it not always being about the money. I so enjoy sharing information and ideas with other chicken people. It's fun to see what other people have and like and to share what you have and like.

I advertised my pairs on the local group with no response. A friend directed me to a rare breeds group but the chances of there being someone local who will want the birds seems slim. Plus, I am not NPIP cert (never intended to breed or sell birds) and am told those who buy birds to breed or show will not buy birds from non-NPIP sources. I don't know how else to find buyers so I wonder if the best thing to do is keep a couple roos and send the other four to the meat pen. :-( If so, could someone here help me determine which are the best quality roos? Or direct me to a site that will explain what to look for?

Thank you again for all your help. I was invited to show a pair at our regional fair this fall so maybe I will try it. Sounds like a good learning experience.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Minniechickmama - just wanted to say you are so right about it not always being about the money. I so enjoy sharing information and ideas with other chicken people. It's fun to see what other people have and like and to share what you have and like.

I advertised my pairs on the local group with no response. A friend directed me to a rare breeds group but the chances of there being someone local who will want the birds seems slim. Plus, I am not NPIP cert (never intended to breed or sell birds) and am told those who buy birds to breed or show will not buy birds from non-NPIP sources. I don't know how else to find buyers so I wonder if the best thing to do is keep a couple roos and send the other four to the meat pen. :-( If so, could someone here help me determine which are the best quality roos? Or direct me to a site that will explain what to look for?

Thank you again for all your help. I was invited to show a pair at our regional fair this fall so maybe I will try it. Sounds like a good learning experience.

I think showing to gain experience is a great idea! If you have a judge who is willing and able to talk to you about your birds, and many are open to helping exhibitors understand more, then you will know you have valid input to go from.
If you don't have a Poultry Standard of Perfection to reference so that you know what too look for, then you are really asking for someone to take you through step by step, which can be a bit to ask for when trying to learn from scratch.
You could post pictures and I am sure any of us who have been breeding can offer some input, but not handling the birds personally, we are limited to how much and how accurately we can asses your birds.

 

[Hebandgene]

Thanks, Minniechickmama! I found a copy of the standards so I'll see what I can do with that. To me they all look the same though! I understand what you mean that it would take a while for someone to walk me through it step by step. I'm imagining the Westminster dog show with those judges holding dogs by the tails and necks but with chickens.

 

[Minniechickmama]

There is much more to chickens than what you see by just looking, especially Buckeyes since they are much more dense and heavy that they appear. There is a lot that can be hidden under those fluffy feathers, though Buckeyes should be tighter feathered than most breeds, their body structure underneath is more important than what color you see or what their comb looks like or how yellow their feet and legs are. If you have a failed body structure, then you are compromising the quality of that bird and future generations you may hatch from them. Find out what a good bird feels like, what to look for in handling a bird, then start comparing it to the standard one part at a time. The most important part of the SOP is the first section that tells you all the terms and all the good and bad things to look for in poultry, the breed description is just the details that distinguish one breed from another. I hope that helps. Good Luck!

 

[holm25]

Well I am proud to say we took Overall Grand Champion at our local fair with our Bucks! My sister and I got Reserve and Grand champion and she ended up taking Overall. But we will be going to State with our Buckeyes!

 

[eagrbeavr]

What's the Point of Lay for Buckeyes?

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

@holm25 that's just fantastic, congratulations and very, very well done!

Good luck at the next show!!!!