The Buckeye Thread

[paula307]

Sorry about the above post - I was trying to quote Minniechickmama and respond, but looks like I made a mess of that.

 

[Minniechickmama]

@Minniechickmama
These girls were chicks from Bill Dyke in the Indianapolis area. (http://www.hidden-creek-farm.com/buckeye-chicken-history.html http://www.hidden-creek-farm.com/buckeyes.html https://www.facebook.com/Hidden.Creek.Farm.of.Indiana)


Yes, it was fat. Not peritonitis nor internal laying. She had not begun to lay yet. The ovary had small developing ova but looked like it may be a few more weeks before anything was developed enough to lay.

Intestines were clean and beautiful; organs healthy.

Interestingly, the fat was very nice fat. Good color and texture. It will be rendered. But if I had to guess without measuring, I'd say there was more than 1 C. of fat if it had been put into a measure. Definitely 1C at the least.

Do you have a high corn content in your birds' diet?

 

[Leahs Mom]

About 1/6 corn. But somewhat high in BOSS (whole, not meal). I think I will do some experimentation in lowering the percentage of BOSS.

However, there are other breeds here that are very lightweight eating the same feed. But that doesn't mean that there isn't fat in the abdomen. I want to pick a couple other girls up and feel that abdominal area to see if it feels fatty or normal in that area.

 

[Minniechickmama]

My chickens just look at BOSS like it is poop, so I don't bother with it. I have a good, locked formula feed I use that has proven to be just right. I do give a little corn when it gets down in single digits and below zero here so they can generate more heat, but otherwise, I don't give anything else to my birds in the way of grains. 1/6 does seem a little high for the corn, but I would have to do some research to say for sure. My primary protein comes from soy and corn, but I have never broke down the percentage of each. I know that my feed is 16% for layer, but it also has additionally added 2 amino acids. It is Kent Feed, and I won't change now that I have seen how good my birds have done on it. Last year, after being on it for a year, I had the best hatches and the healthiest chicks I have ever hatched and raised. I was blown away at the difference in the previous years in how healthy those chicks were, the hatch rate, the speed at which they all hatched out of the shell and were ready to go into the brooder house. I had no weakling chicks like I had in past years. I was reluctant to feed a vegetarian formula feed, but now I can't complain. Some breeders say that you must have animal protein as part of your feed, but after seeing that most of the "animal protein" being used was feather meal, I was willing to try the vegetarian. If I want to add protein, I can always raise my own mealworms and feed those year around. I do pasture my birds in the warmer months and after I am done with breeding season. Hopefully, I can have them all split out enough to have them out as soon as the snow is gone until it returns because I have a split-up pasture with paddocks now. I just need to finish getting a smaller coop in each one.
It could be your hen just had a funky metabolism. You can easily feel if there are lumps in the abdomen though. It should feel soft and pliable, if it is not, they likely aren't laying well or have something else going on.
If you see this happen in others, then I would be concerned, but things are bound to go wrong here and there.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I did just discover that at least one of the other Buck girls has started laying. I knew at least one of the pullets was laying but I wasn't sure if it was a Buck or an sfh. That's a good sign as this girl I processed didn't look anywhere near laying judging by the size of the ova.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Who has the bright red comb and wattles? That should tell you who it is. Also, feel the distance between the pubic bone points, you should be able to feel a space of about 2-3 fingers' width there.

 

[stryker]

Not to ruin it for everybody but my child was reading about Chinese culture and each lunar year is a different animal. Apparently 2017 is the year of the rooster. Might be eating more drum sticks than normal this year.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Not to ruin it for everybody but my child was reading about Chinese culture and each lunar year is a different animal. Apparently 2017 is the year of the rooster. Might be eating more drum sticks than normal this year.

I saw that on a Starbucks giftcard design the other day. I figured it is a sign that things are going to look up for me this year

 

[stryker]

I saw that on a Starbucks giftcard design the other day. I figured it is a sign that things are going to look up for me this year

I am sure it will. I am actually needing roosters this year so we will see.

 

[BlueShadow]

Hi everyone,

I am new(ish) to the Buckeye breed. Last year only one of our hens was a Buckeye, but I liked her so much that I got a few more pullets. They have FINALLY started to lay. Is it normal for May hatched birds to take until January to lay? Other breeds have started to lay several months earlier for me, so I didn't know if it was the breed, the time of year, or the particular strain from this breeder.

I like the calm temperament of my Buckeyes. They don't run away while I am doing chores (although sometimes that means I trip over them). My little girl loves it though, because it means sometimes she gets to pet them.

My Buckeyes all came from the same local breeder. I would like to keep a small sustainable backyard flock... 6-12 hens and 1 or 2 roosters, hatch out some chicks every year or so as replacements. Should I get roosters from a different line, or is it okay to keep these roosters to breed with the hens? How concerned should I be about inbreeding?