A Barbezieux Thread.

[HoneyBee1]

Barbezieux Chick Feeding Advice?
I am very new to the BYC community...I have lurked for years but this is my first post.
I received my first 12 Barbezieux chicks yesterday and I need advice on the best way to feed them.
My questions are:
What percentage of protein should the starter feed be?
How long do they stay on starter?
Is there a benefit to fermenting the starter crumbles?
Medicated or non-medicated? They are in a brooder in the garage so it will be awhile before they touch the ground.
Thank you so much...I am so excited and just want to do the best for my babies.

 

[cutipatooti]

Barbezieux Chick Feeding Advice?
I am very new to the BYC community...I have lurked for years but this is my first post.
I received my first 12 Barbezieux chicks yesterday and I need advice on the best way to feed them.  
My questions are:
What percentage of protein should the starter feed be?
How long do they stay on starter?
Is there a benefit to fermenting the starter crumbles?
Medicated or non-medicated?  They are in a brooder in the garage so it will be awhile before they touch the ground.  
Thank you so much...I am so excited and just want to do the best for my babies.

Personally I try to get starter non medicated at 20% protein or greater. I do ferment the feed but not always.

 

[madriver]

agree on a 20% or so like a gamebird starter for the first 3 months.
I raised my last two groups on a 29% turkey starter because i had them co-mingled with some slow growing chickens. It was too much.
The Barbezieux are fast growing and i don't think you want them growing too fast it may contributed to bone and joint issues.
I had to cull a few early on for crooked keels or leg issues. better to grow them up slow on a nutritious diet. fermented feed is ideal.

 

[HoneyBee1]

Thank you both so much. I have already started them on 24% dry but the fermented should be ready to feed today or tomorrow. I will see if I can find something with 20% (only had a choice of 18% or 24% at the store.)

 

[Cody A]

One of my Barb pullets has gone broody. I'm going to let her go and see how she does with the clutch she's sitting


StephWind, are you seeing any action in your eggs yet?

 

[StephWind]

My first few pullet eggs are due to hatch on Monday, and the next set about 5 days later. I have over 90% fertility in these so far and the bards are still 11 days shy of 6 months old.

 

[BabyandCotton]

These are all beautiful chickens. Do they eggs as well? Are they like Cornish X's where you have to process or legs will break etc?

 

[jhomestead]

Two things. In regard to aggression/flightiness, I brought my Barbezieux's up with Brahma chicks. The Brahmas are such a large, calm/non-aggressive breed that I think it's had a positive impact. They are still a bit flighty but never aggressive. Second, I'm beginning to think this breed is very difficult to hatch. I am on day 20 of a hatch right now. I originally had 8 Barbezieux eggs (from my own birds, not mailed) and only two have made it to day 20. Some stopped developing, others developed blood rings. The temp and humidity have been very consistent. I've seen other people say they had low hatch rates. What have people here experienced with hatching these birds?

 

[StephWind]

First of all, these are not at all like the Cornish cross franken-chickens. They live very healthy lives and fly extremely well. Their egg production has been impressive to me - they started laying eggs at just shy of 5 months old and I am getting 4 eggs a day from 4 hens that are just coming up on 6 months of age now.

As for hatch - this is my first try at hatching, and out of 7 of the first pullet eggs - as in the very first eggs they laid, 4 were fertile and 3 made it to lockdown and are due to hatch Monday. The second set of eggs - I started with 11, 10 were fertile, but 1 had a blood ring when I candled a few days ago. The other 9 are developing extremely well and are due to hatch on Friday. I will set more next week.

 

[GabrielBane]

Has anyone ordered these guys from Graceful chickens? We would really love some but want to make sure we're not getting duped on our investment.