The Buckeye Thread

[monnarush]

Good morning,

I do not have any experience with Buckeyes. I will be putting them in their own coop and run separate from my other chickens so they stay pure. If they do not go broody I am planning on letting my silkie hens set on their eggs if need be. Trying to have them be sustainable for me. If any of the Buckeyes hens become broody they will raise their own and I will tag them with a leg band so that they are not accidentally culled. My Silkies are my pet chickens so it will give them something to raise which they love

In the past I have had other mixed breed chickens off and on over the years, but have never had a pure heritage breed or had any to raise chicks for me. Looking forward to 2017 Happy New Year!

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Good morning,

I do not have any experience with Buckeyes. I will be putting them in their own coop and run separate from my other chickens so they stay pure. If they do not go broody I am planning on letting my silkie hens set on their eggs if need be. Trying to have them be sustainable for me. If any of the Buckeyes hens become broody they will raise their own and I will tag them with a leg band so that they are not accidentally culled. My Silkies are my pet chickens so it will give them something to raise which they love.
In the past I have had other mixed breed chickens off and on over the years, but have never had a pure heritage breed or had any to raise chicks for me. Looking forward to 2017 Happy New Year!

Good luck with your Buckeyes! I hope they do well for you.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Good morning,

I do not have any experience with Buckeyes. I will be putting them in their own coop and run separate from my other chickens so they stay pure. If they do not go broody I am planning on letting my silkie hens set on their eggs if need be. Trying to have them be sustainable for me. If any of the Buckeyes hens become broody they will raise their own and I will tag them with a leg band so that they are not accidentally culled. My Silkies are my pet chickens so it will give them something to raise which they love

In the past I have had other mixed breed chickens off and on over the years, but have never had a pure heritage breed or had any to raise chicks for me. Looking forward to 2017 Happy New Year!

You may want to consider toe punching the chicks. It is so much easier and a permanent way to identify them than to try leg bands that sometimes can get too tight or fall off.
I am certain that you will love this breed. They are just so enjoyable. Just wait until you hear the sounds they make. They will make you think you have geese in the flock sometimes. LOL not loud honking, but sort of a honking type sound. It is hilarious when you realize it is coming from the Bucks.

 

[monnarush]

Thanks for the tip I will enjoy them I am sure. I keep reading that the Buckeyes have different sounds. I thought it was funny some of the sounds my Silkies make. I will have a Chicken Symphony in my back yard LOL

 

[ThatFarmerChick]

My first Buckeyes came from Meyers. My Rooster was wonderful. He lost his life defending a Black Minorca from a fox. He was my husband's favorite rooster and helped us all fall in love with this breed. Our pullets from there were not as friendly and needed much handling to be okay with us being near them.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I was just thinking about this discussion on temperament and friendliness as I was doing chores earlier because as I feed and water in each pen, it is the Buckeyes that come over and check me out and get right in to see what I am doing while the others stay back until I am done.
I just got 4 eggs from the 4 older hens today. That makes me happy. I know the cockerel I put in with them is already doing his business too and not being a total jerk. Maybe introducing them when it is cold tempers some of that roughness that young males can have sometimes.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Today I have decided that I will process the one pullet that I was describing that was attacking other chickens.

I had her separated with the company of the cockerel in a different area of the barn pen. Every time I've let them into the general population she continues to show aggression towards 2 birds of a different breed in particular.

Today I let them out into the main pen after the other birds had gone outside so there was some space. As soon as they came back in, she went right for one of those birds in a full attack - on the back ripping feathers out.

I don't have a problem with normal squabbling, pecking-order behavior, etc. But this girl is jumping and fully attacking. Maybe she's just getting back at those other girls that had the "upper-hand" over her until she grew up a little....

I just can't have that going on. Hate to take out a young female, but I've learned that I usually wait too long and wish I'd taken care of it much sooner than I usually do.

 

[Leahs Mom]

PS: The other 2 Buckeye girls that are the same age are a totally different personality and very enjoyable little ladies.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Probably a very good call.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Probably a very good call.

I agree and I don't think any of your other hens will miss her either. Sounds like a miserable hen.