Welcome! Here in Northwest Ohio We are raising a Heritage breed called the Buckeye. They are very calm and friendly chickens and are very cold hardy. They were developed in the late 1800's by Nettie Metcalf of Warren Ohio. The only breed created entirely by a woman.
Here is a hen curious...
I NOW KNOW HOW THEY DO IT!!!!!
I have a small flock of Buckeyes. One of our hens went broody so we put some eggs under her. Every day I find a couple of new eggs under her (unmarked so I know it isn't one I'm trying to hatch)I just thought other hens were laying in the box with her.
Today after...
I'm trying the MTM Scientific incubator thermostat/heater for my home built 'bator. Using a thermistor and semiconductor device to sense temperature, it uses what looks like 1 watt resistors to produce 25 watts of power to heat the incubator. There is even an aux output to run a muffin fan...
Well let's see....suppose we want to hatch in March..... The almanac for March says the moon is waxing March 1-9 & again March 27-31. Of those days only on the 5th & 6th is the moon in one of those recomended signs. Counting back 21 days from the 5th means the eggs have to be set ....Ummmm...
Don't follow astrology myself. I think there was more pull from the OB when I was born than from Mars... But I do recognize from experience there is a natural rhythm to some things. Like the best time to put up a windmill is when it is calm...... Easiest time to plow snow is in the summer
flipping through the Old Farmer's Almanac pg. 231 shows a table for setting eggs by the moon's sign. Reputedly if you set eggs for a hatch to occur when the Moon is waxing (new moon to full) AND the moon is in Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces the chicks are healthier and mature faster.
Basically you...
New egg opinion.... DW decided
1) we would raise chickens in our backyard
2) they would be heritage breed Buckeyes (thanks Nettie)
We have had them for about 22 weeks and so far I have found them to be very personable, friendly and calm birds. They don't like to be handled much but will...
As a public administrator myself I must say that you are in a difficult position. However here in Ohio we've had some experience with this type of situation. (Attorney General scandal) also we had The Director of Job and Family Services placed on one month unpaid suspension for accessing...
First buckeye egg! This morning (17 degrees) we found our 1st egg. At only 2 3/4 inches it isn't going to be much of a breakfast but hey! it's a start!
I'm with ya there BuckeyeDave. -17 and the buckeyes wanted outside! I didn't let them out because I DIDN'T WANT TO GO OUT TO WATCHOVER THEM... I had a couple strand themselves in a drift. It is almost 20 degrees today so they are going out. Amazing no frostbite anywhere.
-sub-
They don't seem to mind it too much. Like I said, they wandered into a snow drift and didn't know what to do next. They just stood there. Didn't retrace their steps or anything. The rest of the flock shouted encouragement to them but they seemed kind of confused...
I shoveled some pathways for...
This morning we had frozen fog and a couple of the hens wandered into a snowdrift and didn't know what to do next. They stood there for about 1/2 an hour before I put the boots back on and resued them back to the coop. I dug a path in the snow so that they could run around in the snow path.
10" of snow in my neck of the woods. (still snowing). Earlier this morning I brought treats! The buckeyes didn't seem to mind the snow so much but as it was still snowing, they mostly stayed holed up in the coop.
Warm in the coop!
One wasn't sure the treats were worth the few feet in...
I ordered 9 Buckeyes from MPC last August. All arrived safe, on time and in excellent condition. I ordered 1 roo and 8 hens. 1 hen was missexed and one hen doesn't appear up to standard. I would buy from them again if I wanted more or a more local buckeye breeder couldn't help improve the flock.
I have the The American Standard of Perfection published 1905. Given that the Buckeye is a Heritage breed from that era, can any of the show judges out there tell me if the standard is substantially different now?
I have the standard in .pdf format (it is in the public domain) but don't know...
well I got some pics for the mysterious Buckeye "hen" I belive she is a he.
Here he/she is in the flock. notice the sickle tail feathers. the cape is getting shaggier and is longer than the other hens.
here are a couple buckeye hens.
here is a better look at his cape.
I think...
Thanks for the response and the invite... If she isn't a rooster by spring I'll order another. I'm in N. Ohio about 3 counties over from where the breed originated so I'm sure I can get more then....
The timing just seemed a little strange...... lose one roo and then a supposed "hen" starts...
Umm... I have 8 buckeyes. they're about 10 weeks old now. Not laying yet. I bought 8 hens and 1 rooster and we let them roam the yard. They are extremely friendly! I thought that they just associated me with food. But even when it is plain I have no goodies for them they just like to hang...