Breed Standards, Buying Chicks, and Buckeyes

[Preservation Acres]

Hi folks,

I want to become a novice breeder of top quality Buckeye chickens. I have no intentions of having a huge operation, but I do want to have excellent breeding stock. Here's my plan...

I will purchase pullets and cockerels from Ideal Poultry with a 10-1 pul/roo ratio. From that first group, I'll isolate my best roo and best hens for breeding according to which individuals present the best characteristics according to breed standards. From there, I'll keep improving my breeding flock, taking in new birds as needed for new genetics.

My first question...do I need to adjust this plan?

Second...how much do I need to worry about inbreeding with chickens as I work to bring out the best characteristics of the breed?

 

[seriousbill]

Well, I hate to run down Ideal's birds, as I 've never actually seen any of their Buckeyes. I have seen many of their other breeds, though. And, generally speaking, if you're seeking "excellent breeding stock," a hatchery is not usually the way to go, Sand Hill being something of an occasional exception. If you want to buy from a larger operation rather than an individual breeder (the usual source of "excellent breeding stock"), then I'd suggest buying from Superior Farms in Oklahoma. They have good birds in most breeds:

http://www.superiorfarms.net/index.html

Edited to add: Sorry, I didn't address your second question. Linebreeding is a tool for the breeder, and it takes some practice and a plan to use it properly. Obviously, inbred stock can be a problem. A good breeder discussion group should be able to help you with the ins and outs as you proceed with your birds in the long haul. But, generally speaking, you probably want to avoid mating full brother to full sister. You shouldn't have to worry about that for a bit yet.

 

[Preservation Acres]

Thanks. My main attraction to Ideal is that I don't have to buy straight run from them. I can buy in the proportions I want (m vs. f) to get my initial flock going.

I'll have to think about this some. Maybe I can get a few birds from Superior and a "bunch" of birds from Ideal and pick the best out of the whole lot for creating a few really good birds.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
You can get what you want from most hatcheries, I got my buckeyes from Meyer, and you can chose Males/Female/Straight run. Each is priced different as they are with Ideal.
EDITED
I would also add there are Serious Breeders out there that you can get eggs/chicks from which could cut a couple of steps out of the getting to higher quality birds. There is a thread on here about buckeyes and where to get them.

 

[Preservation Acres]

Quote:
You can get what you want from most hatcheries, I got my buckeyes from Meyer, and you can chose Males/Female/Straight run. Each is priced different as they are with Ideal.
EDITED
I would also add there are Serious Breeders out there that you can get eggs/chicks from which could cut a couple of steps out of the getting to higher quality birds. There is a thread on here about buckeyes and where to get them.

Thanks. How do you feel about the quality of the Buckeyes you bought from Myer?

 

[Katy]

I think too you'd be better off to get your birds or eggs from a breeder. Most all of the hatcheries are concerned with quantity, not quality.

 

[Marlinchaser]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=33432&p=2

 

[Preservation Acres]

Quote:
Yeah, my biggest worry about dealing with hatcheries is getting birds that are not pure. Since many of these hatcheries buy form several breeders, who's to say that a rogue RIR rooster didn't breed with a Buckeye hen or two somewhere along the way? The lack of control hatcheries have over their stock is a concern.

At the same time, if that's the case, I guess I'd disqualify those birds from my breeding program because they didn't meet breed standards.

 

[CovenantCreek]

Quote:
However you'd be wasting time and money waiting for a chick to grow up and prove not to be a true Buckeye. And what do you do if you come to realize that most of your stock isn't true to type? Perhaps you could order a small number of chicks from a serious breeder and the rest from a hatchery if you have to. That might be the quickest way to get birds that are true to the breed standards, which you could then use as the benchmark for judging the others.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
I like mine, and think they are good as far as Standards go. The Roo I kept is friendly, and protective of the hens, the other was too protective, but tasted good for dinner.