Buckeye Breed Thread

[BetterHensandGardens]

Nice looking birds there PR

As I'm trying to narrow down which of the 13 (was 14 but hawk got one) Buckeye roosters we'll keep, I weighed them today, and 5 of them are 6 lbs or above while the rest are from 4.2 lbs on up. Should I just evaluate the five that are 6 lbs or above (considering that we're only planning on keeping two roosters in the end)?

I was also getting pictures so I could post them here for help in evaluation, but what type of shot would be the most useful and help everyone evaluate them best? Sideways shape?

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
yes a side pic should work
punky

 

[a2ms4chickens]

Hi everyone!

I noticed today that one of my 7 mos old Buckeye rooster's is growing up!

When I opened the gate to get into their pen, one of my banty hens started to walk out the gate. Just as she crossed the threshold, one of my Buckeye rooster's walked to block her way and nudged her with his beak. She immediately changed direction and walked back into the pen. He's a keeper!

I have a boxer/pit mix dog who hangs by the pen when I am cleaning or feeding the chickens, and I don't trust him not to get a chicken if it gets out.

I just had to share my proud moment!

Have a great week everyone!

Angie

 

[cgmccary]

BetterHensand Gardens wrote: As I'm trying to narrow down which of the 13 (was 14 but hawk got one) Buckeye roosters we'll keep, I weighed them today, and 5 of them are 6 lbs or above while the rest are from 4.2 lbs on up. Should I just evaluate the five that are 6 lbs or above (considering that we're only planning on keeping two roosters in the end)?

Depends. What is their age? Depending on age, the heaviest bird now will not necessarily be the heaviest bird at one year old (the benchmark). It all has to do with rate of growth.​

 

[cgmccary]

knittychick . . Two quotes from Nettie on using Cochins or getting feathered legs:

"I traded eggs with a neighbor who had Buff Cochins, and
used the cockerels so raised with my Barred Rock hens and
pullets. This produced a big, lazy fowl, so I looked around
for something else to mix in."

and-

"My! what a flock I raised that year! No wonder my friends laughed! Green legs and feathered legs, buff chicks, black chicks, and even red and black barred chicks; single combs and pea combs, and no combs at all, but fighters from away back."

Oh yes, thanks. I've read that and forgot it. I stand corrected. Perhaps, she did use a feather legged buff cochin.​

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

Quote:
Depends. What is their age? Depending on age, the heaviest bird now will not necessarily be the heaviest bird at one year old (the benchmark). It all has to do with rate of growth.

Yesterday they were 18 weeks old - we don't really want to keep them all until they're a year old? They eat a lot.

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

Ok, please help us decide which Buckeye cockerels to keep. This is number 38 weighing in at 6.1 lbs. We can try for better pictures if we need to too. For starts I'm just going to post those that weighed above 6 lbs. They turned 18 weeks old yesterday.

 

[OSUman]

Quote:
Hes too young to tell hes still scraggly and still needs to fill in IMO.

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

This is number 36 weighing in at 6.2 lbs.

 

[Sjisty]

I have my first ever Buckeye chicks. Are the cockerels and pullets easy to tell apart when they start feathering? I have some that are coming in all dark and others that have lighter backs, so I was just wonderin'.