Buckeye Breed Thread

[HallFamilyFarm]

A friend in Arkansas is considering crossing the Buckeye with a Naked Neck. He is hoping to create a new breed of chicken:



The Buck Naked!

Seriously, this guy is crossing the Buckeye and a Naked neck. Hey, I DID NOT sell him anything. Heard that a few years ago Sam Brush sold a lady in Arkansas some Red Naked Neck Bantams. She created a Red Showgirl. So we can blame the sShowgirls on Sam. Not sure who will get the blame for the Buckeye cross.

 

[punky rooster]

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Eh, I think I'll blame you anyway, I just feel like it.

What a funny cross that will make, though!

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Back in the mid 1980's a friend in Oklahoma, Dr. Edgar Petty, crossed a RIR bantam with a Naked Neck bantam that was reddish. That strain of Red Naked Necks was sold to a certain fellow from Texas at the Claremore Oklahoma show a few years later. Sam Brush still shows that strain of dark Red Naked necks. For a Naked Neck they sure are pretty.

But since the SOP calls for a red as in RIR, the Buckeye red would be the wrong color. Plus I would never defile a heritage breed with such an act of humiliation!

 

[vmdanielsen]

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Buck naked?!! such degradation.....(But funny!)

 

[bigzio]

Evening All....Sorry about the bad luck Jen....what a bummer for the program!

Thanks for sending someone my way Punky! You're the best! I sell chicks from here, and love the breed. No more hatching this year....is it spring yet?

 

[punky rooster]

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No problem. Glad they got some nice Buckeyes.
Mitch

 

[flowerchild59]

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Buck nakeds!!!!! What a hoot!!!!

 

[Stuck in the Coop]

4 days of reading every spare minute I had and way too late into the nights and I finally reach the end! And what an incredible education I have on Buckeyes and chicken husbandry in general! Thank you dear Buckeye fanatics for this amazing thread and thanks to Janet Hatch for recommending I peruse it. As I went thru the thread I have copied the most important (to me) comments and am going to sort them into categories for future reference (feed, sexing, selecting breeders/culls and medical) I know I will refer to your wisdom frequently - just wish I had noted who said what as I saved them

We will be acquiring Buckeyes from Janet soon. This has started as a 4-H project for my daughter, but I can already see it will become a obsession. I consider us extremely lucky that Janet lives about 30 miles away and what luck finding her on BYC Missouri thread. I just worry how we can compete against her other birds sold to MO 4-Hers

So now my questions - at what time would you advise getting chicks for showing in 2012. Our fair season begins in late June to mid August. I'm impatient and want them now! I have the facilities to house them over winter inside til feathered, but worry about the little time they will get to free range with MO winters.

Opinions on allowing cats and dogs to consume culled birds? I had a cat pull one out of the burn barrel and allowed her to keep it since it's the circle of life, but will this lead to them stalking the birds? (not really a Buckeye ? but you are so knowledgeable I wanted an opinion for when I do cull young Buckeyes)

And lastly - we harvest and butcher several deer each fall. Opinions on feeding the scraps to the birds? Figures I found show 3 oz venison = 26 grams protein. I always save/freeze scraps for my dogs and feed them raw or boiled. Do I need to cook the meat for chickens? Seems the raw would be better, but I'm unsure.

Again, thank you to everyone for the huge amount of invaluable information here - I feel like I know each of you in some ways.

Candice

 

[Chickielady]

Hello all.
been so super busy with the garden & canning, have not had a spare minute to check in until now.
Here is some 4 mo old eye candy for you!!!

Love these birds!!!!!!!!!

Also want to leave one more comment, I think I did tell you all last time I was here, that I am truly amazed at how little feed these birds have eaten.
They free range, and of the 8 of them, maybe eat 2 cups a day in feed, at the end of the day when they come in from grazing.
Amazing to get such a fantastic big boned beautiful bird, from almost total free range.
Love it!!

 

[punky rooster]

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Wow, they're looking very nice, Robin! Really mature looking now!
Mitch