Buckeye Breed Thread

[poltroon]

On baby chicks and gender, when they're young and awkward, you just can't tell. But, I'll tell you that my best guesses are by looking at the legs. I can't be certain that I always had the right chicks matched to the right gender, but I can say that usually however many chicks I see with a heavier shank is pretty close to how many boys there were in that batch.

Still, you just have to wait and see, and let time tell. You won't know for certain until an egg is laid or there is crowing.

It's especially hard when you have a singleton chick of a breed. We had a bantam chick who I swore was a boy-in-waiting until I found the egg 'he' laid.

 

[poltroon]

I have a question about identification.

We normally have used the spiral leg bands, the plastic ones with numbers... and on every other breed of chicken, that works great. The Buckeye hens take theirs off.

Originally I thought it was one hen or maybe the cock taking them off all the others, but we currently have a pen with several Buckeye hens and one Wyandotte hen... and the Wyandotte still has hers.

Of course, this is especially hilarious since it's easy to ID the Wyandotte without a band.

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Yes, our Buckeyes take these off too, except for Banner, when we explained the ID was what was keeping him out of the stew pot. Now he leaves them on.

Hatch Weekend! We have four Buckeyes out! This is my first hatch of the breed. They seem to take a REALLY long time from Pip to Out. Is that the general experience, or am I doing something wrong?

I have a Brinsea 20 and there are Ameraucanas in there with the Buckeyes. They are still hatching, and it is getting pretty crowded. I'm keeping the humidity way up.

 

[BlazeJester]

Hey folks! I am looking for some buckeye chicks. I do not have the resources to hatch at this time. I am looking for 25 chicks or so and am willing to work with smaller batches of chicks throughout the summer. I'm located in Clemson SC.

My goals are apparently uncommon. I am working with an organic rancher to start a poultry operation - this is a business and we are ultimately aiming for a net financial gain. I understand that we are going to have to put money out there at the outset, make mistakes and learn some lessons. Here is what we need:

• Good pasture/foraging tendency
• True dual purpose - males fill out well and females lay well
• Males at suitable table weight by 6 months
• Females good to very good layers
• Slight tendency toward broodiness/some hens will set
• "barnyard smarts" - these will be pastured birds.

I believe Buckeyes may be a suitable breed. I have also considered barred rocks, delawares, australorps and wyandottes. Any recommendations or leads would be greatly appreciated. I am looking to stay away from hatchery bird, though we will start with them since they are readily available.

 

[poltroon]

Hey folks! I am looking for some buckeye chicks. I do not have the resources to hatch at this time. I am looking for 25 chicks or so and am willing to work with smaller batches of chicks throughout the summer. I'm located in Clemson SC.

My goals are apparently uncommon. I am working with an organic rancher to start a poultry operation - this is a business and we are ultimately aiming for a net financial gain. I understand that we are going to have to put money out there at the outset, make mistakes and learn some lessons. Here is what we need:

• Good pasture/foraging tendency
• True dual purpose - males fill out well and females lay well
• Males at suitable table weight by 6 months
• Females good to very good layers
• Slight tendency toward broodiness/some hens will set
• "barnyard smarts" - these will be pastured birds.

I believe Buckeyes may be a suitable breed. I have also considered barred rocks, delawares, australorps and wyandottes. Any recommendations or leads would be greatly appreciated. I am looking to stay away from hatchery bird, though we will start with them since they are readily available.

We have Buckeyes and Wyandottes and I would suggest Buckeyes of those two for your operation. Buckeyes are larger and I think will be more suitable for your meat bird needs. The Buckeyes are more friendly and more people-oriented.

The Wyandottes seem to be slightly better layers. Both have done a nice job free ranging for us and happily forage. Both have been willing to be broody.

Hatchery Wyandottes tend to be quite a bit smaller than standard, such that I think you would have some difficulty with the meat side of your equation. If you go with Wyandotte, I would suggest choosing black (or maybe partridge) as the best color to work with - the more exotic colors are the least likely to have size, and free-ranging white birds seems like you're just advertising an ample supply of McNuggets to the local fauna.

I think the Buckeyes also have the advantage of a very nice story for your marketing, in terms of a recovering critical American breed, which may be a factor.

Duane Urch has breeder quality Buckeyes and Wyandottes (as well as Australorps) fairly readily available if shipped chicks are financially viable for your operation. You could even try a set of each and see which works better for you in your operation.

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

While Buckeyes may have slightly better breast meat portions than many other heritage breeds, please remember that none of them are going to come close to the Cornish/Crosses. Just so you are not disappointed

And raising on pasture will darken the dark meat to near beef color, and there will be a lot of it relative to white meat.

 

[cgmccary]

While Buckeyes may have slightly better breast meat portions than many other heritage breeds, please remember that none of them are going to come close to the Cornish/Crosses. Just so you are not disappointed

And raising on pasture will darken the dark meat to near beef color, and there will be a lot of it relative to white meat.

Yes, this is very true. The texture is different too (I should say, it will have some texture). If you have eaten commercial chicken all your life, then it will be a different culinary experience for you.

 

[loanwizard]

I am looking for some real Heritage Breed Buckeyes. For 4 years I have raised, hatched, reared, hybrids and hatchery birds. I have no idea what the expense is of starting with Heritage birds as I have hatched mine or picked up here and there. I market free ranged eggs, Freedom Ranger meat birds, and Heritage Breed Tamworth hogs.

Looks like it is just as easy to raise an endangered species as it is a regular bird, so I think I would like to start a fresh flock this sporing and finish the change late this summer once these are laying.

I am looking at about 60 hens and about 6 Roosters.

Should I start with 120 eggs and hatch them, or buy a few birds and breed them?

Any recommendations for a good breeder in east central Ohio?

If I am going to do this, I want to do it right.

I have a large incubator as in 300 eggs at a time, and am trying to watch my expenses.

Thanks,
Shawn

 

[ocap]

I am looking for some real Heritage Breed Buckeyes. For 4 years I have raised, hatched, reared, hybrids and hatchery birds. I have no idea what the expense is of starting with Heritage birds as I have hatched mine or picked up here and there. I market free ranged eggs, Freedom Ranger meat birds, and Heritage Breed Tamworth hogs.

Looks like it is just as easy to raise an endangered species as it is a regular bird, so I think I would like to start a fresh flock this sporing and finish the change late this summer once these are laying.

I am looking at about 60 hens and about 6 Roosters.

Should I start with 120 eggs and hatch them, or buy a few birds and breed them?

Any recommendations for a good breeder in east central Ohio?

If I am going to do this, I want to do it right.

I have a large incubator as in 300 eggs at a time, and am trying to watch my expenses.

Thanks,
Shawn

I have ask a similar question and was answered with the following thread (post #116) the one that answered you can PM
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/435097/duane-urch/110#post_10443361

 

[swiftra]

Hello everybody curious if you can answer a question for me. I live out hear in northern Utah and have been looking for some buckeye chicks to start a small addition to my flock. I have looked on the buckeye poultry club website under breeders and noticed that there are no breeders close by (Utah or Idaho). Wondering if any body has any idea if there are some out this way that just aren't listed yet. I have found one breeder down in Salt Lake but was looking for another so I could add another strain or line to the flock without inbreeding them. Was hoping to avoid having to order 25 birds and pay shipping when I only want a couple and was hoping maybe a local breeder would be more flexible on this. Thanks for any and all help on this one.