Buckeye Breed Thread

[JamesA]

Quote:
This is why I keep bringing them up:

[URL]https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/16513_n_a7.jpg[/url]

[URL]https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/16513_n_a2.jpg[/url]

These are not my pictures, they came from the photo album on our yahoo group. As you can see, they are very meaty. If I remember correctly, this is from a 14 weeks old cockeral. I don't mean to keep harping about them being a good meat bird, but I feel it is very unknown at this point.

makes me hungry!

 

[bluebird]

Quote:
oooo k....out with the grannie swim suit

...all for a little red chicken.

 

[jenjscott]

The cockerel I got from Chris at the Ohio National got to move in with 2 lady friends today (two more coming, have to catch them off the roost). First he had to take make sure the sebright next door understood who was boss. Of course the sebright still thinks he is. Then he had to dance and woo the ladies a little and make sure they knew where all the food was. When I left he was still trying to be the gentleman, but the ladies were more interested in their new surroundings and the new nest box than in the new rooster.

 

[CARS]

I was just looking at a price list I picked up at the fall show in New Ulm MN from Duane Urch. I never really looked at it before and must say I am a bit shocked.

The 25 chick minimum I understand, 90% of the hatcheries have minimums. What got me was the $6.00 a chick and $34.00 shipping. OMG! $184.00.... I better sleep on this one. That's the cost of a turkey poult! (which I have no problems making money with)

How "off" could the hatchery stock be if they only want around $2.50 a chick?? I wish the hatchery that posted earlier would chime in with what strain their stock is.
(paging Purely Poultry

)

 

[ellieroo]

Cars, at the risk of being hung, tarred and

Feathered.I got my Buckeyes from a hatchey because I only wanted a few ... 6 hens and a roo which is exactly what I got. Not going to show or etc. just going to enjoy a wonderful breed of chicken!

 

[rnau]

Chritopher (cars),
The price might seem high but consider that Mr Urch has been beeding for several years to have and supply the best Buckeyes for everyone. Most hatchery flocks contain birds that should have been culled. They don't meet the standards. If a breeders only interest is in selling birds and eggs then they are just a hatchery themselves. In todays economy it is a tough decision to make but if you are serious about the breed then the choice becomes easy.
I hope no one gets offended but I know the cost, work and heartache of raising from eggs to layers. It is very expensive and when you have to cull it becomes more expensive. I was blessed to get to know Chris and get eggs and birds from him. He has done a lot of work and put out a lot of money to develope his strain. My applause to all the other breeders of Buckeyes.

Roy

 

[Pathfinders]

Quote:
FWIW, I have ordered some Buckeye chicks for this spring (10 LF 15 bantams) from Mr. Urch and was just fine paying that price. You have to remember he has been breeding poultry for over 50 years now. You are paying for his expertise, which is extensive, his ability to cull, which is backed up by all those years of experience, and his hard work. I think $6 per chick from him is a bargain, honestly. Not to mention he is likely the one responsible for there being any Buckeyes around at all! When no one was breeding them, he kept them and worked with them. We all owe him a huge debt of gratitude, IMO.

And my opinion on hatchery stock is, that hatcheries don't breed to the Standard. Oh, they sell birds that may look somewhat like the birds you have in mind, but they aren't doing the constant culling for type and color and production that a good breeder is. Not that it's bad to buy birds from a hatchery, don't get me wrong there. But a breeder is always going to put more work into what they're doing, if only from a numbers standpoint.

And Ellie, no one is going to tar and feather you, nor even look down their nose at you. We're all here because we love this breed, no matter where we get them from!

 

[jenjscott]

Another thing to think about, is with the newfound popularity of this breed, they hatcheries are going to get more active and push for higher production. And like anything that gets popular, the quality will suffer. Because of the lack of culling. Everything that is hatched is sold. I heard once that only one in ten should b e expected to make the muster, that is how many breeders choose their stock. The chicks you buy today are the result of years of culling. Right now the hatchery stock I have seen has been pretty good, but expect that to go down.

 

[ellieroo]

pathfinders,

good cause I really like my Buckeyes.If I had found this site as a source would have used it however I only wanted a few and could find only one source willing to work with me.But if I add too and try improve I know where to come. ps I now am getting 4 eggs aday which is really cool!

 

[har]

I am subscribing to this thread. The buckeyes really sound interesting and am thinking about getting some. I see that Meyer hatchery has some. Has anybody ordered from them(buckeyes)