Buckeye Breed Thread

[cgmccary]

He is not so bad for 7 months old. If his weight is 7.8 lbs, well that is great weight at that age-- where he should be.

Not going to hurt to use him once over to have the bloodline.

 

[punky rooster]

you really think i should use him????? he is not in the best shape right now

or him

its only 4 OZ difference and the bottem one has less black on him
thanks Chris
punky

 

[cgmccary]

I don't know the source of Jason's birds but if they are different than most of the other birds, then worth keeping something here.

The first Buckeye cockerel I owned (and at first, I had only one) weighed about 7 lbs wet. He was black splashed across his chest. His shanks were thin. I must tell you I thought he was the greatest cockerel on the planet, and I was very, very proud of him. His pure Urch strain genes are still in my line. I don't think you simply throw away the genetics-- instead, use once over your hens (and save the best male and a few of the better pullets [for the genes])-- see what progeny he throws. Why not? Take your time, enjoy the journey of bettering your line.

I wish I still had that old first rooster. I'd use him once over again.

My first Buckeye Cockerel:

 

[punky rooster]

ok will do
i must post a better pic of my new buckeye cockerel from Bob Rhodes!

comb shot

 

[muddstopper]

Chris, I have been noticeing the color of a couple of your buckeye pics. the pic of your first Urch roo and the one in the coop. It seems to be the color is very light. Is this just the camera playing tricks or are these birds really that light red in color. I know the roos I raised out of your birds are much darker than the pics you have shown. If your birds are really that light color, then where did this dark color come from in my birds

This pic was took 8/01 and the bird hatched Jan11th Making him just shy of 7 months

 

[cgmccary]

All the males are pretty much the same mahogany bay like yours. That is just the sunshine reflecting off them. If you look at the BB picture from Columbus last year, that bird, photographed inside, looked as follows:

Same bird, same day, flash from the camera, he looks light:

It all depends on the lighting, same male, BB male, again:

Three pictures, three shades. Look at your birds in the sunshine, they look lighter, more red. Most Buckeye males have good color in person. I rarely see one that does not. The slate bar is non-existent or very subtle in many of them. That is why I don't ever make a big deal about color. You really can't tell true color from a picture because of the lighting. Now my females vary more widely and some of them are almost a wheaten red of many shades, but they have great shape which is what you are aiming for. The older girls get even lighter as they age.

 

[cgmccary]

Look at this big pullet. At 9 months old, she weighed 7.5 lbs (oversized by Standard). The largest one I've had. She weighed like a cockerel at 16 weeks and almost got gone. I had just marked her at 8 weeks as a pullet so I trusted my initial instincts and kept her at 16 weeks old. These would be your bird's grandmothers; there were eight females from that season I kept. They are all great layers and all go broody:

 

[cgmccary]

Here's one that ended up dinner. He was the meanest cockerel I ever had. He'd try to attack you through the fence. He could really catch the mice too. But look at him in the snow, no sunshine, completely cloudy day, yet he is the same shade as the others:

 

[muddstopper]

I thought it might be the lighting, none of your birds that I have actually seen looked as light colored as the one in the pic's
I really need to take some more pics of my birds and post them.

I know the pic posted was poor quality, but what do you think of that roo at 7 months.

 

[har]

Chris thanks so much for posting the pictures. I for one really appreciate it.