Buckeye Breed Thread

[HallFamilyFarm]

We have Buckeyes available for sale at https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6717592#p6717592

 

[islandchickens]

These are beautiful birds!

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Quote:
John, to be honest I don't know of an easy way before the bird is 5-6 months. I have some of cgmccary's fine birds that are about 2 months old and I am stumped at which ones are males and females. I just raise them up and see which one ends up crowing.

Dave,

In my experience the ones who do not crow, but lay eggs may be females.

Hope this helps you!

Jim

 

[Kimsfarm]

That's funny!!

 

[bigzio]

They are really hard to tell for sure. I have 13 birds that are 12 weeks today. I'm thinking the ones with the thicker legs and bigger feet are males....also the tails in the pullets look like pullets. If that makes sence.

 

[BuckeyeDave]

Quote:
Well sheeeeot, thanks for the tip!!!

 

[SuburbanHayseed]

Hi, John! I, too, am a new Buckeye "parent"

and my chicks are also 4 weeks old. I ordered them from MyPetChicken, which uses Meyer Hatchery in Polk, Ohio. I am not going to be breeding birds and just wanted some nice laying hens that were docile and cold tolerant. Mine are apparently several different strains, as they feathered out slightly differently from each other. That scared the daylights out of me because I ordered six pullets. I am not allowed to have roos where I live and was worried about rehoming them. I thought the different feathering out indicated the sex possibly and was worried because I wanted a "heads up" so the roos could be rehomed respectfully instead of hastily. I wrote to Laura Haggerty (Entwife in the Bluegrass on this blog) of Pathfinders farm, a breeder and shower of Buckeyes and sent her a photo of my birds. She is an expert with this breed. She answered with the comment that I could not tell for certain until three to four months of age! I suspect that the comb developent may mean nothing conclusive at this point. You have come to the right place! Laura answered my e-mail in an hour and was very supportive. This is a terrific group--- nice bunch of people

Ha, ha! OMG! I just read one of the other responses Well--- when I was a college kid, I rescued a little Golden Seabright Bantam chick. Its foot was balled up from the egg not being turned properly by the hen (?). I could see a bit of movement in the toes. I casted her foot with tape and soda straws and managed to get it to become a perfectly normal foot. My mom allowed me to keep it as a housepet because it was the only chicken we had and just a bantam. The comb didn't grow. One day "Woodstock", as we called her, lifted up her head and let a few rusty hinge sounds out. My mom, who grew up with chickens said. "Uh, Oh! I think she is trying to crow! I think "she's" a rooster!" Well Woodstock quickly learned to rip off a really loud crow that vibrated the floor. Then she had one more surprise--- she laid some of the nicest little eggs I have ever eaten! She was just a feisty little hen that overcame a disability to become a hen with attitude!

Stephanie from Long Island, New York

 

[flowerchild59]

Quote:
Cute story. Thanks for sharing it.

 

[Five Points John]

Thanks for the laughs everyone...I guess we're waiting a couple of more months.

 

[cgmccary]

Generally, I can sex pretty accurately at about 8 weeks. Sometimes, I get fooled though & I am not 100%. The best way is to look at your 8 week olds and only look at one thing: COMBS. The brighter red combs are usually cockerels, and the duller combs are pullets. Also, the cockerels will usually have thicker shanks but don't look at this initially. After confirming which ones have the brighter red combs, split them and then compare shank size between the two groups.

Later weeks, you can look for things like the glossy feathers of the cockerel as they start their appearance. And occasionally, I get one that starts to try & crow at 8-9 weeks. Cockerels are usually heavier if you weigh at 8 weeks.

Chris McCary