Buckeye Breed Thread

[bobbi-j]

Thank you. I just wanted to be sure. I'll have to check with the breeders in my state (I was going to say "near here", but they're still over 100 miles away) and find out what they have to say about their roosters and their temperament.

 

[Chickielady]

Quote:
Many (if not most) Buckeye breeders strive to ensure their males are gentle. For me, it's an absolute rule. My cock birds are respectful with humans, and gentle to their wives (gang rapers get sent to Freezer Camp on our farm.) I would never keep a male with an aggressive temperament in a large fowl breed (I have been known to bend my rule somewhat with certain breeds of bantams.) Its' something I would encourage those getting into the breed to ensure that their males are non-aggressive. It's a trait of Buckeyes, and I'd hate to see that go away.

X2
My boys are very awesome, gentle, but very alert & protective.
Hope you all are fairing well with the holidays & winter,,and hot dog!
The Soltice is upon us & now the world will tilt back & gu=ive us our sunlight back!!!

Happy Solstice & festival of lights, to all!!

 

[Gresh]

I'll have to upload some pictures of my Buckeye cockerel. He's roughly 7 months old now and just started crowing a few weeks ago. His crow is so nice to hear.

I got him and another Buckeye from IDEAL Hatchery in June. The other Buckeye (a pullet) has a bad color (almost laced, in some places) and her beak seems to be too long for a Buckeye. Plus, there's just something about her facial structure that screams "mutt" or "inbred purebred." However, the cockerel seems to look very nice, for a hatchery bird.

~Gresh~

 

[Chickielady]

If the pullet has "it" then the cockeral will as well.
Their genetics will be from the same parents.
That is how hatcheries operate.
Unfortunately....what you most likely have is mutts.

 

[bobbi-j]

Quote:
Many (if not most) Buckeye breeders strive to ensure their males are gentle. For me, it's an absolute rule. My cock birds are respectful with humans, and gentle to their wives (gang rapers get sent to Freezer Camp on our farm.) I would never keep a male with an aggressive temperament in a large fowl breed (I have been known to bend my rule somewhat with certain breeds of bantams.) Its' something I would encourage those getting into the breed to ensure that their males are non-aggressive. It's a trait of Buckeyes, and I'd hate to see that go away.

X2
My boys are very awesome, gentle, but very alert & protective.
Hope you all are fairing well with the holidays & winter,,and hot dog!
The Soltice is upon us & now the world will tilt back & gu=ive us our sunlight back!!!

Happy Solstice & festival of lights, to all!!

This has been the mildest winter we've had in a long time. I live in MN, and it was 57 degrees out today! I was outside in my jeans, tennies and a sweatshirt. How much better could it get? Thanks for reassuring me on your Buckeye cockrels. I think I'm sold on the breed. Just need to figure out when I'm going to get them and where I'm going to put them when I do.

 

[Chickielady]

bobbi, you cannot find a better breed, I feel, for your area, even in a bad winter.
Peacomb birds will do better than sc or rc combs anyways.........they are in general, inquesitive, and curious, and underfoot at all times almost to the point of irritatio when trying to clean coops....they gotta get right up & see what you are doing & if you have treats.
They are awesome birds all the way around.
And not to mention gorgeous& extremely healthy!

 

[bobbi-j]

Quote:
Looking forward to getting some! But I either need to get rid of the chickens I now have (including my big brahma roo who I like

) or figuring out another coop of some sort. I can't really afford to buy or build a new one, so I have to think this through. I kind of want to keep two flocks because if I get Buckeyes, I'm not sure I want to play mix and match with them and my other breeds. I'll have to think about it and see what I come up with.

 

[buffalogal]

Quote:
With four breeds and a number of favorite mutts that I won't get rid of, what works for me is to run everything together until I want to hatch eggs. I have two dog kennels, complete with tarp covers, roosts, and large plastic dog houses to serve as a nest box. I pick out my best females and pen them together for two weeks. Then I choose a suitable male and leave them together for a month, saving all the eggs after the 1st 36 hours. At the end of that time, everyone gets turned out, and I either set up with a different male, or move on to the next breed. Because I band my breeders, it's easy to make sure no individual has to be in the breeding pen longer than 3 months total out of the year.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Quote:
I had a pullet I hatched last year that had the markings you are telling about. I took her to Urches with me to show Duane since he is a really good breeder of Bucks, and he said to cull her. If you are breeding and want to stay true to the breed, then don't use birds that have obvious faults as will any species. If you just want chickens for laying eggs and running around the yard, then it doesn't matter.

 

[cgmccary]

buffalogal: With four breeds and a number of favorite mutts that I won't get rid of, what works for me is to run everything together until I want to hatch eggs. I have two dog kennels, complete with tarp covers, roosts, and large plastic dog houses to serve as a nest box. I pick out my best females and pen them together for two weeks. Then I choose a suitable male and leave them together for a month, saving all the eggs after the 1st 36 hours. At the end of that time, everyone gets turned out, and I either set up with a different male, or move on to the next breed. Because I band my breeders, it's easy to make sure no individual has to be in the breeding pen longer than 3 months total out of the year.

Good idea. I think I am going to try something along these lines. Thanks for the specifics.​