Buckeye Breed Thread

[cgmccary]

Quote:
18 & 20 weeks old. We processed one 11 month old cockerel because he had shown some bad temperament (due to my poor management of him-- he'd been caged most of his life and was defensive of his space). The 11 month old dressed out at 5 lbs 7 oz. The others were 3.0 - 3.5 lbs.

 

[bobbi-j]

18 & 20 weeks old. We processed one 11 month old cockerel because he had shown some bad temperament (due to my poor management of him-- he'd been caged most of his life and was defensive of his space). The 11 month old dressed out at 5 lbs 7 oz. The others were 3.0 - 3.5 lbs.

I have a couple of Buckeye cockerels that are due to be butchered soon - they're at about 20 weeks right now - is this pretty typical for size for them? How about pullets?

 

[cgmccary]

Quote:
Yes, Cockerels at 20 weeks should weigh between 5-6 lbs and dress out at 3-3.5 lbs (that's how mine do); pullets will be a pound or two less in weight. I do not slaughter my pullets as I never have enough to meet the demand. Some people who want only hens/ pullets get the non-breeder pullets. Still others go into the general layers (non-breeders) -- but it seems there are never enough. As a result, I am trying to keep more pullets this year as I have an older flock generally.

 

[bobbi-j]

Yes, Cockerels at 20 weeks should weigh between 5-6 lbs and dress out at 3-3.5 lbs (that's how mine do); pullets will be a pound or two less in weight. I do not slaughter my pullets as I never have enough to meet the demand. Some people who want only hens/ pullets get the non-breeder pullets. Still others go into the general layers (non-breeders) -- but it seems there are never enough. As a result, I am trying to keep more pullets this year as I have an older flock generally.

Thanks for the information. I don't plan on processing my pullets, either, I'm just thinking of the future plans for my flock. I know, I know - I shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch... I just got my first Buckeyes this year and have 2 cockerels and 6 hens. The cockerels are going to go, as I have another rooster coming since all 8 are of the same hatch. I had asked some questions before getting them, and for some reason thought they dressed out larger. I'm anxious to grow my flock bigger next year. How old is your "older flock", and generally how long are they productive for laying? My thinking is, keep this first generation a few years until the hens' are no longer productive enough for my liking, then keep the pullets at that time for replacements. Is that a practical plan? I'm obviously new to this chicken breeding thing (until now I've just been replacing them every couple of years or so from a hatchery or local feed store) Mostly I want them for eggs and meat. I have no desire to show or sell (i.e. consider myself a "breeder")

 

[cgmccary]

Quote:
Not counting the new pullets I am keeping which are not at point of lay, I only have 6 hens between 1 and 2 years old. The remaining 26 hens are 3-6 years old. The laying duration varies greatly from hen to hen. I have some 3 and 4 year olds that lay pretty good (still laying now) & some are poor layers as they age. One very productive 3 year old hen (90-92 eggs this year, my best older bird), I have 7 growing chicks from her paired with a 4 year old rooster -- this should produce some good birds (it looks like a 4 pullet/ 3 cockerels from the 7 hatched in June (on the Summer Soltice) -- so still young).

Occasionally, you get a cockerel that dresses out at 4-5 lbs and also you will get the occasional small one also (2.5 - 3 lbs) -- I call those midgets. I figure that at the cost of free range, organic chicken these days ($3.50 - $6.00 per lb depending on the brand and where you buy), that is still expensive meat. We give an occasional bird to a friend (when they beg), but other than that, they serve as our chicken. We have stopped buying commercial chicken. Personally, I like them split & grilled on charcoal heat. We have eaten them, of course, fried, baked, coq-au-vin, roasted, etc.

Like you, my reason for keeping/ breeding Buckeyes is for my own personal meat and eggs. I only go to a show or two a year & my purpose is to get the Buckeye in the public eye, for fellowship with other Buckeye breeders & to get feedback from the judge (if he is one who knows the breed or esp. if he breeds Buckeyes too). I do not consider my goals include winning shows. I select for body type above all else along with rate of growth. After all, as Buckeye Breeder, Don Schrider, often says, "you can't eat color."

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[bobbi-j]

Not counting the new pullets I am keeping which are not at point of lay, I only have 6 hens between 1 and 2 years old. The remaining 26 hens are 3-6 years old. The laying duration varies greatly from hen to hen. I have some 3 and 4 year olds that lay pretty good (still laying now) & some are poor layers as they age. One very productive 3 year old hen (90-92 eggs this year, my best older bird), I have 7 growing chicks from her paired with a 4 year old rooster -- this should produce some good birds (it looks like a 4 pullet/ 3 cockerels from the 7 hatched in June (on the Summer Soltice) -- so still young).

Occasionally, you get a cockerel that dresses out at 4-5 lbs and also you will get the occasional small one also (2.5 - 3 lbs) -- I call those midgets. I figure that at the cost of free range, organic chicken these days ($3.50 - $6.00 per lb depending on the brand and where you buy), that is still expensive meat. We give an occasional bird to a friend (when they beg), but other than that, they serve as our chicken. We have stopped buying commercial chicken. Personally, I like them split & grilled on charcoal heat. We have eaten them, of course, fried, baked, coq-au-vin, roasted, etc.

Like you, my reason for keeping/ breeding Buckeyes is for my own personal meat and eggs. I only go to a show or two a year & my purpose is to get the Buckeye in the public eye, for fellowship with other Buckeye breeders & to get feedback from the judge (if he is one who knows the breed or esp. if he breeds Buckeyes too). I do not consider my goals include winning shows. I select for body type above all else along with rate of growth. After all, as Buckeye Breeder, Don Schrider, often says, "you can't eat color."

Let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you - I'll PM you if I have any more questions so as not to further tie up the thread. I can't make myself buy commercial chicken, either. I'm looking forward to grilling those two cockerels I have here, and raising more for next year!

 

[Arielle]

I'm going to put this out there and see if anyone can convince me to go with the buckeyes --understand this is meant to be a bit of fun, but also a bit serious. I would like a bird that is a good forager and can hustle; I already like that the comb is small and winterproof. What I would really like to know is is the carcass worth the effort, organic aside. ANd what is the size of the egss and how frequently? I don't mind a bird that hustled it'w own grub to lay less frequently, but would like it to be decent size.

Convince me.

 

[Noncentzter]

We have five buckeye hens and we get between 3 and 5 large eggs/day. Haven't butchered any of them yet.

 

[Arielle]

We have five buckeye hens and we get between 3 and 5 large eggs/day. Haven't butchered any of them yet.

May I ask your source for the ones you have? ANd how old?

 

[Noncentzter]

Pathfinders and 2-3 years old