CrazychickenladySandie
In the Brooder
- Sep 8, 2020
- 10
- 4
- 13
Thank you
Chicken Breed Focus - Buckeye
- Thread starter sumi
- Start date
CrazychickenladySandie
In the Brooder
- Sep 8, 2020
- 10
- 4
- 13
Thank you.
CrazychickenladySandie
In the Brooder
- Sep 8, 2020
- 10
- 4
- 13
Thank you.
I know this is an old thread but I'm having trouble locating a good breeder in my area for Buckeyes. I'm in southwest Wisconsin. May I ask where you purchased your Buckeyes from? I believe Duane Urch is retired now.Let's qualify that statement... they take longer than the Cornish Crosses, but I have found that the Buckeyes reach a suitable size for a good table bird much sooner than other dual-purpose breeds I have raised. They are putting on the muscle as they grow right from chicks, and you can feel a difference. Other DP breeds I have raised may appear heavy, but under their well developed feathering, they still have a bony feel with little muscle. Of course, running around outside will make any bird tougher than the fat, lazy CRX.
The Buckeyes are a perfect for Northern life. Living in Minnesota it gets a little chilly in Winter, and the Buckeyes have been the best-suited breed to our climate that I have raise thus far. It is what attracts many folks in our region to them.
It is a wonderful thing to see that the Buckeye is a breed that is growing in popularity among those looking for a sustainable breed for meat and eggs, and these definitely satisfy that!
I have enjoyed these birds for over 6 years and have been happy to share them with numerous people from 4-Her, to private breeders, to those looking for a calm, friendly breed to lay eggs for them.
My mom raises Buckeyes. She's in Northeast Wisconsin. But we don't have any available right now.
Thanks for the reply! I'm doing the research now while I have time but I'm looking to purchase chicks or hatching eggs this spring. Will your mom have something available this spring?
She has no idea.
CraziChknLady
Chirping
- Nov 7, 2024
- 128
- 173
- 91
I know this is a very old thread. Does anyone still raise Buckeyes? If so, how has your journey been? I'm looking at this breed for my new starter flock. Anyone breeding them? Any pros or cons to this breed? Any info appreciated!
“Starter flock” for breeding, homesteading, pets?
My goals are pets and learning about birds. In my limited experience I like Buckeyes a lot. I have one 5 yr-old hen, and five pullets about 8 weeks old now. Also three 2 yr-old Buff Orpingtons.
My experience and concerns -
I started with four Buckeyes from My Pet Chicken in 2020 (of which the 5 yr-old is the survivor). They each varied considerably from each other in body type and coloring, not the standard by any means, and they were mostly too light-colored.
Their personalities are outstanding. Very smart, curious, friendly, busy birds. Calm around me. The one remaining from the first group is the most nervous and does not like to be handled, but she is readily compliant, trusting of me if I need to examine her or hold her to treat her for something. Everyone else was pretty calm about being handled.
Vocal reputation of Buckeyes - they were/are not more vocal than the Buff Orpingtons here. Actually the Buffs O’s seem more vocal than the Buckeyes ever were. One Buckeye was actually fairly quiet. The survivor hen vocalizes sparingly. The Buffs generally make a heck of a lot of vocalizations before and after laying, and for a long time while they are waiting to lay, announcing it to the world, especially if someone is in their favorite nesting spot. Everyone is also always narrating their experience of the day, though that is done more softly of course. But I love to hear everybody’s talk at any time, so none of this bothers me.
The first of the original Buckeye group died from reproductive cancer at about two years old, the next from possible gastric issues some months later, and the third from something very sudden the year after that, but she was exhibiting signs of reproductive cancer before that. I attribute this to the bad luck of hatchery genetics. I haven’t been able to find a private breeder near me that vaccinates for Mareks, which is something important to me.
So I thought I would try Cackle for this second group. They have their own line. The Buckeyes’ coloring is much closer to the standard so far. Ordered three, and they sent five. Four are doing fine but one arrived with eyes slightly bulging, not too unusual, but that increased, and now seems to be holding steady as she grows. They are still bulging, like jewels when the sun glints through them. She can close her eyes completely and the corneas seem fine. But I think her vision is slightly compromised; she pecks an extra couple pecks to get something, but she does get it and she eats, drinks and poops fine. She has not reached mature size yet and things could change.
However she also has a sort of narcolepsy, she needs to take very short naps often. She also goes to roost a little earlier, more tired at the end of the day. I can’t figure it out, it might be neurological. She can fly, play, run and do everything necessary, but whenever she stops she closes her eyes and passes out a bit while standing or she sits down. I keep expecting her to die, I am fearing for what happens when her body comes into lay, but at present she seems very happy, and partakes in all the chicken things the group does, and she keeps growing and is keeping up in size with everyone.
Don’t know if this is what you’ve wanted to know.
Hello Crazi...There are many around the country who still raise Buckeyes. You probably have someone near you. I am on my second set of Buckeyes and am more than pleased with them. I came into chickens with no experience, just a passion to raise my own food. I have always marched to the beat of a different drummer so the Buckeye was right at home with me.
DEFINITELY go with a breeder as you'll get the best quality (provided they know what they're doing) . What I like about the Buckeye is that they are an American breed, they are good size so they are dual-purpose. If you get a good line, they can be good layers though the old-school lines (which some people have) don't lay as well. I appreciate their curious nature, they are friendly AND I have not had a people-aggresive male ever! They have a strong tendency to go broody and when one goes, two or three others join her.
Cons-slow growing, the boys take almost a year to reach full size. They LOVE to crow. The boys are hard on the girls' backs when it comes to mating. If you plan to sell them, they are not sex-linked so you're going to have to learn how to vent sex. The girls take a little longer to start laying, about 23 weeks and they often go broody. Usually when you don't want them to.
Summary, they are hardy (made for midwest climate) smart, flexible and passionate. They would make a great bird for a starter flock!
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