I am still debating.....Doms or RIR RCs?

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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That seems to be the conscious right now....

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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Here we go!
I think Buckeyes are just the best. One of the most cold-hardy birds, excellent foragers (being the most active American breed), nice personalities, good layers, grow at a nice rate, great color, the list goes on and on!
I will say Buckeyes are no longer very rare, but could use more breeders (as do many, many other breeds).
Mitch

Yes and as their popularity grows, their type and dispositions will go by the wayside, unfortunately. It only takes a year or two before a strain is messed up and it takes 5-10 years to get it back.

I've seen it with the Sussex (lights & coronations) and especially the Orps (blue/black/splash). They are all fad breeds--so everyone paid top dollar and started selling eggs...and then the demand no longer exceeded the supply because everyone & their mom had them...and a vast majority of those people were quantity over quality and cranking eggs/chicks out like chicken "puppy mills!" In the last two years I've seen "Bradshaw" line birds go from looking awesome and being show-quality to looking like they came from a hatchery.

Just look on eBay for example. There are frequently leggy, poorly marked, drop-tailed, too many point comb, etc, etc Sussex on there and people just keep buying them!

I'm so picky, too...I'd be starting with the best of the best and breeding that way for as long as I can.

I have always admired the Buckeye but not really given them a whole lot of thought...I've never heard anything bad about them, either...

Anyway--sorry for my rant....don't even get me started!

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
Here we go!
I think Buckeyes are just the best. One of the most cold-hardy birds, excellent foragers (being the most active American breed), nice personalities, good layers, grow at a nice rate, great color, the list goes on and on!
I will say Buckeyes are no longer very rare, but could use more breeders (as do many, many other breeds).
Mitch

Yes and as their popularity grows, their type and dispositions will go by the wayside, unfortunately. It only takes a year or two before a strain is messed up and it takes 5-10 years to get it back.

I've seen it with the Sussex (lights & coronations) and especially the Orps (blue/black/splash). They are all fad breeds--so everyone paid top dollar and started selling eggs...and then the demand no longer exceeded the supply because everyone & their mom had them...and a vast majority of those people were quantity over quality and cranking eggs/chicks out like chicken "puppy mills!" In the last two years I've seen "Bradshaw" line birds go from looking awesome and being show-quality to looking like they came from a hatchery.

Just look on eBay for example. There are frequently leggy, poorly marked, drop-tailed, too many point comb, etc, etc Sussex on there and people just keep buying them!

I'm so picky, too...I'd be starting with the best of the best and breeding that way for as long as I can.

I have always admired the Buckeye but not really given them a whole lot of thought...I've never heard anything bad about them, either...

Anyway--sorry for my rant....don't even get me started!

So true, sadly. I' too have never heard a bad thing about Buckeyes, and (to this point) they haven't been "ruined" by hatcheries. But, I've already heard some are declining from people that don't know how to select and as you said, start going the "quantity over quality" thing.
I think they're a great breed and you wouldn't be dissapointed by selecting them. Get them from the right people, though!
Mitch

 

[Chris09]

I have both Reds (Single and Rose Comb) and Dominique and I believe it 6 of one and a half dozen of the other when it come to comparing the two breeds.
Both breeds have there Pro's and Con's but I will say I never had either breed ever turn on me or my kids (2 and 4).
If you are going to with Dom's I would get a hold of Mike Stichler in Greenwich, OH.
If you are going to go with Red's you have Tim Bowls, Dick Horstman, and Warren Carlow just to name a few.


Chris

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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Thanks! I bought several dozen eggs from Dick (RC RIR's and GLC's) and almost all were smashed upon arrival (poor packing) and I managed to set a few and all came up clear.

I contacted him several times and never heard back. I think I spent $60 or $80 on eggs and didn't get a one. So I'm not going that route again...BUT I have seen some others on here that seem to be worth looking into...there is just something about a deep red bird that I like...

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
Yes and as their popularity grows, their type and dispositions will go by the wayside, unfortunately. It only takes a year or two before a strain is messed up and it takes 5-10 years to get it back.

I've seen it with the Sussex (lights & coronations) and especially the Orps (blue/black/splash). They are all fad breeds--so everyone paid top dollar and started selling eggs...and then the demand no longer exceeded the supply because everyone & their mom had them...and a vast majority of those people were quantity over quality and cranking eggs/chicks out like chicken "puppy mills!" In the last two years I've seen "Bradshaw" line birds go from looking awesome and being show-quality to looking like they came from a hatchery.

Just look on eBay for example. There are frequently leggy, poorly marked, drop-tailed, too many point comb, etc, etc Sussex on there and people just keep buying them!

I'm so picky, too...I'd be starting with the best of the best and breeding that way for as long as I can.

I have always admired the Buckeye but not really given them a whole lot of thought...I've never heard anything bad about them, either...

Anyway--sorry for my rant....don't even get me started!

So true, sadly. I' too have never heard a bad thing about Buckeyes, and (to this point) they haven't been "ruined" by hatcheries. But, I've already heard some are declining from people that don't know how to select and as you said, start going the "quantity over quality" thing.
I think they're a great breed and you wouldn't be dissapointed by selecting them. Get them from the right people, though!
Mitch

Thanks!

 

[gootziecat]

Since everyone else is putting in their 2cents worth, I will too. I love red chickens and looked really hard at the RC RIRs. But the heritage RIRs can take as long as 9 mo. to a year to start laying. I'm not sure I have that kind of patience to put into a pullet, especially when anything can happen to a foraging bird. Dominiques are cool birds. I would like to see more people try to get the egg size up on them tho.

 

[phasianidae]

Sounds like you need some McGraws!

They may be a little farther on the rare side than you want, but they are excellent foragers and very cold hardy. And they are Silver Spangled and lay blue eggs to boot!

 

[punky rooster]

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Buckeyes are cooler.

Heather, can you really resist this?

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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Buckeyes are cooler.

Heather, can you really resist this?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/63711_my_peeps_012.jpg

LOL Too cute!