The Buckeye Thread

[buffalogal]

My experience with multiple breeds is that if they were raised together they seem to be "color blind", but then, I don't have any Silkies or Polish breeds that look substantially different from the rest of the flock. When I've raised groups separately they tend to "stick together" at first when they're released in the general flock, but within a couple of months, they are pretty well integrated. I'd like to try some Hamburgs sometime just to see if the aloofness Rick mentions is the result of nature or nurture.

 

[knittychickadee]

The Cream Rises at the Ohio National, with 65 Buckeyes in Open and Junior classes.

Dawson Latham - Junior Champion Bantam
Erin Rybinski - Best of Breed and Reserve Junior Large Fowl
Laura Haggarty - Best of Breed Open Class Large Fowl
Daniel Conrad - Reserve Best of Breed Open Class Large fowl


A hearty congratulations to everyone who exhibited so many fine birds.

Congrats Pathfinders and Canieldonrad!!! Congrats to the two youth also!

 

[buffalogal]

Just got this from a friend who exhibited Buckeyes at the
Ohio National. First, the Trading Card stats:

The numbers:
Bantam Youth – 1C
Large Fowl Youth - 3C, 3H, 3K, 3P. Total 12
Large Fowl Open – 3C, 6H, 11K, 22P. Total 42
Bantam Open – 1C, 2H, 3K, 4P. Total 10

The winners:
Dawson Latham - Junior Champion Bantam
Erin Rybinski - Best of Breed and Reserve Junior Large Fowl
Laura Haggarty - Best of Breed Open Class Large Fowl
Daniel Conrad - Reserve Best of Breed Open Class Large fowl
Janis Orndorf – Best of Breed and Reserve Open Bantam

edited by staff

 

[slfarms]

Congrats to the Junior showers it's wonderful to hear that youngsters are doing so well with the breed. My congrats are also extended to all others.

It would have been hard for any buckeye there to beat this boy he was well conditioned and beautiful bird.

Size did hurt the bucks this year. Lots to work on on all breeders parts for next year.

 

[Blueface]

The Cream Rises at the Ohio National, with 65 Buckeyes in Open and Junior classes.

 
Dawson Latham - Junior Champion Bantam
Erin Rybinski - Best of Breed and Reserve Junior Large Fowl
Laura Haggarty - Best of Breed Open Class Large Fowl
Daniel Conrad - Reserve Best of Breed Open Class Large fowl

Janis Orndorf - Best of Breed and Reserve Open Bantam

 


A hearty congratulations to everyone who exhibited so many fine birds.

Melody,

Were you at the ON? Did you see those birds? I'm all about congratulating people for their accomplishments; congrats to the breeders selected! But the cream wasn't present at the ON! The junior class birds in the LF were far better than the open! There were some serious fundamental problems with the breed!
There were problems with excess plumage or fluff in the backs and in the thighs! They were puffy birds with NO tail angles! This is a giant problem considering the breed is supposed to be tighter feathered! The tail angle is directly related to proper type.
Problems with weak beaks (narrow and long), narrower heads and the comb set needs to improve. The birds are not of even width throughout the carcus and the tail exhibit less than desired size and feather width.
The birds present did have a decent chest width but the width in the back was not good and ended in a pinched type tail.
Honestly, they looked more like barnyard buckeyes than exhibition buckeyes. I talked with other judges at the show that have judged my birds and they agreed with me, so it's not just me. The buckeyes all looked really outclassed.
I'm providing an accurate account of my experiences at the ON and am not trying to cause problems. These kinds of reports need to be accurate to not give on lookers the wrong opinion. I've had great success with buckeyes and understand what a judge looks for. I think people need to be honest with themselves so the breed can improve as a whole!

 

[Blueface]

Yes, there was a row and a half of buckeyes in the open; but what bothered me was nearly all of the were from the same line so you were looking at the same thing over and over! There were birds entered that had no tails and other obvious problems in the cages that were marked "Do not judge"! Why bring a bird to not be judged other than to boost numbers? That hurts the image of the breed, IMO. So that number is somewhat skewed! I too talked with Mike in length! He placed two of my buckeyes on Champion Row in two separate good sized shows were the number of American class was well above 100 birds! Mike is a very good buckeye judge!

Edited by Staff

 

[cgmccary]

nevermind

 

[Blueface]

Chris,
I'm pretty sure the judges comments were accurate. They looked small to me also.

 

[buffalogal]

Melody,

Were you at the ON? Did you see those birds?

I'm afraid that as much as I would have loved seeing everyone I was not able to attend. I see you were, but not your birds. That's a shame, I'm sure that with your understanding of what a Judge looks for you would have won handily and probably gone on to garner Best in Show. Maybe next year, right?

Still, in light of how many times Buckeyes have been shown when there was only one exhibitor, I think it's a pretty big deal to muster that many at a show as prestigious and well known as the ON, especially since those numbers did in fact represent lines from different breeders. IMHO, that's what makes a poultry show interesting. Not just having one spectacular bird to win with, but bringing a representative sample of what the breeder produces. (It's also why I'm not terribly impressed with someone buying or borrowing a bird just to show.) It would appear that the judges found enough variety in the entries that they were able to place the classes.

As for whether or not the birds were barnyard fowl, it's just me, but I like to keep in mind the Buckeye's origins according to Nettie: "I never aspired to a show breed, my object being utility qualities only; but the great beauty of the buckeyes is a sore temptation, and in the future mere show birds will be produced yearly." (emphasis mine) Her addition of the word "mere" makes me think that despite it's attractiveness, she thought less of exhibition birds and that she prized utility first and foremost.

 

[cgmccary]

nevermind