The Buckeye Thread

[Minniechickmama]

Nice conversation! With the new year, resolutions are in order! What is everyone's New Year's resolutions for their flock of buckeyes? We all have ideas and dreams of want directions and goals we want for our flocks. Share some of them!

Breed selectively to produce a better next generation, show some, educate more folks interested in chickens to look at the Buckeye for our cold climate and share with youth to get the next human generation of poultry enthusiasts on board to spread the word about this wonderful breed.

 

[Blueface]

Woke up this morning to this!

Of course my bucks are out playing in it!

 

[slfarms]

Yep same here it hit us first and is still coming down. Looks like you got more.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I don't know as I want the snow, but I would take the temps you all have over on your side of the big river.

 

[Arielle]

THe snow arrived here overnight--a long slow storm, with artic cold on the back side. Will be one of the coldest days in many a year. GLad the outside hot faucet is working!!!!

My goals for this year--

Raise up a few buckeye chicks.
Talk to MR RHodes and get a few eggs to hatch. He is only getting older and has a very old line of buckeyes.

 

[Wynette]

It's nice to see the chatter; the holidays seemed like a bit of a dry spell on here but the new year should move this thread in a good direction.
Going back to share my views on my I like this breed: I've yet to raise a breed that acts more like the American gamecock than the Buckeye. This breed has a wonderful sense about it. They are a very proud breed. I've yet to have one act like a complete lunatic. So if you ever have one act in this fashion; you're better off eating him! The males as well as the females are very curious and not intimidated at all my the daily goings on. They are extremely docile and friendly.
I enjoy the way they carry themselves, a very full build with great balance. Their appearance is striking; a beautiful deep mahogany with a rich sheen that glistens in the sunlight. I enjoy when people ask what I give my birds or put on my birds to offer such a brilliant sheen....I tell them 2cc's of broodstock often offers those results

.
Now we get the the production side; the meat the buckeye yields is wonderful; lean yet flavorful! The fat content can be reduced down to make an excellent poultry base. The breast often has much more meat than is observed. Fresh farm eggs are the best!! Just yesterday I cooked an egg breakfast for my girls; the whites were firm and the yolks stood up with a brilliant orangish glow. They really are a delicious meal. Like I said the overall egg yield is good; not great like that of a leghorn but I somehow feel the quality is much better.
I'm glad we have this breed because they are just different!

Happy New Year, Buckeye peeps!

I have to say, after reading a post like this...I can visualize this lovely breed in farmyards across America. It's a lovely picture! No better way to get folks interested in the breed than to discuss their attributes like this. SOP is one thing, but to get a visual like this is something different, and very welcome - at least to THIS poultry person! Thanks for that.

 

[Blueface]

Happy New Year, Buckeye peeps!

I have to say, after reading a post like this...I can visualize this lovely breed in farmyards across America.  It's a lovely picture!  No better way to get folks interested in the breed than to discuss their attributes like this.  SOP is one thing, but to get a visual like this is something different, and very welcome - at least to THIS poultry person!  Thanks for that.

You're welcome! That is how see this breed......day in and day out!

 

[slfarms]

I don't know as I want the snow, but I would take the temps you all have over on your side of the big river.

The temps are coming here. They are claiming temps at -35 windchill. Last time recorded here in 1999.

But, I'm sure the bucks won't mind it. Now the 6+ inches of snow might persuade them to stay in the barn.

Electric water bowls, heavy bedding and scratch ready to keep them healthy.

 

[AinaWGSD]

Cold and snowy here today too (I don't think -35 wind chill cold though!). None of my birds are interested in venturing outside in the snow. And they are actively avoiding the areas of the coop where the snow has blown in. Still, I have to say this winter I am very pleased with my open-air design coop. My dad seemed very concerned with figuring out a way to rig up a heat lamp to keep the water from freezing. I'm not willing to risk a coop fire, plus we don't have enough battery out there to run both the electric fence and a heat lamp with the solar panel. But so far this winter I haven't seen the water bowls freeze solid yet. And there have been a few mornings when we've gone out expecting the water to be frozen and found that it didn't even have a skin of ice over it!

My goals for this year....not sure yet. First and foremost, get some buckeye eggs in the incubator and hatch some chicks to raise this spring and summer! Most likely this year I'm just going to be hatching to put meat in the freezer. I'm still figuring out the hows and what works with breeding. This thread is certainly going to come in handy there, I'm sure, but there's a certain amount of trial and error I feel I just have to do myself.

 

[Blueface]

Had a great breakfast this morning! Look at big those yolks are; the color and how well they stand up! Buckeyes have great egg qualities! Heck; they even taste great to boot