The Buckeye Thread

[fowlman01]

A good saddle on each of the hens helps too, but what Walt said is definitely something to keep an eye on.  I am not crazy about dressing hens in anything, but the saddles do help keep the skin covered from the sun too. 
This is normal though, and some hens will get it worse than others.  When they molt they will have all new and pretty feathers again, but they will be bare backed until then.

Males have Favorite females and They are the ones that get torn up the most.

Walt

 

[Sydney Acres]

Does anyone here have a problem with their Buckeye roos ripping back feathers off the females when it mates with them? All 5 pullets (in the pen with him) have their backs near the tail mangled or ripped out exposing raw skin.

He's headed for the dinner table, but I wonder can that behavior be bred out of the rooster?

And, I read that a lot of people keep their roosters and pullets/hens separated until mating time. What does one do if there's not enough room for that type of set up?

The male isn't doing it on purpose. He stands on the hen's back when he breeds, and the feathers get pulled out as he treads his feet. Some males aren't as surefooted as others, so they tend to pull out more feathers. Some hens are bred more often, so they lose more feathers. Some hens have narrower backs, so the roosters slip more and pull out more feathers (if that's the problem, it can often be decreased with proper conformation). Some hens don't have very well attached feathers, so they come out more easily.


Some cockerels will do better with experience, so there may be less feather loss during a male's second breeding season.

A good hen saddle is an excellent investment if you have any significant problems. You can make them yourself, or buy them from a number of places. I like the products from Hensavers. I've been very impressed from their quality, and have them on some of my hens all year round, as needed.

 

[alana124]

Wow you guys, thank you for all your answers! I checked the rooster's spurs, Walt, and they're not long at all, thus making me wonder why all the missing feathers on the girls. I watch the girls, and it's not like they're pecking each other.

Minniechickmama, Sydney Acres, it's funny you mentioned the saddle aprons because I have them on order.

I thought mine were just ugly compared to all the beautiful Buckeye birds portrayed here on the forum and after seeing my bird's backs yesterday (they were all wet from the rain) I couldn't believe how damaged they look.

I will use the aprons for now. But I think I need to find a breeder with nicer looking stock than my sub par birds (so they seem). Thanks again.

 

[fowlman01]

Wow you guys, thank you for all your answers! I checked the rooster's spurs, Walt, and they're not long at all, thus making me wonder why all the missing feathers on the girls. I watch the girls, and it's not like they're pecking each other.

Minniechickmama, Sydney Acres, it's funny you mentioned the saddle aprons because I have them on order.

I thought mine were just ugly compared to all the beautiful Buckeye birds portrayed here on the forum and after seeing my bird's backs yesterday (they were all wet from the rain) I couldn't believe how damaged they look.

I will use the aprons for now. But I think I need to find a breeder with nicer looking stock than my sub par birds (so they seem). Thanks again.

That post was just to warn you of the possiblilities of the spurs. The feet/toe nails are doing what you see now.

Walt

 

[Minniechickmama]

Before breeding season is done, and if I do nothing, at least half my hens will be bare backed and bald headed on top. It seems a lot of birds and animals bite into the fur and feathers when breeding. I was going to make a crack about Marv Albert, but that would be another kind of topic.

 

[slfarms]

Four dark beauties in a row. I

my buckeye birds.

 

[Hawnamon]

I have never had any bare spots on my hens ,but he also has 6 or more to pick from all the time

 

[buckeyechicken]

This is 9 buckeye chicks and 13 Golden Sebright chicks I have one buckeye that is to light in the bunch, but they are getting better.

 

[Minniechickmama]

This is 9 buckeye chicks and 13 Golden Sebright chicks I have one buckeye that is to light in the bunch, but they are getting better.

You say too light, do you mean color? Don't let the fluff fool you. Unless you mean size. I too just hatched another batch of them and they are heading to Indiana. A good healthy looking bunch of peeps!

 

[slfarms]

I've found in the last four years the lighter the fluff on the bucks when hatched the lighter the feathers when they come in. Just my experience with the breed.