The Buckeye Thread

[goodb]

that's a huge bird.

My thought is that he has some non-buckeye in him due to his large size #1 and his color #2. I may be wrong and am open to comments but that's what my inexperienced eye says. I hope someone with more experience will chime in.

 

[KlopKlop]

that's a huge bird.

My thought is that he has some non-buckeye in him due to his large size #1 and his color #2. I may be wrong and am open to comments but that's what my inexperienced eye says. I hope someone with more experience will chime in.

The person I got Big Buck from said he is purebreed and was naturally hatched by his buckeye mother. His lineage came from the stock of a local breeder who supposedly is a regular ribbon winner at county and state level fair shows.

 

[Minniechickmama]

that's a huge bird.

My thought is that he has some non-buckeye in him due to his large size #1 and his color #2. I may be wrong and am open to comments but that's what my inexperienced eye says. I hope someone with more experience will chime in.

It is possible to get Buckeyes that size, but they are over the weight for the standard by quite a bit. A mature cock should weigh 9 pounds, and according to SOP can be over that by 20%. However, some people just breed for size because they want to use them for meat purposes.
I just culled some birds this morning and I wish I had had time to put a couple of the older cockerels on the scale, they were no lightweights but I had to let them go. One was way to orangey, both had huge wattles and neither were what I am looking for, but they were BIG boys.

Klop Klop- I am glad to see another Minnesotan joining in the group! I hope he works out well for you. I hate hearing about the no-crow collars, I think it is mean. I am not bleeding heart over animals rights and all that, but why have a rooster if you don't let him crow? I am glad he is now joining a flock where he can be the top of the roost. I wouldn't consider trying to breed him for a pure line if you want to follow the standard though, that pinched tail is not anything you want to pass on, and he has it bad, but I am sure he can do well leading a harem of layers for you. I have to watch some of the tails on my own this year, and then a few start getting a little to fluffed over the saddle and into the tail. It is always a balancing act.

 

[KlopKlop]

Klop Klop- I am glad to see another Minnesotan joining in the group!  I hope he works out well for you.  I hate hearing about the no-crow collars, I think it is mean.  I am not bleeding heart over animals rights and all that, but why have a rooster if you don't let him crow?  I am glad he is now joining a flock where he can be the top of the roost.  I wouldn't consider trying to breed him for a pure line if you want to follow the standard though, that pinched tail is not anything you want to pass on, and he has it bad, but I am sure he can do well leading a harem of layers for you.  I have to watch some of the tails on my own this year, and then a few start getting a little to fluffed over the saddle and into the tail.  It is always a balancing act.

Yeah, I don't intend to breed for standard or anything like that. We want to try mating him to some Dixie rainbows to see what that may produce for broilers and may try putting him over a barred rock hen to see if we can get a sex link. I will also breed a Dr to a Dr and see what that looks like. We would like to try and get a meaty cross that is a good ranger.

These will be my first foray into breeding and it won't be until next spring probably but it's fun to think about

 

[Minniechickmama]

Yeah, I don't intend to breed for standard or anything like that. We want to try mating him to some Dixie rainbows to see what that may produce for broilers and may try putting him over a barred rock hen to see if we can get a sex link. I will also breed a Dr to a Dr and see what that looks like. We would like to try and get a meaty cross that is a good ranger.

These will be my first foray into breeding and it won't be until next spring probably but it's fun to think about

He looks like a very compact bird, more Cornish looking, and that should work really well for producing some meat birds for you!

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

KlopKlop I think he'll cross nicely with the freedom rangers. Please post the results when you get some!

 

[KlopKlop]

KlopKlop I think he'll cross nicely with the freedom rangers. Please post the results when you get some! 

My Dixie rainbow pullets aren't laying yet ( 10 weeks old) so I probably won't try until next spring

 

[hellbender]

KlopKlop I think he'll cross nicely with the freedom rangers. Please post the results when you get some!

I have a 'friend' who crossed a nice sized Buckeye over three red Freedom Ranger hens and at this point, it's clear they are going to be massive. Hopefully they will have good quality/tasty meat.

 

[KlopKlop]

I have a 'friend' who crossed a nice sized Buckeye over three red Freedom Ranger hens and at this point, it's clear they are going to be massive.  Hopefully they will have good quality/tasty meat.

Freedom rangers are technically not the same as Dixie rainbows but that gives me hope!

 

[hellbender]

Freedom rangers are technically not the same as Dixie rainbows but that gives me hope!

They're close enough in general make-up that they couldn't play peek-a-boo together.

After getting myself informed about the Dixie Rainbows, they seem to have several complementary angles and again, I think you should have great meat birds!