The Buckeye Thread

[Minniechickmama]

CB-
They will carry lighter feathers that will molt out, they may even be kind of skinny and curved at the ends in the wing primaries, but they will drop them about 3-4 months and start getting grown up feathers. It isn't uncommon to see a little of that mottled look when they are little, but the more you see, the lighter they end up in the end is my experience. If you notice, their first feathers are lighter and have mottling and even a little barring in them, but that goes away more with each juvenile molt.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Oh good! thanks Minniechickmama.
Oh dear, I hope that nobody tried surgery on Big Buck :-/ but then if that were true, he probably wouldn't have any interest in the hens, right?

 

[hellbender]

Oh good! thanks Minniechickmama.
Oh dear, I hope that nobody tried surgery on Big Buck :-/ but then if that were true, he probably wouldn't have any interest in the hens, right?

I was kidding!!! lol If Big Buck had been castrated, he would 'act' like one of the girls. Would have absolutely NO interest in them and wouldn't be crowing. I'm sorry if I scared you with my silliness.

Oh..I doubt Big Buck is going to worry about having no other cocks around. He may or may not get all the gals fertilized but he won't likely be tearing out all their feathers and hide like happens when there are too many cock-birds per the hens. They can literally worry the poor things to death.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

I was kidding!!! lol If Big Buck had been castrated, he would 'act' like one of the girls. Would have absolutely NO interest in them and wouldn't be crowing. I'm sorry if I scared you with my silliness.

Oh..I doubt Big Buck is going to worry about having no other cocks around. He may or may not get all the gals fertilized but he won't likely be tearing out all their feathers and hide like happens when there are too many cock-birds per the hens. They can literally worry the poor things to death.

Hellbender no you didn't scare me, I just thought it would be a real drag to bring home a "rooster" for your flock and have him turn out to be a capon. I have never met a capon, so I didn't know what their behaviour was like. Although, I have had too many roosters, and it was no joy for me (too much fighting and no peace in the flock- chickens are supposed to be soothing! not stressful) or for the hens. I'll never make that mistake again.

 

[hellbender]

Hellbender no you didn't scare me, I just thought it would be a real drag to bring home a "rooster" for your flock and have him turn out to be a capon. I have never met a capon, so I didn't know what their behaviour was like. Although, I have had too many roosters, and it was no joy for me (too much fighting and no peace in the flock- chickens are supposed to be soothing! not stressful) or for the hens. I'll never make that mistake again.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I tried doing capons one year with the extra cockerels. They were LA-ZY birds, but they never got big and fat like I have read about. It takes me too long and I kill too many in the process. I must lack the finess to remove the testicles, I ended up nicking the main artery they set next too on most. I ended up with 5 successful capons, then an owl got 2. I won't be doing them again.

 

[HappyPeepFarms]

Getting a Buckeye chick (pullet) from Meyer. It's so interesting that they catch mice, snakes and stuff, wow.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Yeah caponizing is major surgery............. I wouldn't even try. No need really with those cornish crosses around.
HappyPeepFrams, only one Buckeye?????

 

[HappyPeepFarms]

Yes only one buckeye but I am getting other breeds along with her.

 

[Minniechickmama]

The way some people have written about Buckeyes, you would think they are hunters like cats, but they are no different than any other chicken when it comes to foraging and chasing things that slither and skitter around.