The Buckeye Thread

[Canieldonrad]

The sketch in the SOP shows a pea comb well from the angle it is drawn, but it doesn't show that it should lay along the curve the the head.  I see so many that stick up in the back to a point, and that is something that really turns me off.  I try to keep the ones that remain tight and the middle row straight.  My hardest thing to get is with no curve at the bottom.  It isn't significant on the birds I select, but for combs, that is what I am working to fix on them.

spend some time with breeders of ameraucanas and brahmas. you learn pretty quick that a pea can take many shapes, and each individual has a preference. ill get a shot of my three males. show you how varied combs can be and what i prefer.

 

[Minniechickmama]

spend some time with breeders of ameraucanas and brahmas. you learn pretty quick that a pea can take many shapes, and each individual has a preference. ill get a shot of my three males. show you how varied combs can be and what i prefer.

I just culled 25 Buckeyes with a good variation of combs.
I appreciate the offer, but I think I do have a handle on it. Perhaps some of the others would like to see them though.
I think I have a pretty nice comb on most of my Buckeyes. I am very selective when I cull. I thought I would keep 6-8 cockerels to watch grow out, but ended up with 5 this time. I just want to cut as many of the traits I don't want or need out this round since I had plenty to do that with.

I do have Ameraucanas. I would like to clean their combs up a bit more. My rooster has one that could use some shrinking, but it isn't horrible. I keep a close eye on combs. Even though if you look at points, they aren't a big ticket item, they can speak louder to an observer than other bigger ones. I also breed Minorcas, and there is a comb that if it is not right ruins the look of the whole bird. Would I cull for one that isn't perfect? No, but it is a consideration.

As I was catching all those culls, I took a good look at an Easter Egger I have and am keeping for that pen (EE), and he has the most perfect pea comb I have. Of course, it figures, it is wasted on a mutt. LOL

 

[007medic]

Minnie, I'm like you- I tend to choose a pea-comb that is tighter to the head. That is, if I am considering comb at all when selecting. I can think of once or twice in the past seven years I had birds that were just that bloody close in comparison and it came down to comb. There are them that have it in their head that a larger comb is an indicator of vigor- I don't necessarily subscribe to that. I've seen birds with practically door knobs for combs that weren't worth spit and birds with wee-nineny combs that could service 15 hens and run any challenger to the ground. *shrug*

 

[Minniechickmama]

Living in the north does make a difference to me with this who comb situation. That is why I also, even with large single combed breeds keep them as small as I can and be acceptable. I see some strains of single combed breeds that I just shake my head and ask 'why?'. They don't have to be humongous to look right, and those that are oversized make the head wrong as well. Balance is what I look for throughout the bird. Do all the parts fit together complimentary? That to me is key.

 

[Canieldonrad]

This bird's entire head pretty much sums up what I like to see in a Buckeye. Medium size head is relative. I can find a bird with a fatter, nastier head than this one. So I consider it medium

 

[WooingWyandotte]

Thought I'd share some pictures of my Buckeyes!

 

[knittychickadee]

This bird's entire head pretty much sums up what I like to see in a Buckeye. Medium size head is relative. I can find a bird with a fatter, nastier head than this one. So I consider it medium

Yes, I don't like it if their head is so big that they look like a dullard meat bird rather than an active, dual purpose bird. There is a reason the standard says medium!

 

[slfarms]

I prefer a larger head that has symmetry. The eye, comb and beak should compliment the size of the head.

Smaller eye socket so as not to look like it's leaning towards the game side that the buck came from. This guy has a comb that is large but his head is to die for. Thick. You can't see eye when you look down on him. That is how I interpret the SOP.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Daniel, I had a couple with those big, ugly chromagna heads. Luckily, someone bought them off me yesterday for eating. His comb was a bit oversized, but his whole head was atrocious.

 

[slfarms]

I referenced the eye here is what I like to see