The Buckeye Thread

[Apdeb]

Yes arielle i gave you an egg!! Don was still there when i left at 430. Yes jason won with his last 2 hens that he promptly sold!!

 

[Arielle]

I really would have liked to meet Don--that would have added to the long talk I had with Walt Leonard who took the time, graciously, to teach me a few things.

Ok, NEXT year, we all need to wear a designated colored hat!!

THank you for the egg, it made it home safely. Iit is in my cool basement with other eggs I am turning until set. What is the breeding on that egg??

 

[Arielle]

2 nice lf buckeyes. I was disapointed that he is quitting buckeyes. HE has done so well with them-- we had a lovely conversation and I understand. gezz I would have bought those 2 birds myself or the woman next to me waiting for him to show up.

 

[goosegirl6]

The black on the surface color like that is not the desired, but I would be more concerned with all that fluffiness, especially around the bottom/drumstick area. The feathers should be a bit tighter than that.

Yes, the other one is fluffy, too. Is this an inherited trait or is it from something else, like picking? They seem really low in the "pecking order" and spend a lot of time on the roost. What is the problem? I mean are they mentally challenged or something?

 

[Minniechickmama]

The fluffiness and the color are genetic. Buckeyes should be more tight-feathered, not as much as the Cornish, but should not have an appearance of fluffiness. Both faults could be bred out with the right selection practices if you decided to go that direction, but I would look for something from a different line.
The reason they are on the low roost may be because they are lower on the pecking order, or maybe they just feel comfortable there?

 

[goosegirl6]

Thanks! I just ordered some from Meyer Hatchery, so maybe the will be better. I will just keep these for egg-layers because the are both really sweet birds and lay a lot of eggs. Where is the best place to get breeding stock from?

 

[Arielle]

Goose girl-- when you want to be sure you are getting good birds, skip the hatcheries and go to the breeders. I know of a couple breeders that have been recommended to me; and I"msure others can recommend breeders too.

 

[JoshU]

Check my signature below for a list of breeders.

 

[goosegirl6]

Ok, thanks, guys. I will look into that.

 

[Blueface]

Good suggestion Josh. I brought this up before and it never took traction but,

Has anyone pushed buckeyes as 4-H projects? This year I have put together a "dual-purpose" project in our county. My country already has an egg production project in which a judge examines the eggs for size/shape comparisions and for blemishes and checks the hens' (3 of them) pelvic width and depth.
I plan on coupling that project with the examination of of 2 males of equal size to judge meat distibution as you would judge meat projects. Those two concepts put together will make the "dual purpose" project.

Thoughts? Ideas?