The Buckeye Thread

[vttrissy]

When did your buckeyes start laying? I have a 20 week old pullet, not laying. I also have a 20 week old roo not mounting or crowing.

 

[Minniechickmama]

When did your buckeyes start laying? I have a 20 week old pullet, not laying. I also have a 20 week old roo not mounting or crowing.

About 24-weeks is the time you should start seeing some eggs, give or take. If you get those that hatch late Spring then you may end up waiting longer.
I have Jauary hatched birds just starting to get active and reddening up to start laying.

 

[goodb]

my pullets from Theri started laying at 21 weeks last year.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Thank you.

Yours look great too.

A variety of shades of yellow/orange/brown. Once the feathers come in, I imagine they'll just be some shades of brown?

I think you can get all shades of red and the darkest chicks grow into the darkest adults. I prefer a nice bright Irish Setter red myself, not quite as dark as the show RIR's but almost. The rooster I have from the Les Farms clutch and one hen (I hope that's what they are!!! ) are a nice colour already at 5 weeks. They are still looking a bit strange because of the down that's still stuck to their heads. There seems to be a slow feather gene kicking around too, some of the chicks from Shaded seem very slow to start feathering as did some from Les Farms.

 

[Shellz]

I think you can get all shades of red and the darkest chicks grow into the darkest adults. I prefer a nice bright Irish Setter red myself, not quite as dark as the show RIR's but almost. The rooster I have from the Les Farms clutch  and one hen (I hope that's what they are!!! ) are a nice colour already at 5 weeks. They are still looking a bit strange because of the down that's still stuck to their heads. There seems to be a slow feather gene kicking around too, some of the chicks from Shaded seem very slow to start feathering as did some from Les Farms.

Interesting. Thanks for your perspective. It remains to be seen what these Saskatchewan birds will end up looking like.

 

[Minniechickmama]

It is my experience that those very yellow chicks will never have correct color. They end up being too light, but the other color component they lack is the slate undercolor. You can't judge their color either until they are about 4 months old as they will fool you in those juvenile molts. Those with heavy chipmunk markings as chicks will like either have some degree of pencilling or they will be showing too much black. The black is something I have started seeing more of last year and this year, which is why I am culling hard this year. My females are coming along very nice and most have very clean color, but about half the males are showing way too much black. I hope to get some stock back from my line from goodb next year to bring back in and maybe be able to help clean the color more.
The one thing about juvies color I will say is that if they have the slate on their back as 1-2 month olds, they will have it when they mature.
Nettie stated that Buckeyes should be so dark of a red that at a distance they appear almost black. That color is difficult to achieve in the Buckeyes without the black spilling out. I see mine getting closer, but they still have work to do. I still get a few who come out orangish looking and all those are going to be eaten or to laying flocks and will not reproduce.

 

[vttrissy]

Minniechickmama, can you please post a pic of what you consider to be a true colored Buckeye?
Here is my 20 week old pair. Cockerel first.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Minniechickmama, can you please post a pic of what you consider to be a true colored Buckeye?
Here is my 20 week old pair. Cockerel first.

That would be a very tricky question, and could start up quite a debate. I can try to get some pictures later of some of mine that are about the same age to show you. My oldest group from this year are just reaching POL, so they are good ones to see. Yours appear to be on the light side in my opinion, especially for such young birds. They will likely lighten up after their first molt too next year. Just my guess. In fact, after the first molt is the best time to do a true evaluation of color.

It has been pointed out in the passed, you really have to watch to see if the slate undercolor on the back is present or not in those lighter birds. But then on the other end, you get them dark and black can start popping out on the surface. I think most people not familiar with Buckeyes look at them and think, 'it's another red bird', but it is definitely not that easy.

 

[goodb]

How many chicks do you suppose a Buckeye hen could successfully hatch and raise? I have 15 eggs in an incubator right progressing along nicely. Do you suppose she could successfully cover them all and bring them to hatch? Should I give her a few and keep the rest in the incubator? Any other thoughts?

Thank you

 

[Minniechickmama]

Byran, I wish I had that advice, I don't do any hatching with broodies. 15 seems high, but how many has she done before? If you are trying to break her, put just some out under her?

Here are some of the birds I have hatched this year. They are not necessarily the ones I am keeping, but you can get an idea of color from them.
This pen is of a mix of Welsummer, Dark Cornish, Buckeye and New Hampshire, mostly the Buckeyes. They are about 3 months old.

Here is a cockerel hatched in January.

Pullets hatched in January:

Same pullets in the direct late afternoon sun: (again, some Welsummers and New Hampshires are in this group)
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An example of what I mean by black popping out. Any looking like this, regardless of type will be going to the pot.