The Buckeye Thread

[Minniechickmama]

The double lace may very well be from Cornish infusion. It could be bred out if you have the desire and are willing to work with it.
As for the black in the hackles, if that is where you are seeing it, your birds are still young and most of it will either get covered by growth of adult feathering or blend in. It is not uncommon for me to see that and when they are adults, you have to actually look under the abundant hackles to see any of it. These birds change A LOT between 5-7 months, you may be amazed. If I see black in the shoulders or too much coming out on the wings other than primaries, or surface black on the breast, back or between the legs, or coming out in the fluff, those are bigger concerns for black at this point in their development.

 

[cvamoca]

I have black in the hackles of some of my chicks too, the feathers on the younger chicks did have some black in them here and there but none were double laced. As they grow older, the feathers are getting more even in colour (dark red) and there's less and less black (except for tail and wings). I think black in the tail is normal but from what I understand you don't want any in the hackle. I have dark cornish chicks as well, they are a completely different colour, they have black heads, dark brown mixed with light brown feathers, ( no real lacing yet, they are supposed to end up double laced) and different conformation/ tighter feathers so if it's a cornish you can tell the difference quite easily. My chicks are 8 weeks old.
I think that cornish might have used at one time way back in an East coast bloodline, but I haven't been able to confirm that.
Your chicks look nice!

Great- thanks so much!
I really like the breed. I was also lucky in that while I got 2 cockerels as day olds, the other 5 are pullets. The laced girl is cute and if there was a known infusion of Cornish, I'm cool with that.

I'm not reinventing the wheel, just trying to do my part to help in the conservation effort. The more people out there who have them, the better. I wanted something pea combed, brown laying and dual purpose--these birds seem to fit the bill. I was thinking of using a Buff Brahma male on the non standard of perfection females for a meat cross. They are great little foragers and friendly/chatty.

 

[cvamoca]

The double lace may very well be from Cornish infusion. It could be bred out if you have the desire and are willing to work with it.
As for the black in the hackles, if that is where you are seeing it, your birds are still young and most of it will either get covered by growth of adult feathering or blend in. It is not uncommon for me to see that and when they are adults, you have to actually look under the abundant hackles to see any of it. These birds change A LOT between 5-7 months, you may be amazed. If I see black in the shoulders or too much coming out on the wings other than primaries, or surface black on the breast, back or between the legs, or coming out in the fluff, those are bigger concerns for black at this point in their development.

Perfect.
I posted the laced girl below. Edited- I mean above.
The pullets seem to be quite nice all over, and one male is practically a lap pet- I have to save him daily from everyone else. The other cockerel is dominant for that crew and I quite like him.
The pattern gene (pg) and (co) that creates the Columbian restricted markings in tail and hackle is fine, if it's supposed to be there. I love their lovely red, and almost total lack of comb is wonderful for a cold climate like Nova Scotia.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Perfect.
I posted the laced girl below. Edited- I mean above.
The pullets seem to be quite nice all over, and one male is practically a lap pet- I have to save him daily from everyone else. The other cockerel is dominant for that crew and I quite like him.
The pattern gene (pg) and (co) that creates the Columbian restricted markings in tail and hackle is fine, if it's supposed to be there. I love their lovely red, and almost total lack of comb is wonderful for a cold climate like Nova Scotia.

I get the distinct feeling your girl has something other than Cornish in her. I know I have had some that I had crossed with DCs and I never got that pattern on the breast. That actually reminds me of what you see with a Laced variety, not a double laced like the DCs. Plus it is a lighter shade on the breast from that photo. Hmmm.
But she could make a decent utility bird. Just one thought on crossing with the Brahmas, you got more feathers to deal with on the legs. Not something I treasure, which is why I don't have any of my Cochins butchered for myself.

 

[cvamoca]

I took oodles of photos from the day I got them, but that particular pullet I don't think looked any differently down-wise.
The second male who isn't shown here, has a very slow feathering gene- stayed bald for months but has finally feathered in. This little pullet reminds me of an Araucana female I had years ago with single lacing. If she lays a blue egg, I can use her...

I never thought about the extra feathers on a Brahma! I'm just trying to prevent my husband from zeroing in on the Brahmas for eating, so I thought- "make a crossbreed for him, save the Brahmas".
I'll (lol) tell him they are way too much work to pluck.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Speaking of feathers, is it normal to have a "shredded feather" appearance, like what you see in some lavender orpingtons, on the back feathers of young buckeye pullets? The cockerels are too young and are not interested in the hens yet, and nobody's feather picking. I am hoping this will grow out, if not, that's poor feather structure and I don't want more of it. Any thoughts?
Cvamoca, you are very lucky, five pullets and two cockerels to choose from!

Many people seem to be hatching a lot of cockerels this year (not just Buckeyes). Some of my chicks were very slow to feather out, I was starting to wonder if they ever would- four weeks and still half naked! Ouch.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I have not had a problem with poor feather quality like you are mentioning. I have seen it in my Orps and Cochins though, so I know what you mean. I have had some twisted feathers in some Buckeyes, but not in a couple of years. I just cull those when I find them.
I know what you mean about the bald ones. The meeker males will stay bald on their backs, even tails if they are getting beat up or climbed on in corners. I have a couple of moron juvie cockerels right now that I may cull regardless of who they turn out if they keep running and screaming when other birds look at them. I just culled most of two pens that were constantly squawking and acting so stupid. I don't want stupid acting birds around. I like the calm ones or even assertive ones, but crazy, running for cover because the sky is falling type? No way.

I am very proud that my daughter had decided to do her 4-H poultry project on Buckeyes. They aren't allowed to take birds this year because of the AI stuff, so this is what she will present to the judge on Tuesday. It is coming together nicely. I will take a picture of it when she gets done with judging to show everyone.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

MCM I wish your daughter the best of luck with her project

.!!!
I'll keep an eye on those feathers, hopefully the adult ones will be better. Maybe it's a Cochin throwback.........she's a bit too fluffy, too.
So far thankfully I don't have any screaming freaked out chickens, I know what you mean and I agree that's intolerable. I'd rather have them on the aggressive side than fearful (although a smooth, easy going temperament is what I am after too). So far so good!

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Ugly Buckeye or cross? I think I see silky in this pullet. She has nice colour, but she has black in her hackle (a lot), and she's too fluffy and has a weird shape- hard to describe but I won't be surprised if she lays a green egg

Supposedly she's a Buckeye but I hope not. What

do you think?She's around 14 weeks old, and actually does have a pea comb.


And, have a look at my cockerel, same age. He is definitely going through an ugly phase, but do you think he's pure, a very bad example of pure, or does he look like a mix as well?



He has a strange thing going on with his saddle feathers sticking up in a V along his back- looks like a hunch back but it's just his feathers. His tail is just growing out now. Do you think he's too leggy? Not a bad comb though, perhaps a tad large? He's the same age as the hen. Is that a sneaking suspicion of white in his ear lobe too, or do they start out a bit pale at first?

I only have one rooster and three hens from this hatch, one hen (above) is a mix or not typey, the other two look more like I think buckeyes should, but my "best" one has a single comb. I have five younger chicks from a diffferent source that I think might be a bit better but they still look a bit on the fluffy side to me. I am trying to learn how to select my Buckeyes for further crosses so please tell me what you think. I have a source of some hopefully excellent buckeyes for next year, so I'll be able to judge them better. (I have never seen a Buckeye except on the Internet!! and my chickens.)

 

[Minniechickmama]

Well, the color isn't the worst thing going on there. There is excessive fluffiness with these, especially that pullet. That color in the neck looks more like it go something with Partridge color pattern in it somehow, that is exactly what my Welsummers' necks look like. Shouldn't see that on a Buckeye. Some black will show up in the hackles but normally is covered by mature feathers, but that gold laced stuff, I am not liking that.

When you pick up that cockerel, feel with your whole hand over his back, if the spine curves up at all, it is considered roach back and a bad thing to breed. It can have negative impact on breeding ability and laying ability and should be culled out. It could be that he is just getting an excess of fluff in his saddle though, but you need to feel for it. The wattles are bigger than I like to see at that age. There shouldn't be any white at all in their lobes, not even when they are young.

All that being said, at 15-weeks, they are going through a gawky stage and just starting to get their grown up feathers, so you should see some pretty big changes over the next month to 6-weeks.