The Buckeye Thread

[Minniechickmama]

I believe this above pullet and cockerel are full brother and sister. I like this girl- originally thought to be a cockerel until she failed to grow any saddle feathers.

What I can see by looking at these Buckeyes if genetics hasn't changed, these birds are Columbian Restricted (co) which restricts black to neck and tail, the same pattern seen in Brahmas, Sussex, etc. Also, they have Db (dark brown- as in Rhode Island Reds and New Hampshires) which adds the brown in their bodies. The same also perhaps explains why they have a light coating of the same red down their outer legs. Not the above pullet... they also have the pattern gene Pg. They started as eb (partridge) chicks with typical partridge markings

Ok- reading the SOP- they need to have tails 30 degrees above horizontal. Most of these Buckeyes are pretty much horizontal. They do have the correct comb- a very neat pea comb in most of the females, and not overly large in the one cockerel. Correct eye and leg colour, I think.











I take pictures of this girl a lot because she's always around. Disregard the Welsummer cockerels in the pictures.
I can see where some look somewhat more like Cornish in the face, Cornish have a particularly "serious" face, like an eagle does!


Looking at an old SOP, I guess they really aren't too bad, and certainly could be allowed to grow and mature more.

The first one is definitely a pullet.
You lose me on all the color genetic lingo. I have a book here I intend to read this winter, but I get lost very quick on the whole vernacular used by some of you.
I wouldn't be breeding that pullet in the picture with the two Wellie boys. She has some other pattern really messing with her color, looks like some Partridge. I would have to wonder if there is some Welsummer in her or if she has some Chantecler in her. That would be my personal evaluation of her, you can, do what you see fit, of course.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I have a question about leg colour, is it OK to have red shading in the yellow scales? I am not talking about green legs, where dark pigment overlays the yellow, but bright yellow and red in the same scale. Are the legs supposed to be pure, bright yellow, no red at all? is some red OK or should that be something to cull out?
You can see what I mean if you look at my rooster's legs, post 3531 on page 354.

I know exactly what you are saying and it is all good. The color is actually what is referred to as horn. It is not a DQ for the Buckeyes, unless Walt says otherwise

 

[Minniechickmama]

Interesting, Do the capon's crow as much as the normal roosters?

A properly canonized bird will be lazy, quiet and have a subdued rooster appearance. I did successfully get 5 done and grown until 2 were swiped by an owl. The three I had raised up to what I felt should have been their butchering age (and I had all my meat birds going in then) didn't really impress me with their size. But it was worth the learning experience. I have since found I have enough of a market to get rid of extra males by selling to the Asian population in the Twin Cities via Craigslist. I have, however, butchered some in the past and canned them both bone-in and boneless. It is a great way to get that amazing chicken flavor and tender meat, even from those older boys who would otherwise be tough and stringy.

 

[hellbender]

A properly canonized bird will be lazy, quiet and have a subdued rooster appearance. I did successfully get 5 done and grown until 2 were swiped by an owl. The three I had raised up to what I felt should have been their butchering age (and I had all my meat birds going in then) didn't really impress me with their size. But it was worth the learning experience. I have since found I have enough of a market to get rid of extra males by selling to the Asian population in the Twin Cities via Craigslist. I have, however, butchered some in the past and canned them both bone-in and boneless. It is a great way to get that amazing chicken flavor and tender meat, even from those older boys who would otherwise be tough and stringy.

Caponizing is not meant to make a bird grow to extraordinary size but to allow for amazing taste and tenderness in the very mature birds.

 

[hellbender]

Caponizing.... you need to have 'the touch' I think. I tried it one year, and I just don't have the finesse must be. I killed most attempting to extract the testes. They are buggers to get to and right along the main artery on the back. I nicked most of them and they bled out. I found it was easier to do them at 6-8 weeks, and I did stitch them.

Not everyone walks the same path or eats the same flavors of ice cream....I killed a few birds when I started about 40 years ago but it's not really all that complicated nor difficult on the bird. One has to have confidence when doing the procedure and the only way to gain that confidence is to learn and follow the procedure and not muss and fuss with the birds too long...I do NOT stitch and if I have a cockerel on the board for more than 90 seconds, I'm more likely to make a mistake.

This is not brain surgery but again....not everyone is a brain surgeon and flippin few even want to be one....My point, If you are going to do something, you really have to WANT to do it...no half-steps.

 

[stryker]

Found some leg bands at a farm store and now going to weigh my birds and keep those closest to 6 pounds since they are hatchery birds and are way light on the standard side. The others will be sold in the spring.

 

[sumi]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1018336/chicken-breed-focus-buckeye/0_30

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

I know exactly what you are saying and it is all good. The color is actually what is referred to as horn. It is not a DQ for the Buckeyes, unless Walt says otherwise

Oh good! Seems like the ones with the yellowest legs have the most horn colour too. Thanks.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Baggy eyelids- is this a buckeye trait? By baggy I mean the eyeball doesn't seem to fit the eyelids especially in the corner closest to the beak, My crosses have nice tight eyelids, the cornish are in between. Is this a fault with my birds? can it be bred out? I'll try to get a picture so you can see what I mean later today.

 

[BlackBriars]

11.5 weeks old now and uncooperative for pics!

Feel free to critique them. I'm hoping there are some worth breeding but if not, I'll start over.

I have 23 pullets and 6 cockerels. My dog killed a pullet recently. She weighed 2.9 lbs at 10 weeks.

Mostly I'm looking for:

Meat birds that can be eaten over a period of months, something like 5-9 months of age, yet retain reasonable quality with proper cooking methods.

Free range well and hearty, vigorous, etc.

Decent amount of eggs, 150 plus per year and broody enough to sustain the flock and freezer.