The Buckeye Thread

[cvamoca]

I've got some questions about eye colour. My second brood has the wrong eye colour- orange. They are just over 4 months old. How variable is the eye colour within the breed? if I cross to a different line with good eye colour, can I expect a range of shades in the chicks? Or will they trend one way or the other (ie. stay too light even in the cross?)

I was worried when I noticed some of my chicks of different breeds had green or hazel eyes--but sure enough when they grew out enough, their eyes were the correct colour. Never realized their eyes changed colours until I went looking one night, and they had lovely bay eyes!

The more I learn, the more I learn that I need to learn more! (Or, I don't know what I don't know...)

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Thanks everyone, that's a big relief!!!

Must learn to be patient....... Must learn to be patient........... Must learn.............

 

[cvamoca]

I picked up a young spare Buckeye cockerel and a pullet this weekend, same breeder as before. I lost one laying pullet to presumably a fox, and with only 4 others I was worried. One is broody.
And- yeah- I got two Welsummer pullets for my other Welsummer cockerels- plus a Wheaton and Blue Copper Marans male to go with my girls--so it was a great day.

 

[cvamoca]

Thanks minniechickmama Lots of good information in your post. I'll pick the best rooster and the best hen from my tiny flock, and we'll see how the chicks turn out! I'm really starting to see the value of hatching lots of chicks.

Stryker I can see the difference in colour between the old feathers and the new in your moulting hen. I'm still waiting for my first egg......

You will be surprised by their size- they lay a really large egg for the size of the hen. One lays a pretty tubular egg, but the others surprise me by the size they lay relative to my Marans.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

cvamoca that's great! Glad you got some girls and some new boys for your flock. I'm very pleased with the look of the 2 buckeye pullets, even though one has a single comb- I'll probably get more hatching eggs from NB next spring and try again. No eggs yet, but I'm not expecting any now, since I don't add artificial light. I still check the nesting boxes though, just in case. I noticed the Buckeye eggs were very long, from both lines I have. Hopefully that's easier on the hens! Particularly, because, now I'm going to expect 75 gram eggs from them ;-)

 

[cvamoca]

I'm really pleased with how my male turned out, he may not be show perfect but I think they are workable.
I don't have any with single combs thnkfully, but I do have 2 pullets with almost nothing for combs, really close to their heads. So they might offset his high, not so perfect peacomb.

I was really surprised how much I like this breed- they are like the "sleepers" in my flock- didn't really think I'd like them nearly as much as I do as adults. This is one of 4 breeds I'm determined to work with for the greater good.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

cvamoca, this is so exciting

we're both starting on our Buckeye journey at the same time. I'm really looking forward to seeing how your Buckeye flock develops. Good luck with the new additions!

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Thought I'd post a picture of my best Buckeye cockerel, he's around 18 weeks old in this picture. It's the same one as I posted on p.363. I only have a choice of 3, so my selection was extremely limited but I like this guy, he's very friendly and personable. I hope his eyes darken a bit, but he does have nice even colouring.

 

[stryker]

Pretty!!!!

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Thanks Stryker! I think he's much better than the other 2 I have. I'm hoping he'll turn out to be a reasonably good rooster to start with.