The Buckeye Thread

[Minniechickmama]

Rather than trying to use a tape to measure, I use my hand and that allows me to feel how straight and how long the keel is at once. I call a keel that is from the heel of my palm to the tips of my fingers good length. It isn't so much a defined length but more comparative that I go by. In fact, when you look at traits like length of keel, length of back, width of breast and so forth, those are all comparative terms. The only thing I weigh or measure is weight of birds.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Rather than trying to use a tape to measure, I use my hand and that allows me to feel how straight and how long the keel is at once. I call a keel that is from the heel of my palm to the tips of my fingers good length. It isn't so much a defined length but more comparative that I go by. In fact, when you look at traits like length of keel, length of back, width of breast and so forth, those are all comparative terms. The only thing I weigh or measure is weight of birds.

Are hen keels usually longer than rooster keels? His keel is nice and straight

.

 

[Blueface]

My 9 month old buckeye rooster has an approximately 6 inch long breastbone-how does that compare to your good egg layer strain roosters? I measured from one end to the other.

Its not the actual length of breastbone that is in question .....different sized birds can have different lengths of breastbone. It all depends on how the bird was bred. What I'm illuding to is the distance between the end of the breastbone or keel to the pelvic bones. I usually select birds thay have a very long keel that maybe a couple inches seperates the end keel and pelvic bones.

 

[Blueface]

Are hen keels usually longer than rooster keels? His keel is nice and straight .

Not any that I've ever seen....that's good because if it wasn't straight it would be a cull.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Its not the actual length of breastbone that is in question .....different sized birds can have different lengths of breastbone. It all depends on how the bird was bred. What I'm illuding to is the distance between the end of the breastbone or keel to the pelvic bones. I usually select birds thay have a very long keel that maybe a couple inches seperates the end keel and pelvic bones.

OK I think I know what you mean- my rooster seems pretty good for this measurement!
I guess I'll just have to do a test breeding.........

We're in for a brief cold spell, I'd like to take some photos and post and see what you think of him. At ten months he should be about as good as he''ll get, right?

 

[Blueface]

OK I think I know what you mean- my rooster seems pretty good for this measurement!
I guess I'll just have to do a test breeding.........  
We're in for a brief cold spell, I'd like to take some photos and post and see what you think of him. At ten months he should be about as good as he''ll get, right?

Nope....he's just a baby still. But you will have an idea of what he might be

 

[Blueface]

I checked my Buckeye rooster too- he's pretty narrow between the pubic bones, only a finger and a half distance,  but has good depth (six fingers and a very nice broad back (way bigger than my hand).

What were you referring too when you mentioned a six finger depth?

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

What were you referring too when you mentioned a six finger depth?

That's the distance between the end of his keel bone and the back of the pelvic bones. That's about four inches for my size hands. but I'll check again, it was a pretty rough measurement.

 

[Blueface]

That's the distance between the end of his keel bone and the back of the pelvic bones. That's about four inches for my size hands. but I'll check again, it was a pretty rough measurement.

I measured 4 of my broodcocks night. They were approximately all 1-1/2 inches from keel to pelvic. I believe one was closer to 2 inches, but all the same; they were what I suspected they would be.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

I measured 4 of my broodcocks night. They were approximately all 1-1/2 inches from keel to pelvic. I believe one was closer to 2 inches, but all the same; they were what I suspected they would be.

I'll measure the same distance the way you did, and see how he compares to yours.