The Buckeye Thread

[eagrbeavr]

I'd put chick #2 firmly in the pullet camp. Leaning cockerel on #1. I'd toss'em a bag of turkey grower.

Thanks BlackBriars

 

[Minniechickmama]

Minnie I took notice that you said she. So I hope I"m not being an annoyance

No problem. I believe from the way the feathers are coming it is a pullet. The males tend to fill in their back and tail feathers slower, plus there is something about the shape of the wing I look for, pullets have a more elongated look still at that age, in my experience and the males still a bit on the blocky shape. They are a little young for the combs to be reddening. The ones that Holm just got were just starting to develop more and get a little darker/brighter color, and those hatched in early to mid-February.


As for feeding, I would never feed anything higher in protein than a chick starter at 22% and mine come off that at about 3-4 months, then go on an 18% formula for about a month, then 16% layer. If you have good genetics, you don't need to feed anything higher in protein unless you are looking to butcher them around 5 or 6 months and want them fattened up. I have birds that are well in the range they should be according to SOP with how I do this.
Good genetics and good feed will get you good birds.

 

[eagrbeavr]

Thanks for the feedback. When it gets down to it, only time well tell. And thanks for the feed tip too

Hope you all have a great evening

Peace

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

I am excited to say I am a proud owner of two trios of Buckeyes from Minnie! I had a great time visiting with u Minnie and hope to be able to do alot more of it! U have beautiful birds and they produce beautiful offspring!

Holm25 that's fantastic, that really is the best way to start with a breed- get some trios from a respected breeder ! Well done, you did it right.

We are all hoping you will post some pictures very soon

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Last year I got 7 Buckeye chicks from a breeder here in Eastern Canada. They were absolutely not wheaton type (eWh) chicks, but totally wild type (e+) chipmunk chicks, with partridgey heads on a few. I really like the oldest male--he is beautiful, dark, large, and not nasty. To me, they are similar to my old Araucanas is size, shape, demeanor-- somewhat "Cornish" in type. The Araucanas are the oldest living birds I have, with 4-5 close to 10 years old, my oldest hen has quite long spurs, but still lays and goes broody.

I'd love if the Buckeyes did so well!

5 of 7 were female. (Because I bought them totally to use as a meat bird, lol!) Of them--I lost one to a fox while broody on her first clutch. One male I called a "dummy" for lack of a better word--really, really stupid, very slow feathering, and culled him. One pullet who lays huge eggs--is completely Cornish in type, with lacing, and also "Dumb". As in--can't find her way back to the barn--but she's meaty. I keep her in my laying flock, as she lays well.
Another one lacking the lacing--but the same Cornish like face, died this winter. So of the original 6, I had 4 left, would not breed the laced hen because she's not right. I did get another young pullet and cockerel--with the hopes of using these as dual purpose, the hens do lay well, but a second hen has gone broody twice since coming into lay in the fall.

The oldest male I think is wonderful. Would he show well? Not sure, but I like everything about him, and he's a good weight. He's worth keeping at least for my laying hens.




Now--it's early spring in Nova Scotia--so it's been cold, wet, snowy and the birds have been confined in the barn most of the winter--this fellow comes out looking like he's been dipped in polish, he's so shiny. These pictures are actually a little deceiving.
I'd love if he had a nice tight comb and wattles, but he doesn't. Can I work with him as the sole male? No idea--I hope to add to this group if it's worthwhile, and I think I can work with them. The second male is younger, I did not see his down colour at hatch, and to me he's too light. He is not pictured here, this is all the same guy. I'm concerned about the chick's down colour though, because that was wrong from the get-go.

The comb and wattles on your rooster are better than the comb and wattles on mine

(from a different line).

But I have the same issue with an east coast hen, she was an e+ chick, she has too much black, and doesn't look like a buckeye really except for sort of red body and black tail ...... and she lays large dark eggs too, but torpedo shaped.
But there are some good genes in that East Coast line, , and I have some Buckeye eggs in the incubator that were sired by a very handsome half brother (or whatever!) of yours that made the cut from a lot of other birds from a lot of other breeders. These eggs were shipped from western Canada, unfortunately well scrambled by the courier, so I don't know how many if any will hatch.
For sure, I'd keep that rooster! A good temperament is worth its weight in gold and if he comes from a line of good producing hens, that's good too.

 

[holm25]

I will get pics tomorrow! They are amazing!

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

I'm on day 7 incubating eggs. I got some Buckeye eggs and some Buckeye cross eggs from Alberta, and put some of my own Buckeye and Buckeye/cornish Buckeye/red sex link cross eggs in there too.
I was really hoping that shipping would go well, but the courier wasn't as careful with the Buckeye eggs as they should have been - the air sacs were shaken badly. But, five of the 2 1/2 dozen are growing so far, so I have hopes that a few will hatch.
I'm going to candle the lot at day 14, but I've candled a few just to see and it looks like my Buckeye rooster has good fertility.
The Buckeye cross eggs from Alberta are a cross between Buckeye and production reds, so they will have pea- like combs. (half pea, half single). I had trouble with frostbite on my single combed chickens last winter, so I'm in the process of removing all single combs from my flock.
I'm going to identify the chicks with different nail polish colours on their backs until they are old enough for leg bands. I don't want to mix up the different chicks, especially the pure Buckeyes with the buckeye crosses- they will look very much alike so it will be easy to do if I'm not careful.

 

[cvamoca]

The comb and wattles on your rooster are better than the comb and wattles on mine

(from a different line).

But I have the same issue with an east coast hen, she was an e+ chick, she has too much black, and doesn't look like a buckeye really except for sort of red body and black tail ...... and she lays large dark eggs too, but torpedo shaped.
But there are some good genes in that East Coast line, , and I have some Buckeye eggs in the incubator that were sired by a very handsome half brother (or whatever!) of yours that made the cut from a lot of other birds from a lot of other breeders. These eggs were shipped from western Canada, unfortunately well scrambled by the courier, so I don't know how many if any will hatch.
For sure, I'd keep that rooster! A good temperament is worth its weight in gold and if he comes from a line of good producing hens, that's good too.

I have some torpedo shaped eggs too--same breeder--but in my Marans and a Welsummer. I can't see hatcheability being good on any of those eggs--no room for a chick to grow.

 

[holm25]

Heres a pic of my Buckeyes from Minnie. They r friendly little buggers!! Every time I walk into their coop they run up to my feet!!

 

[BlackBriars]

Heres a pic of my Buckeyes from Minnie. They r friendly little buggers!! Every time I walk into their coop they run up to my feet!!

Beautiful Birds!

I want some...