The Buckeye Thread

[ChicoryBlue]

I have a Buckeye hen "Butters" who I thought began a molt in late Fall, but it's been very slow and I'm not sure she's continuing. Her tail feathers look fairly beat, and I wonder if there is a possibility she is expressing a feather shredding gene now? Or has her molt just stopped, or maybe she has another problem? She seems okay otherwise.

Here is Butters front half

From above

Back part closer

 

[AGeese]

Some of my girls went through a pretty rough molt over the winter. One I feel may have had a secondary infection, and was weakened by the stress of getting kicked down the pecking order. I took close care of her administering herbals and Ivermectin. I treated another 2 as well just to be safe to make sure it wasn't a link with anything secondary in the flock.

But today I am proud to announce that after a tough winter molt, and after watching them all closely for the last month, all my Buckeyes have restored to bright combs, rich colored, full feathering, and are acting their level best.

The hen I was really concerned with began her Journey in August (that may have started with the in-fighting), but she too is now fully recovered after being isolated.

I am now slowly reintegrating her with the flock and she's been accepted back for the most part, but the roost space will need to be increased.

Posting this in case anyone else new to Buckeyes is still going through lingering effects or was unsure about the 1st/winter molt and how to handle it.

 

[Guy4God]

What are you all having for eggs a year and size? Around 180-200 medium size?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

What are you all having for eggs a year and size? Around 180-200 medium size?

I don't keep track as far as annual totals. Eggs varied (now have only one Buckeye, the other three passed in their third year due to various illnesses - cancer, a digestive problem or internal laying). Eggs are around 60 grams.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Some of my girls went through a pretty rough molt over the winter. One I feel may have had a secondary infection, and was weakened by the stress of getting kicked down the pecking order. I took close care of her administering herbals and Ivermectin. I treated another 2 as well just to be safe to make sure it wasn't a link with anything secondary in the flock.

But today I am proud to announce that after a tough winter molt, and after watching them all closely for the last month, all my Buckeyes have restored to bright combs, rich colored, full feathering, and are acting their level best.

The hen I was really concerned with began her Journey in August (that may have started with the in-fighting), but she too is now fully recovered after being isolated.

I am now slowly reintegrating her with the flock and she's been accepted back for the most part, but the roost space will need to be increased.

Posting this in case anyone else new to Buckeyes is still going through lingering effects or was unsure about the 1st/winter molt and how to handle it.

Sorry to reply to such an old comment, but are you saying it's common for Buckeyes to molt over the winter? We had some temperatures in the negatives for a few days in a row last week - about -15F plus wind. My poor Buckeye went into a hard molt the week before this weather came, and has had to deal with this frigid weather nearly naked. Our EE randomly started molting around the same time, but not nearly as hard as the Buckeye. Is this normal for the breed?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Sorry to reply to such an old comment, but are you saying it's common for Buckeyes to molt over the winter? We had some temperatures in the negatives for a few days in a row last week - about -15F plus wind. My poor Buckeye went into a hard molt the week before this weather came, and has had to deal with this frigid weather nearly naked. Our EE randomly started molting around the same time, but not nearly as hard as the Buckeye. Is this normal for the breed?

First year real molt? They can be big ones, any breed I think. But any breed sometimes will molt late, first year or not, that's not uncommon.

 

[AGeese]

Sorry to reply to such an old comment, but are you saying it's common for Buckeyes to molt over the winter? We had some temperatures in the negatives for a few days in a row last week - about -15F plus wind. My poor Buckeye went into a hard molt the week before this weather came, and has had to deal with this frigid weather nearly naked. Our EE randomly started molting around the same time, but not nearly as hard as the Buckeye. Is this normal for the breed?

Oh my goodness this brings back memories. She's fine now.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

First year real molt? They can be big ones, any breed I think. But any breed sometimes will molt late, first year or not, that's not uncommon.

She's almost 2 years old (born April 2023), but I can't remember if she's had a hard molt yet or not. Pretty sure she had a molt in the fall already, but I think I would have remembered if it were this hard. So yeah, maybe this is just normal. It sucks that it started when it was so cold though.

 

[Guy4God]

How did they turn out?

 

[Guy4God]

Buckeyes are my favorite breed. I am in the beginning stage of a breeding program. My goal is to help preserve the breed. I will be ordering chicks from Hidden Creek Farm to add to my existing flock in March.

I have a small group of 18 week old pullets. I find them so entertaining! They are such a nice breed: friendly, active and sociable.

Here's Butternut trying to figure out how to get to my ice cubes!

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She's also a pig!

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Willow is very curious!

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How is your buckeye breeding going? I am in Michigan and ordering some from Hoovers. Hope they are good!