The Perfect Free-Range Chicken?

[FayoumisFreak]

They are from McMurray hatchery. They say 'Ameraucana' but the description says they contain Araucana blood. Thank you! I hope they grow well.

The different breeds were surprisingly easy to ID. I received three extra Ameraucanas so I think the mystery must be similar. I'm glad the mystery chick wasn't an extra Fayoumis or Lakenvelder. I'll just have to wait and see!

 

[Amer]

Buckeyes are wonderful. Our top rooster of the mixed flock is a Buckeye, and he has no trouble handling winter weather. Our Buckeyes free range often and have small pea combs, no beards, no crests, and no feather legs that can interfere with vision, condition of comb or cleanliness of legs and toes, and having the whole comb by the end of the winter.

 

[FayoumisFreak]

Buckeyes are a great breed! I might get some soon.

 

[Amer]

Buckeyes are a great breed! I might get some soon.

That's great! They also are nice because you can always eat the extra roosters, and the hens lay decently. Not tons, but if you're keeping over ten adult hens, you realise that doesn't really matter because you still get way too many.
And yup, the Ameraucanas are actually Easter Eggers.

 

[varidgerunner]

Buckeyes are good chickens because they have a lot of game in them. You can make something very close to a buckeye playing with games and various dual purpose breeds at around 1/4 to 1/8 game.

 

[Amer]

Buckeyes are good chickens because they have a lot of game in them. You can make something very close to a buckeye playing with games and various dual purpose breeds at around 1/4 to 1/8 game.

Well, can't argue with that. However, for breeding or exhibition purposes that wouldn't work. But if the owner doesn't care about having a real Buckeye, this shouldn't matter. I like my Buckeyes as regular old Buckeyes, but I respect this opinion.

 

[varidgerunner]

I was not suggesting that you could make show quality buckeyes in two or three crosses. It would take about ten years. You can make chickens very close in form and function to a buckeye in a couple crosses though. If you read buckeye history, the asil and OEG influence is well documented.

 

[Amer]

I was not suggesting that you could make show quality buckeyes in two or three crosses. It would take about ten years. You can make chickens very close in form and function to a buckeye in a couple crosses though. If you read buckeye history, the asil and OEG influence is well documented.

That's why I said I couldn't argue with that. Cornish are also very influenced by game heritage as well as many other great breeds. I wonder what the temperament would be like in just that few of crosses. Our Buckeye is gentle but firm with the other roosters and hens in his flock, and kind of gave bantam Buckeye rooster second in command. It's kind of like a tag-along. He has never given me even the eye that he might think he is better than you, just gets out of your way. I'd like to find out the personality of these crosses.

 

[varidgerunner]

First of all, aggression towards humans is a completely different trait than intra-male aggression. Games have been bred to be kept in close confines and frequnetly handled by humans for centuries. On the whole, you won't find birds better behaved toward humans. Less incidence of "mean" roosters than even silkies.

As for intra-male agression, games are really no different than any other breed. The difference is that they have no off switch. Put an adult male leghorn in with hens for a while and then introduce another adult male, and he will behave no differently than a game. It is when he starts losing the pecking order dispute when the difference shows itself. There are games that tolerate brothers, or subdominant males, if raised together without a day of seperation, but all it takes is a little rain slicking back the feathers and changing appearances for there to be a blood bath.

The off switch, or lack thereof, becomes more typical in a small amount of 1/2 games. Almost the same as most breeds at 1/4 game. 1/8 game behaves pretty much identical to most dual purpose breeds, but you get a broody hen once in a while as they age.

 

[Amer]

First of all, aggression towards humans is a completely different trait than intra-male aggression. Games have been bred to be kept in close confines and frequnetly handled by humans for centuries. On the whole, you won't find birds better behaved toward humans. Less incidence of "mean" roosters than even silkies.

As for intra-male agression, games are really no different than any other breed. The difference is that they have no off switch. Put an adult male leghorn in with hens for a while and then introduce another adult male, and he will behave no differently than a game. It is when he starts losing the pecking order dispute when the difference shows itself. There are games that tolerate brothers, or subdominant males, if raised together without a day of seperation, but all it takes is a little rain slicking back the feathers and changing appearances for there to be a blood bath.

The off switch, or lack thereof, becomes more typical in a small amount of 1/2 games. Almost the same as most breeds at 1/4 game. 1/8 game behaves pretty much identical to most dual purpose breeds, but you get a broody hen once in a while as they age.

Intriguing. I thought I knew about games.