Buckeye Chicken

Facts about Buckeye chickens. Buckeye chickens were developed by Mrs. Nettie Metcalf from Warren, Ohio. The Buckeye chicken breed is named after “Buckeye state”. They are unique American chickens that are completely developed by a woman breeder. The final breed that we have today is the result of repeated crossing between Cochin male and Barred Plymouth Rock females. Although the Buckeye chicken breed is a popular one, it shows laziness towards physical activities.

The Buckeye chicken was added to the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection in 1904.

The Buckeye chicken is used for both eggs and meat. They have deep, red colored lustrous plumage. The legs and skin are yellow. They usually have a pea comb and they are cold weather tolerant. However, they can adapt to several weather and soil conditions. The Buckeye chicken grow up to a healthy body under free-range conditions. Bigger rooms with comparatively lesser number of Buckeyes in it can be an alternative for a free-range roaming area. As said earlier, the Buckeye chicken are active, but lazy. Some of them can be found stacking to a corner for hours, but others may roam around the whole place. This is the reason they need larger space to live. The male Buckeye chicken can grow up to nine pounds (4 kg) where as the females weigh six pounds (2.7 kg). The Buckeye chicken hens lay medium sized eggs, mostly brownish in color. They can lay 200 eggs per annum, on an average note.

The Buckeye chicken is often confused with Rhode Island Red chicken. Buckeyes have unique body shape. Their body is slanted, short and has a broad back. The thighs are too much fleshy and wings are powerful than other breeds. The feather color is darker the Rhode Island breed. It also has a bar of slate color in its back. Feathers are of average length and feathering are tight.

The Buckeye chicken is popularly known for its hunting attitude towards mice. They hardly show any fear of humans and expecting a human friendly behavior may not come fulfilled always. The Buckeye chicken get a little aggressive during the breeding season. The roosters make strange sounds of different pitch, including a dinosaur like roar.