People keep backyard chickens for many reasons , such as for unused eggs , meat , a spare-time activity , pest restraint , instinctive fertilizer for their garden , or for society . Backyard chicken keeping is an increasingly popular hobby that is experience a resurgence . More and more cities are rolling back ordinances that prevent keeping chickens on your property , lead to an uptick in stake . There are hundreds of dissimilar types of chickens to pick out from – hybrids , heritage breeds , and crosses . One of those breed is the Buckeye volaille .
Buckeye chicken are an American strain of domesticated chicken , name after the American res publica of Ohio , which is often referred to as the “ Buckeye State . ” They are n’t the most common type of chicken and are rarely found for sale in feed stores every spring , but they are a squeamish , docile Gallus gallus to fire .
All about Buckeye chickens
When it comes to picking the right breed of volaille for your household or farm , knowing the basics of the stock will serve you make that decisiveness .
A Buckeye Chicken is a breed of chicken originating in the United States in Ohio in the late 1800 . It is a enceinte hoot , typically weigh 8 - 10 Pound with a plump body and a deep thorax . The stock is easy placeable due to its striking black and ruddy coloring . The feathers of the Buckeye Chicken are a deep red color with a black head , cervix and tail . Its comb and wattles are vivid reddened , while its beak and legs are a yellow - orange tree color .
It was to begin with bred as a dual - purpose breed , meaning it was raised for both its egg and its meat . Buckeye chickens are know for their hardiness and orchis - lay ability , as well as their upright temperament and docility .
Temperament
Buckeye chickens are known for being hardy , docile , and friendly skirt . They are skillful stratum of medium to large - sized browned nut , and they are known to be quite friendly and social with other chicken . They are know to be very fond of their people and do n’t tend to antagonise new chickens when introduce to the mess . They are also great forager and can handle cold climate with ease .
When it comes to rooster , and this practice to just about every strain of chicken , if you handle them with respect and are kind , they will typically return the favor . Knowing their bound and read their torso language is important . If , despite all your best efforts , your Buckeye cock wo n’t halt being aggressive , it may be estimable to remove him from the flock and look for a nicer rooster .
Purpose
The Buckeye is moot a dual - determination chicken . A dual - function chicken is a stock of chicken that is specifically multiply for both egg - place and meat production . They are usually medium in sizing , with a right amount of nitty-gritty on their frame , and have a in force provender conversion charge per unit . They have excellent temperaments , so they make dandy PET , too . They lay eggs , but not as many as a more prolific strain , like theNovogen . Dual - purpose chickens are great for anyone who want to have a sustainable source of eggs and meat all in one .
Coop and run
Chickens be given to pick up bad demeanor when their coop and run are n’t up to their standard , so making sure you have the appropriate James Cook and run for your Buckeye chickens is vitally important .
buckeye like to have great deal of coop and run infinite to go about the business organization of being a beneficial chicken . The more space you may furnish them , the felicitous they ’ll be and the more testis they ’ll lie . [ breed ] chickens should be provided 10 or more substantial feet of free - grasp area per bird .
Chicken run for and coops should be kept properly cleaned out and provide with fresh straw regularly . At least one nest box per laying biddy is preferred , although they can tolerate “ buddying up ” and laying eggs in the same nest box . These chickens are know to wander some and will now and then happen creative places to lay their eggs .
Common Buckeye chicken problems
Buckeyes do n’t seem to have many built - in health problems due to the nature of their breed . They are n’t very good egg layer , taking up to 6 calendar month to start lay testicle and then only laying an egg about every other twenty-four hour period on fair . Other than that , they are susceptible to all the usual crybaby trouble .
Viral diseases
chicken are susceptible to a number of viral unwellness , including Marek ’s disease , avian influenza , fowl pox , Newcastle disease , and bronchitis . Some of these conditions are more common than others . planetary house of a viral infection among your chickens admit sneeze , cough , reduced ball yield , decreased feeding , lethargy , unload around the eye and fistula , sore , and paralysis in the case of Newcastle disease .
Most wench acquired from a reputable breeder or hatchery are immunize against the more common viral infections , like Marek ’s . chick acquired from littler - musical scale Peter Sellers may not be immunise . Always necessitate if your wench have been vaccinated and what they ’re vaccinated for .
Bacterial illness
Bacterial infections are a real concern for chickens , as coops , ravel , and the open air , in general , can be haven for bacterium . The most common bacterial infections for poulet are salmonellosis and colibacillosis . These infections can be tight spreading and infect entire flocks .
mark your chickens may be struggling with a bacterial contagion include reduced ballock laying , breathing problems , reduced appetite , and death . Salmonellosis does n’t always present symptom in chickens .
Fungal diseases
The two most vulgar character of fungal diseases are brooder pneumonia and ringworm . Ringworm can be pass around to humans as well , so if you suspect your Gallus gallus have tinea , handle them carefully and wash your paw and wearing apparel immediately .
Brooder pneumonia tends to only infect youthful chicks spending their first few weeks in a incubator . roundworm unremarkably clears up on its own with time . celebrate brooders and coop neat is key to avoiding these fungous infections .
Parasitic infection
Like most of our pet , chickens can go through leechlike infection . insect , ticks , lice , and soupcon are some of the more vulgar unity . Symptoms of these parasite include loss of appetency , lethargy , skin annoying , and unexpected loss of feathers outside of normal moult .
Be mistrustful of used coop . Always disinfect them thoroughly before bring out your chickens . Replace coop bedding often and periodically disinfect chicken coops to boil down the bearing of parasites .
Injuries
It can be a rasping and tumble life for chicken as they go about establishing pecking fiat and scrounge for nutrient . combat injury , particularly foot injuries , are n’t rare . Most Earth’s surface - level injury will clear up on their own , but base hurt are particularly concern as the wimp ’ talons tend to come into contact with their own manure as well as other pathogens in the land and on the solid ground .
Common sign of a pes injury are difficulty walking or putting weight on the foot as well as lethargy . In the case of bumblefoot , a type of staphylococcus contagion , both the chickens ’ digit and sometimes intact feet can become egotistical with pus - fulfil abscess . Foot harm should be handle and bandaged as soon as they are note .
Egg binding
bollock binding is an often tragical issue for chickens . It ’s caused when an ball becomes stuck between the hen ’s uterus and cloaca . mark of egg binding let in weakness , inability to perch , often choosing to sit or pose on the ground , straining , and a lack of egg put . testicle bandaging can promptly become a fatal circumstance and will generally postulate a slip to an avian veteran to fix .
“Pasty butt”
Pasty butt , sometimes called pasty vent , is a evenhandedly common condition that afflict chicks . It can quickly become a life - menace issuing if not addressed . Pasty outlet tends to be do by stress and dehydration . It takes place when thick potty forget the chick ’s release , preventing it from passing dung .
Eventually , the chick will become sick and refuse to use up . Signs of pasty butt include smaller chick sizing and a pastelike mat of droppings over the vent . This condition is well treated by cleaning the touch area and slay the stuck droppings .
Breeding Buckeye chickens
engender yourBuckeye chicken does n’t differ importantly from engender other types of heritage chickens . Providing your Buckeye hens access to a Buckeye rooster and give up nature to take its course will yield sizeable , substantial chicks . A ratio of 10 hens for every cock will typically yield good fertility rates . you’re able to allow a broody hen to sit on her eggs or hatch them in an brooder . A quick guide to hatching :
For more data , check out our comprehensive guide onincubating chicken eggs .
What to feedBuckeye chickens
Up until about 16 weeks old , your Buckeye chicks should be feed a commercial-grade chick starter provender with 18 % protein . This bring protein will help your young dame develop and germinate into healthy birds . After 24 weeks , they can be switched to a 16 % protein level feed to support intelligent feathering and good eggs production . Chickens enjoy being put out to pasture where they can run through smoke , hemipteron , and other plant . They will also lief eat some fruit , vegetables , grain , and leafy park . gratis - range your birds will also slew down significantly on your provender costs .
For more data , check out ourcomprehensive pathfinder on what foods chickens can and can not eat .
