Buckeye chicken
Cold-hardy dual-purpose chicken with a pea comb.
The Buckeye is an American breed of chicken developed in Ohio in the late nineteenth century. Its plumage color was intended to resemble the seeds of the Ohio Buckeye tree. It is a dual-purpose chicken, kept for both meat and eggs, and is the only breed in the American Class to have a pea comb.
Quick Facts
- Country
- United States
- Pcgb
- Rare soft feather: heavypcgb
Facts from the source article.
History
The Buckeye was first bred and developed in 1896 by Nettie Metcalf of Warren, Ohio. It is the only American breed of chicken known to have been developed by a woman, though women traditionally managed household poultry flocks. Metcalf crossbred Barred Plymouth Rocks, Buff Cochins, and some black-breasted red games to create the Buckeye, aiming for a functional breed that could thrive in bitter Midwest winters. Contrary to popular belief, the Buckeye was created before the Rhode Island Red breed; Metcalf sent birds to Rhode Island Red breeders to help improve their breed. The Buckeye was admitted to the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection in 1904, allowing it to be entered in poultry shows. Its lack of color variations has limited its popularity as an exhibition breed, but interest has grown since the late 20th century. The breed has generally been kept in smaller farm flocks rather than large commercial operations. Today, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy lists its status as watch, with fewer than 5,000 breeding birds in the United States and an estimated global population under 10,000. The Buckeye is also included in the Slow Food USA Ark of Taste.
Characteristics
The Buckeye male averages 9 lb and the hen 6.5 lb. It has yellow skin and lays brown eggs. Its primary color is mahogany red with black tails; males may have other dark feathering. The breed standard requires plumage to resemble the hue of Ohio Buckeye seeds. The hen closely resembles the Rhode Island Red but can be differentiated by a slate-colored bar on back feathers near the body and a more compact body with a short, broad back. The Buckeye is the only purely American breed with a pea comb, which along with its stocky build makes it very cold hardy. It bears some game fowl traits in frame and disposition, being assertive and a good forager. Generally calm, cocks may rarely become aggressive. It tolerates confinement well but performs better when allowed to range on grass. Breeders report it is disinclined to feather picking even in confinement and is a prolific hunter of mice and other pests. It is a good meat producer and lays 150 to 200 eggs per year, making it well-suited to small farmyard and backyard flocks.
More in Conservation Priority Breeds of the Livestock Conservancy
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