Buckeye Hatching Eggs & Buckeye Chicks

Every year around this time we get hundreds of emails, phone calls and text messages from folks wanting to purchase Buckeye hatching eggs or day old Buckeye chicks.  The American Buckeye Club's "Breeder Directory" page is a great first place to look!  If you cant find a breeder in your area or state consider contacting out of state breeders, many will ship to ALL parts of the USA.  Hatcheries are another option to consider if you do not have any desire to breed your Buckeyes in the future!  However, hatcheries typically sell day old chicks only.

Buying hatching eggs is generally more risky than day old chicks but hatching eggs are lower in cost as well.  Shipping hatching eggs through the USPS can result in poor hatches due to temperature swings and vibration.  Many buyers report good results from buying hatching eggs but the risk is always present.  If you purchase hatching eggs, we recommend having them shipped in late April thru mid June when temperatures are more stable across the USA.  In addition, we suggest you make arrangements to pick up the box of hatching eggs at your post office.  The seller can write "Call and Hold for Pick-Up" on the box along with your phone number and the post master will call you when they arrive at the post office.  This insures your hatching eggs don't ride around all day in the back of a mail truck or get dropped by a clumsy mail carrier!  Hatch rates can be dramatically improved with this simple practice.

Finally, don't buy Buckeyes from someone claiming they have a "Certified" or "Heritage" flock of Buckeyes!  This is a complete scam and nobody is qualified to certify Buckeye flocks and there is no such thing as a heritage Buckeye.  Don't be fooled by fancy websites that make these claims because they are generally selling some of the worst Buckeyes on the market.  The American Buckeye Club does NOT support the people offering "certification" of Buckeyes nor do we promote this "heritage" nonsense that has come about in recent years! We recommend "Standard Bred" Buckeyes provided by breeders who use the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection as their guide.



Photos provided by Shumaker Farm Buckeyes and we recommend you visit their website at www.shumakerfarmbuckeyes.com to learn more!

If you have any questions or comments please direct them to me, Jeff Lay at The American Buckeye Club and my email address is  jlay3@woh.rr.com

Buckeye Chicken Facts

With the Buckeye chick hatching season underway (or just around the corner for some) we thought it was time to share some FACTS about this fantastic fowl we call the Buckeye! Without a lot of fanfare or further ado lets get right into the Buckeye chicken facts;

1.) The ONLY breed of chicken developed by a woman, Nettie Metcalf of Warren, Ohio.

2.) An American class breed, accepted by the APA in 1904 and first found in the 1905 edition of the APA Standard of Perfection.

3.) The ONLY American class fowl that sports a Pea Comb.

4.) Developed from Barred Plymouth Rocks, Buff Cochins, Black Breasted Red Game Fowl and Dark Cornish (known as Indian Games in those days).

5.) A Dual Purpose fowl, meaning Buckeyes are good layers and good providers of meat.

6.) Buckeyes lay a medium to large Brown egg.

7.) Named after the state of Ohio, Buckeyes or Buckeye Reds as they were first called were given the name Buckeye because they originated in the Buckeye state!

8.) Buckeyes are NOT Rhode Island Reds (RIR's) and DID NOT originate from RIR's.

9.) A bar of slate under color in the Buckeyes back is what makes the Buckeye unique compared to other red breeds.

10.) Buckeyes are NOT endangered or nearly as rare as some other poultry breeds.

11.) The American Buckeye Club is the "original" Buckeye club dating back to 1909.

12.) Buckeyes are typically either "Standard Bred" or "Utility" (think hatchery stock) there is no such thing as a "Heritage Buckeye".

13.) Male Buckeyes, known as cockerels or cocks, are NOT typically aggressive.