Passing of John Brown

I just wanted to take a moment and say THANK YOU to a man that did a great deal for the Buckeye breed for several decades.  John Brown of Loveland, Ohio is no longer with us as I type this today, he passed away in late February 2019 and his family asked that we respect his privacy as the family mourns their loss.

John helped many Ohio based Buckeye breeders/keeps get their start, in fact, some of my first birds were from John back in 2000 that I picked up at a poultry show in southern Ohio.  Those that knew John personally know he was an "old school" poultry keeper and it often took some time for you to gain his trust because he had been burned a time or two over the years.  John had a good eye for Buckeyes, both large fowl and bantam varieties plus he enjoyed helping others.

Although John and I both lived in SW Ohio we were more casual acquaintances than close friends. We often ran into one another from time to time at various poultry shows, flea markets or swap meets (livestock sales).  What I will remember most about John is he always had a smile on his face, at least every time I bumped into him, and didn't mind giving you his opinion about the Buckeyes in the show pens!  He loved all poultry and had a passion for a number of breeds but the Buckeye held a special place in his heart.

God speed fellow Buckeye man and rest in peace John Brown, while we continue the Buckeye tradition here on earth!

Geetings Peeps! It's that time of year......

2019 has arrived and it's hard to believe January has come and gone!  Here we are already 1 week into February and the calendar is reminding me it's time to UPDATE the American Buckeye Club Breeders Directory.  Normally, this is done around the holidays but the last couple of years folks just didn't want to be bothered so we put it off until January/February.  So far there have been a number of new additions and a few updates but more are expected in the coming weeks.

If you find an error or learn a breeder is no longer breeding or selling Buckeyes please email Jeff Lay at jefflay4686@gmail.com and let him know!  Once again for 2019, Jeff is ONLY offering adult Buckeyes but he usually knows who is offering day old chicks and/or hatching eggs around the country.  Need to find some stock give Jeff a shout if you hit a snag!  Hatchery's have gotten better with their Buckeye breeding programs in recent years, Meyer Hatchery has been turning out some dandy near show quality Buckeyes.  Don't hesitate to give them a go for your day old chick needs!

To ALL the Buckeye breeders out there, please do your best to respond to email, text, phone calls and letters.  We all get bombarded with them this time of year and its easy to get behind (I'm guilty).  Every year, we hear complaints from folks who cant reach a breeder on the directory so please take a look and make sure your contact information is up to date as well.

Happy Hatching!!!

PS - Shumaker Farms is still breeding & raising Buckeyes in SW Ohio. Logan, their middle daughter will be showing her Buckeyes and other poultry this year around the regional shows and county fairs!  Welcome back Joe, even though you never really went away, it's good to see the fire is burning again and those brooders are FULL in 2019!