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.
