Tag: egg production

The Buckeye, Breed Profile

The Buckeye was bred to be a functional “utility” bird, meaning it excels at both egg production and meat quality.
While the bird is primarily a deep, lustrous red, it has a few distinct color traits that set it apart:
Black accents: Black feathers in the tail.
The Buckeye was developed out of the Plymouth Rock, Cochin, and Red Game fowl to give the Buckeye its heavy, broad build and tight feathering.

Color: A unique, rich Mahogany Red (darker than a Rhode Island Red)
Comb Type: Pea Comb (small and flat, making them highly resistant to frostbite)
Body Shape: Slanted back with a powerful, stout build.
Weight: Roosters: 9 lbs; Hens: ~6.5 lbs.
Legs & Skin: Yellow legs and yellow skin.

Foraging : They are incredibly active and prefer to find their own snacks (bugs and greens) rather than sitting at a feeder all day.
Disposition: Generally calm and friendly toward humans, though they are very “busy” birds.
Cold Weather: Thanks to that tiny pea comb and thick feathers, they handle freezing winters better than almost any other breed.
Egg Laying: They are steady producers, typically laying 4 medium light brown eggs per week.

Conservation Status: They are currently listed as a “Watch” breed by the Livestock Conservancy, meaning they are relatively rare and benefit greatly from dedicated backyard keepers.

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Speckled Sussex: Egg Production, Temperament and More

by The Happy Chicken Coop


The Speckled Sussex is an old-time favorite in its homeland of England. It has endured over the centuries to become a firm favorite with a dedicated following.
Although it, and other varieties of Sussex fowl, was in danger of dying out in the early 1900s, a few die-hard poultry keepers kept the lines going, greatly improving on the stock in hand to give us the robust, healthy stock that we have today. Read Article

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Broody Hens in the Coop

A Solution… For When the Broodies Take Over the Nests

Sometimes broody hens can take over the nest area and not let any other members of the flock enter the hen house or their nests. That means the other hen’s routine is upset and this can interrupt or even stop egg production.
It’s better to move the broodies to a confined area. But if you don’t have a separate area suitable for them, sometimes it’s just better to go with the flow and put extra nest boxes in the coop for the others. This is a much better idea than letting them find a place on their own because what you’ll be doing, in that case, is going on an everyday egg hunt.

Nest Box

As you can see, members of the existing flock will rather quickly claim the new extra nest boxes and egg production will eventually resume. One way or the other, problem solved! To help them along, a ceramic egg or golf ball in the box often helps lure them in.
Simple? Probably not, it’s almost inevitable that two hens will claim the same box!  So put out a few!

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