Buckeye Chicken, Good Breed or Bad?

[GlicksChicks]

Hello, I know that Google always talks about how good Buckeye chickens are. They say they are weather hardy and pretty sickness resistant, but my experience with buckeyes has not been the same.
The only chicken I have ever lost from sickness is a buckeye, he had trouble breathing, but acted normal otherwise. I used all the things to help him and he still died. I also had a buckeye hen get sour crop alot. And another buckeye is limping but has no bumblefoot or mites.
All my buckeyes were bought from TSC and I had gotten 6 of them at the time but 2 of them died as chicks for unknown reasons, both the same way. Could it be the genetics of the buckeyes I have or are they really not as good as they are claimed to be?
Anyone who has ever owned buckeye chickens or known anyone who has, can you help me? I don't know if I should cull them to get rid of it if it is genetics, or just let it be?

 

[nuthatched]

It depends on the genetics of the individual bird, also diet and care are factors.
What's their diet?

 

[GlicksChicks]

It depends on the genetics of the individual bird, also diet and care are factors.
What's their diet?

They eat Golden Oak layer feed with the occasional Golden Oak scratch feed (corn, milo, etc.) as well as some plants. They also have grit available at all times. The grit is sand/very small rocks as well as pulverized egg shells.

 

[AinaWGSD]

I would suspect it's genetics. We used to raise buckeyes and the only unexpected loss not from a predator was when our rooster tried to flog my husband from behind and husband, not realizing he was there stepped back onto him and broke his neck. Ours came from a local breeder though. We've been thinking about getting back into them, but are wary of getting hatchery stock and are out of touch with breeders

 

[nuthatched]

They eat Golden Oak layer feed with the occasional Golden Oak scratch feed (corn, milo, etc.) as well as some plants. They also have grit available at all times. The grit is sand/very small rocks that I can pick up and gather in bulk for them.

The only real way to tell is a necropsy if you lose another. Limping can be a sprain, pulled muscle, laying paralysis, or vitamin deficiency.

 

[GlicksChicks]

The only real way to tell is a necropsy if you lose another. Limping can be a sprain, pulled muscle, laying paralysis, or vitamin deficiency.

The rooster who has it has had the limping for around a month now, can that still be counted as a sprain? I was thinking it could be that as well. Though he doesn't seem to be in pain and is still mating like normal.

 

[GlicksChicks]

I would suspect it's genetics. We used to raise buckeyes and the only unexpected loss not from a predator was when our rooster tried to flog my husband from behind and husband, not realizing he was there stepped back onto him and broke his neck. Ours came from a local breeder though. We've been thinking about getting back into them, but are wary of getting hatchery stock and are out of touch with breeders

Okay, I was worried it was genetics as well because all of our other chickens in the flock are doing okay so I am not thinking it is feed or anything because the others are perfectly fine. Should I cull them to get rid of the genetics because I am breeding? I was planning on culling the rooster anyway because I have 2 buff orpingtons raising up at the moment and I don't want the rooster to mate with his children when I add the hens in from the first batch of his children.

 

[Amer]

It is genetics. I've had Buckeyes that were perfectly healthy, then got some from another breeder that had lots of issues.

 

[GlicksChicks]

It is genetics. I've had Buckeyes that were perfectly healthy, then got some from another breeder that had lots of issues.

Should I cull my buckeyes to get rid of those bad genetics?

 

[Amer]

Should I cull my buckeyes to get rid of those bad genetics?

I wouldn’t recommend breeding from them, but there’s no harm in keeping them. If you want.