The Buckeye Chicken, An American Original

An American native, the Buckeye was developed in the 1890s by Nettie Metcalfe, a farm wife from Warren, Ohio. It is the only American breed to sport a pea comb-and the only one developed solely by a woman, though women of the period were the primary keepers of farmed chickens in the United States.

Metcalfe crossed Barred Plymouth Rock hens to a Buff Cochin rooster, then added some black breasted game fowl to get a functional, dual-purpose bird that would perform well on the farm.

Though not the most unusual looking birds, buckeyes are a good choice for a barnyard setting. They are known for their meaty thighs, wings, and breasts, and have a very dark “dark meat”. They are calm, sociable birds that acclimate to being around humans to the point of being quite friendly, though occasionally the roosters do get aggressive. They perform well when allowed to roam, but will adapt to close confinement, though they will grow more slowly when crowded.

There are very hardy, and will venture outside on the coldest days of winter. According to Don Schrider, of the ALBC, they are one of the two best American breeds for cold weather. The Buckeye was first admitted to the EPA in 1904.

The average size of the standard cock is around 9 pounds. The hen weighs approximately 6 1/2 pounds. The Buckeye has a small to medium size pea comb and well rounded Wattles, which are a bright red color. The beaks are yellow with a reddish horn. The plumage is a rich reddish brown or mahogany color with some black on the tail. A large part of the undercolor is bright red.