Best Chicken Breeds to Raise on the Homestead

Dan Poultry, This Land of Ours

Best Chicken
Buckeye Chicken
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One of the best chicken breeds to raise on the homestead. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.

The Buckeye Chicken is a fantastic heritage and dual-purpose breed, making them ideal for homesteaders seeking birds that will provide both eggs and meat. Buckeyes were bred in the late 19th century by a woman named Nettie Metcalf with the goal of creating a practical breed that produced well during the harsh Midwest winters.

Because Buckeyes were bred to be a dual purpose breed, they are not a particularly small bird. A full-grown rooster weighs about 9 pounds while hens will weigh approximately 6.5 pounds. Hens average about 200 eggs per year, and do an especially good job producing eggs in the winter. Buckeyes have good meat production and a full grown bird will dress out very well.

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Buckeye hens are evenly tempered and docile birds with an occasional inclination to go broody. Roosters can be somewhat aggressive at times due to the game bird in their lineage.

All Buckeyes have an affinity for foraging and do very well in free range climates where they can forage. 

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Best Chicken Breeds to Raise on the Homestead

Buckeyes are noted for being especially good mousers, often being compared to cats in their ability.