Buckeyes are very cold-weather hardy and do best as free-range chickens. It has a pea comb and bar of slate color on the back feathers close to the body; the body is also much more compact, with a short, yet broad, back. The color of the Buckeye is darker than that of the original Rhode Island Red. Buckeyes have yellow skin and lay brown eggs.

American Poultry Association Class: American Class

ALBC Conservation Status: Critical

Standard Weights: Cock 9 lbs. Hen 6.5 lbs. Cockerel 8 lbs. Pullet 5.5 lbs.

History: Nettie began experimenting with different poultry breeds in the late 1880's to establish a breed that could withstand the harsh northern Ohio winters. She started by breeding a Buff Cochin male to Barred Plymouth Rock females. This produced what she considered a large, lazy fowl. The next year she purchased a Black-Breasted Red Game male (possibly a Malay with Cornish Indian Game) and crossed this male over the half cochin pullets. This cross produced several red offspring and from there she developed the breed. It is interesting to note that her creation predated the introduction of Rhode Island Reds into the mid-west. In 1896 she learned that her idea of red fowls were not a new concept and that a very popular eastern breed had been developed, the Rhode Island Reds. After corresponding with several Rhode Island Red breeders, she decided to call her breed "Pea Combed" Rhode Island Reds (she even traded stock with several of these breeders). Rather than helping to promote her new breed, she found that calling them "Pea Combed" Rhode Island Reds was in fact limiting their popularity.  In 1902 she exhibited a pair of these birds in the Cleveland, Ohio poultry show as Buckeyes. Shortly after showing her Buckeye's at the Cleveland, Ohio poultry show and winning the Ohio State Fair in 1906 Mrs. Metcalf moved west to California. Legend has it she took Buckeye's with her and sold them from her "Red Feather Farm" located in Inglewood, CA.  History is not clear on why Mrs. Metcalf moved to California but perhaps it had something to do with her husband Frank's line of work. In 1915 San Francisco, California was the site of the "Panama Pacific International Expo" (PPIE) and in the exhibitors listing the American Buckeye Club is listed. Mrs. Metcalf was the spokeswoman for the club at the Expo, Elton C. Mahon was listed as the President and A.H. Weisberg was listed as Secretary.  According to the Expo listing the American Buckeye Club was founded in 1909 with the first President none other than Mrs. Nettie Metcalf herself! In 1904 the Buckeye was admitted to the American Poultry Association?s Standard of Perfection.