Crains Run Ranch

Crains Run Ranch has been raising chickens for over a decade but in 2002 we finally got serious about Buckeye's! We say "finally" because we dabbled with a few hens and a rooster from a "local" Ohio breeder and hatched some chicks from these birds. In June 2002, we got our first batch of day old chicks, then two weeks later another batch arrived fr... om yet a third source. We began our breeding program from Brown (OH), Rhodes (MA) and Urch (MN) lines or "strains" of Buckeye large fowl and before winter 2005 we had an outstanding flock established! In 2004, we continued to breed closely to the APA standard and frequently asked Don Schrider, formerly of the ALBC, for advise on our breeding program and stock. One of our primary goals was to increase egg production and this has improved every year using the Hogan method and trap nesting. In 2005 & 2007 we built more coops, found several local farmers to allow us to house more Buckeyes and we hatched off 400+ Buckeye chicks in 2007 and over 1000+ in 2008! We have dispersed birds all over the USA, Canada and the UK and have helped several breeders in Ohio get started with 4H projects and breeding programs. Our goal is to help countless others thru our hatching egg program. We just couldn't keep up with the demand for chicks or eggs even during the down turn in the economy, 2009 was our biggest year! Our flock is NPIP and currently enrolled in Ohio's AI testing program (Avian Influenza). Every 90 days the Ohio Poultry Association sends a technician to "swab" our flock of birds and the specimens are sent to Ohio State University for AI testing. This is a voluntary program and we feel it is important to monitor our birds for AI, the neighbors seem to be happy we do this, too! In late 2008, CRR reduce the Buckeye flock size from an average of 250+ adult birds to three small coops of 25-30 breeders in each coop. Our quality remained very high and several Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Show Winners are produced in 2007 & 2008. Breeding stock is limited and demand ...Read More