Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed

[mountainvieworchards]

Hi Rachael

Your boys are just learning how to breed. This isn't feather eating, soon the pullets will squat for them and you will be on your way to getting some fertile eggs.

Andy

 

[pinkchick]

Rachael~ I am sorry I misread your post and did not see the comment about the wing dance thing the boys are doing with the girls. Trisha and Andy are right and they are learning how to breed. But still watch them as 2 roos over 6 hens possibly could still end up being to much and you could possibly find later on that the girls are being overmated. Signs of this can include missing feathers and the bare spot on the back of the head and a very bare back.

 

[RachaelS]

Thank you all for your help! The odd thing is they only do this when they are out of the pen. When the Roo grabs the feather he takes quite a bit and I think I would see the signs in the pens, but I only see it out in the yard. By the way, their “dancing” is REALLY funny. Yesterday, one of the Roos called over my oldest girl to eat with him, they were eating together nicely, one would scratch the other would eat, then they would switch it was very sweet, at least for a moment, all of the sudden he just reaches over and grabs a mouth full of feathers and she took off. The romance was ruined.

I think I am going to break up the groups, it is just right now the Roos do not fight at all and I am not sure if I broke them up it would stay that way. O'well to protect the hens it would be worth it.

 

[PromiseLand]

Quote:
Most likely why the roo's act that way when you let them free range is because of territorial reason, they don't want the hens to get to far away from their site and the competition is even more overwhelming. Rooster(s) need to be in charge and do not like to be taken away from their flock or their flock from them. Someone already mentioned it, that if they are juvenile there actions will be worse than that of a senior roo. Separating is advisable and roo clash will most likely happen after this. Barnevelder Roosters are much more forgiving thou... Paul

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Hey guys look! She did alright!

 

[bigshawn]

Congrats..........

 

[Tailfeathers]

Congratulations!

It's been a long time since I've seen a Barnie on Champion Row. Way to go!

God Bless,

 

[aubreynoramarie]

thanks guys! she was the only barnevelder there so the best of breed was kind of a given, didnt expect her to go on from there! just a happy go lucky backyard hen thrown in a cage, lol. Shes not the greatest looking barnie, thats for sure, but shes obviously got something in her!

aywhoo i posted her pics a while back to see if she was worth showing and no one really knew so i thought id update y'all on how it went

 

[WillowTreeFarm]

Yay! Congrats Aubrey!


Of my 6 hatchlings, I have one cockerel. He (and they) are just about 8 weeks old. Could anybody offer any advice on how he's looking? Or is it too early to tell much yet? When will I be able to tell is he's going to have the 'tail fluff'? I'm sorry if all these questions would have no application for an 8 week old cockerel, but since he's the only one I got, and I'm really excited about having the barnies...

can you tell patience isn't my strong suit?!

Here he is, Mister Darcy:

Thank you! Any comments on the pullets are welcome too!

And PLEASE forgive their ruffled feathers... we had an extremely windy day the first chance I had to take pics... as evidenced by this pic of mature BCM's:

Sgt. Peppers tail feathers were pointing back towards his head!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Congrats Aubrey!!!!

WillowTreeFarm..........It's too early to really tell, but he looks like my barnies did at that age. He looks like he'll have some nice size on him. Tail fluff comes later when they get their adult plumage in. I don't recall exactly when I first saw it, but I'd say around 13-15 weeks. And LOL, you are going to need patience in waiting for those barnie girls to lay eggs - they certainly make you wait a while!