Barred Holland breed of chickens

[dheltzel]

Thank you so much!

Glen Drowns, the owner, grew up in Idaho. When you order, tell him you want to help preserve the breed, that might make you more of a priority, as he is wanting to get more people breeding the stuff he is the only (or close to only) source of.
The first BH I found were from a local breeder, but most sources trace their lineage back to Sand Hill or Ideal, and I think Ideal got their original breeders from Sand Hill. Ideal no longer breeds them, they cut way back on their rare breeds, I suppose the demand was too low, and they have to make a profit. Glen doesn't even try to make a profit, his main motivation is to preserve the breeds.

 

[PioneerChicks]

Glen Drowns, the owner, grew up in Idaho. When you order, tell him you want to help preserve the breed, that might make you more of a priority, as he is wanting to get more people breeding the stuff he is the only (or close to only) source of.
The first BH I found were from a local breeder, but most sources trace their lineage back to Sand Hill or Ideal, and I think Ideal got their original breeders from Sand Hill. Ideal no longer breeds them, they cut way back on their rare breeds, I suppose the demand was too low, and they have to make a profit. Glen doesn't even try to make a profit, his main motivation is to preserve the breeds.

I'm so glad to hear that! Thank you so much!

 

[dheltzel]

Has all the interest in Barred Hollands died out, or has the discussion moved to another thread?
A few years back a bunch of people were excited about preserving these, but I have not heard much about the breed recently.

 

[Chickenosauurs_RexNo54]

I wonder like BArred Hollands, I would like to conserve them, but I am a minor, and can't own anything besides a gecko. Besides Glenn, what other breeders of Barred hollands are there?

 

[Chickenosauurs_RexNo54]

Another question, do White Hollands still exist, or are they extinct? And is it possible to recreate them using a closely related breed? Like White Plymouth Rocks?

 

[dheltzel]

AFAIK, White Hollands have not existed for many years. The ACLC took special interest in the Hollands a while back and strongly discouraged outcrossing to other breeds to return the Hollands to their former attributes. I felt that was a mistake, but decided to abide by it and replaced all my Barred Hollands with the much more practical production breed, the California Grey. CG's also should be preserved, IMO, but were never submitted to the APA because their creator viewed them as only a production breed. The CG is what the Barred Hollands used to be, except for (I think it was) earlobe color. CG's are alive and well as production birds because Privett Hatchery obtained the breeder flock from the creator before he died and has preserved them. They are, in their description, the best layers of white eggs among all breeds that are not primarily white.
I used them for years with a black Ameraucana roo, to make black sexlinks that were easily sexable and looked exactly like a black Ameraucana pullet. Fantastic layers, so good, the blue color faded during the season.

Another question, do White Hollands still exist, or are they extinct? And is it possible to recreate them using a closely related breed? Like White Plymouth Rocks

 

[Chickenosauurs_RexNo54]

Thank you, I didn't know that information.

 

[Chickenosauurs_RexNo54]

What caused the Holland breed to become so endangered in the first place? They look a lot like Barred Plymouth Rocks, but they lay white eggs. If Barred rocks are so popular, why aren't Hollands as popular?

 

[dheltzel]

What caused the Holland breed to become so endangered in the first place? They look a lot like Barred Plymouth Rocks, but they lay white eggs. If Barred rocks are so popular, why aren't Hollands as popular?

They were just overlooked by hatcheries. White egg layers are dominated by Leghorns, all the rest are pretty rare. Brown eggs get a better price so people want them more. Once they got rare, the genetics bottlenecked and no one has picked them up to restore them to their original qualities.
I had them, and also California Greys. Hollands were admitted to the APA, CG's never were, so the LC (Livestock Conservancy) doesn't care at all about CG's, though they are just as worthy of conservation IMO, and are far, far better production birds than the current Holland stock. The LC took special interest in Hollands a few years back and a number of breeders were sourcing them from Sand Hill Preservation Center and Ideal Hatchery (who got their original stock from SH). The LC advised against bringing in any new blood and wanted everyone to just breed and select from the available gene pool. I think that was a mistake and apparently little progress was made and interest died down. I quit the LC because they really concentrate on larger animals and poultry gets little attention. I believe they signed the "death warrant" for Hollands by their stand to not bring in other breeds. The CG's would be a perfect cross, they are very close. Hollands should be a bit heavier and the color of the ear lobes are different, but I think that was it.
If you want to see what a Barred Holland should be like, buy some CG's from Privett Hatchery and prepare to be impressed. If there were Hollands that laid like that, they would return to their former glory.

 

[Chickenosauurs_RexNo54]

They were just overlooked by hatcheries. White egg layers are dominated by Leghorns, all the rest are pretty rare. Brown eggs get a better price so people want them more. Once they got rare, the genetics bottlenecked and no one has picked them up to restore them to their original qualities.
I had them, and also California Greys. Hollands were admitted to the APA, CG's never were, so the LC (Livestock Conservancy) doesn't care at all about CG's, though they are just as worthy of conservation IMO, and are far, far better production birds than the current Holland stock. The LC took special interest in Hollands a few years back and a number of breeders were sourcing them from Sand Hill Preservation Center and Ideal Hatchery (who got their original stock from SH). The LC advised against bringing in any new blood and wanted everyone to just breed and select from the available gene pool. I think that was a mistake and apparently little progress was made and interest died down. I quit the LC because they really concentrate on larger animals and poultry gets little attention. I believe they signed the "death warrant" for Hollands by their stand to not bring in other breeds. The CG's would be a perfect cross, they are very close. Hollands should be a bit heavier and the color of the ear lobes are different, but I think that was it.
If you want to see what a Barred Holland should be like, buy some CG's from Privett Hatchery and prepare to be impressed. If there were Hollands that laid like that, they would return to their former glory.

Why don't you cross the California greys and the Hollands together? I've thought of the LC so far as a noble cause to bring back heritage breeds. Now I see that not every cause is perfect.