I have found some resources for Barred Hollands but the problem is that nobody wants/is able to share their lines.I like rare breeds too and buy from sellers who are perfecting/preserving a rare breed from extinction. I like a lot of breeds for many reasons but if I were zoned to breed, I would definitely pick one or two rare breeds to keep them from extinction.
I also looked into rare Barred Hollands laying white eggs but couldn't find any. I know I spoke w/ someone who had them but can't remember it was too long ago. I think Barred Rocks took over popularity from Hollands. I personally prefer the lighter-weight friendlier Dominique but they are on the road to recovery and not as rare as they were in the '70's.
Guilderlands or Guilders or "BREDA" as they are called today were a distinctive backyard flock like Dominiques in early America but they never made it into the APA because of the confusion of being called by so many names and went extinct here. The Netherlands picked up on saving the Breda and now there's a gradual USA customer interest because of being a family-friendly docile good layer breed. I hope this once-American breed will have a chance at gaining some popularity because even though it is a lightweight breed it is a very good layer of MED-LG eggs and has a family-friendly non-combative temperament and comes in a variety of colors. This rarer breed also needs more breeder flocks for diversity and hardiness to get APA recognition at some point and get its status back into the USA where it belonged in the first place.
CUCKOO BREDA w/docile Silkies
BLUE BREDA - Breda have NO comb but a triangle crest, cavernous raven nostrils, vulture hocks, long feathered legs/toes
As for getting eggs on eBay -- If you know the breeder who's selling, it should be okay but know who it is and ask around as some customers of some eBay orders haven't had luck. If there's an Olandsk Dwarf Facebook page that possibly will be a good source to pursue. As rare as Breda are I think the ODs are rarer simply because a lot of people don't want to deal with broody bantams or small eggs so there's not much call for customer sales of these sweet little birds so they don't get bred and remain rare. Personally I think small breeds like Phoenix or Sumatra are useless for eggs too but people get them because of their exotic beauty to have eye candy in the yard. Pyncheons are another rare and pretty bantam breed that faces a shaky future -- an American breed that hasn't made it into the ABA yet as far as I can see and there are very few breeding flocks getting perfected.
I wish you luck on what breed you will pursue as there are so many USA birds and rare world breeds that need diverse breeding flocks to ensure the birds will be around for future generations. I would love to have your ability in pursuing and saving a rare breed -- and the fun of researching exactly which breed it will be!
first!
