Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed

[Kenshan1]

Here is my girl I kept after a friend of mine hatched eggs for me. 4 chicks made it but the other 3 looked to be boys, 1 was forsure. I traded 2 other girls for my "boys". I just got them for eye candy & if they are still around when we move in a yr or 2 maybe I will get a roo if we have a big enough place. We'll see. I feel this girl is so pretty but not friendly enough to get super good pictures. The other 2 are worse then she is. This is from Royce's line, those that know him, he's up north in WA.

Shannon

19wks

 

[The reluctant chicken]

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She's gorgeous! I really want barnvelders. I have to wait until after January though. I'm hoping to hatch some eggs, but not quite sure how to go about getting them. I would really like chicks, since I am definitely not experienced hatching chicks. I'm in CT and understand Johan lives here, but from what I read his don't really go broody. maybe I'll just buy some silkies or Cochins for my broody hen and get some of Johans.

She is so gorgeous!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Alrighty Kim and Trisha (or anyone else that wants to offer opinions) - I got some new pictures today and I'm looking for your opinions on the boys. They are both 33 weeks old.

My #1 rooster - I love him, I think he has some great features: type, tail angle, comb. He does have some gray fluff, but I can work on that. He wasn't too cooperative on pictures, but I managed to get a couple.

His tail is NOT crooked, it's just the angle he was standing at.

Of course he had to stand in the sun.

Here's the #2 rooster - he's darker than #1, but there's just something I don't like that I can't put my finger on. He's longer across the back than #1. Less gray fluff on him.

And lastly, I got this great shot of my pullet from Trisha. She had a great comb before she scalped herself.

 

[tls_ranch]

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[Happy Chooks]

Thank you for the input Trisha. I noticed the wing feathers and asked another breeder about it - I was told it should molt out. Not sure he'll be around that long to find out, I'm still debating whether to keep him or not. I'll probably keep him long enough to hatch a bit - then I'll replace him with one of the offspring. Still thinking.

Can you explain what you like better about #2 tail? #1 has a higher angle, which I thought was preferred. #1 tail is still filling in, if that's what you are looking at. Just trying to learn what to look for.

I hope your boys grow their tail feathers soon. What do you look for to cull in the females? Given that I only started with 4 (now to 2) pullets, not much comparing going on.

 

[faykokoWV]

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I'd like to know about the tail as well, I looked and thought the angle on #1 was the preferred, but that it was a little thin. It so helpful to have examples of what to look for!!

(I'm excited, I have 10 chicks I hatched from Christina Ledford's eggs this fall )

 

[tls_ranch]

I like the way #2's tail is more full / fan like and with almost no fluff. His back seems a bit too long like you noticed and he could yet fill in more to look more balanced as he gets older. #1 does have a higher tail set with a more Barnevelder look, but his tail looks a tiny bit pinched and not spread out in a full fan. Both will still change and develop more as they get closer to a year-old. If you can keep both, it would be nice to see how they look when the finish growing. Also, it's safer to keep a back up roo just in case something happens to your favorite.

The three pullets I sold as layers had easy to see faults like way too high of tail set, pinched tail, and too small of size. The two girls you have look pretty good from the pictures and should make good breeders. Once you start hatching for your self, you can select the best of each hatch for size, tail set/fullness, lacing and leg color. Leg color seems to be harder to brighten up. The pullets have yellow legs when young, but seem to fade so quickly once they start laying.

LOL, I just noticed that your girl's head looks almost cornish with her scalped comb cause it looks like she's pea-combed now. She has the short beak and round head that I like so much. Nice lacing too
Trisha

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thanks Trisha, that helps a lot. I did notice the leg color issue, and I want to improve that - working on it on my wellies too. And of course, I'm hoping to improve egg color too. It's going to be lots of fun!

My poor girl I think scalped her comb on the fence, I went out and she was bleeding all over the place. Took her inside and cleaned her up, but the piece of the comb that was barely attached fell off a couple days later. She does look Cornish like now, sad because she DID have a pretty comb.

 

[tls_ranch]

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I'd like to know about the tail as well, I looked and thought the angle on #1 was the preferred, but that it was a little thin. It so helpful to have examples of what to look for!!

(I'm excited, I have 10 chicks I hatched from Christina Ledford's eggs this fall )

Congrats on the Ledford chicks I still have 5 original hens that I hatched from her eggs.

I went back over my pictures. Here's my old vB roo that I lost to a coyote. He had the higher tail set, but a full fan tail. He also had that dreaded white fluff. I'm hoping that by adding some Johan blood (his roos tend to have less or no fluff) that I could improve that.

Here's a pic of a Johan roo that was used in the "cornevelder project" by Christine Cole. (Not my bird)
See how he has a lower tail set, but full and no fluff. A bit redder than I'd like.

Here's my vB/Johan roo that I got from Ted Rock in NY. His tail set is pretty good, but it could be a bit more full. He's a lighter in color than I'd like. The two best things is that he hardly has any tail fluff and he's extremely respectful and non-aggressive to people/children.

Some day I would love to finally get a roo that looks just like this one. To bad he's in Ireland.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thanks for the visual! I like your vb/johan roo.

My #2 is dark like that last one from Ireland - but his wing set isn't tight like that boys. Love his tail though, nice heart shaped body and very stocky build.

I'll be adding Johan lines to my flock as well this coming year.

I have an Aunt in Tasmania, and if I ever make it over for a visit - I'm going to look into how much it costs for the permits to bring some of Paul Healy's hatching eggs home with me. He's about 2 hours away from my Aunt's house. We could use some of his stock here.