Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed

[tnchickenut]

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My Gabbard Farm stock did VERY poorly in the TN summer... granted it was hotter than usual and broke all sorts of records. By far the one breed that had it the worst in the heat here at my place.

 

[()relics]

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...Imagine my surprise...

 

[tnchickenut]

()relics :

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...Imagine my surprise...

Yeah, I even lost one rooster... they were in the shade most of the day and I added a ugly tarp to give them some shade-in-the-shade area that would stay cooler all day. I felt horrible for them! They would pant so hard they would make a "eiiii" noise. Most are doing much better now. No noises when they breathe so it's not a respitory thing... it was just panting from the heat.​

 

[GwenDellAnno]

How soon before I can tell if my barnie chicks are pullets or cockerels? Mine are now about 7 weeks old. I also have three EE chicks (same age) and I can tell that two of the three EE's are roos. Should I already be able to notice with the barnies?

 

[OrpingtonManor]

My Barnevelders were much slower to develop than my Ameraucanas or my Buff Orps. Even now, at 21 weeks, my pullets are barely showing signs of wattle development, and their combs are still pretty pale. I think that's typical of Barnies.

I didn't have any cockerels. But, if you can tell by the hackle and saddle feathers as in other breeds, I would guess it will be awhile longer.

 

[littledel]

Has anyone ever tried crossing a Barnvelder with a marans. I have both types and my barnies seem as healthy as can be, but my marans are alway sickly. I was thinking of crossing these to see if I can get a bird that still looks maranish, but with more vigor. This is because I have had birds with nasal infections all summer, but not one of my barnies got sick, but I have lost half my marans. PS. I also raise Welsummers and only had one of them get sick. I like my marans, but sure am tired of them continuing to get sick.

 

[tls_ranch]

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If you want to do the cross, it's up to you. But, what goals would you have? Marans have white legs/skin and feathered legs. Barnevelders have yellow legs/skin and clean legs. If you are just breeding for a backyard flock mixing is fine. But if you mix the two breeds you can mess up your Marans and your Barnevelders. Barnevelders don't lay really dark eggs so your now "maranish" birds will not lay as dark as pure marans.

I have two experimental lines (out crossed to different breeds) in my Barnevelder flock right now and out crossing is fine with me IF you keep records and have a goal. Currently I have some 3/4 Barnevelder 1/4 dark cornish cross pullets that are laying some of the darkest eggs in my flock. Thanks to a fellow breeder who started the "cornevelder" project, I hope these pullets will add some size and better carcass qualities back to the Barnevelder. I also have some "blue laced" Barnevelder crosses from outcrossing to BLR wyandottes. My goals for that cross is for blue lacing, size and genetic diversity. Both projects will take a few years to get back to the Barnevelder breed standard.

Now a double-laced, feathered leg Marans might be a popular project to try, but no offense to the Marans breeders out there....I hate feathered legs

 

[CityChicker]

()relics :

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...Imagine my surprise...

LOL, don't get me started. You are one step ahead of me if your eggs from them even hatched or hatched a Barnevelder. LOL.​

 

[()relics]

Ok so I am posting this here so real Barnevelder people can see it and have first chance at them . I have a standard Barnevelder cockerel, hatched February of this year. He is from my stock, not crossed with anything but barnevelders, I just hatched too many roosters this spring and he doesn't have a spot. He is not a cull, the culls were all taken care of this spring, he is a true to breed youngster, crowing and ready for action.....AND I have 2 bantam barnevelder cockerels, hatched april of this year. Same story as the above boy...DEFINITELY not junk....They are from MY flock, not hatched from someone elses junk. They are/were being raised as potential replacement roosters BUT seemingly ALL the cockerels I hatched this spring are REALLY good so someone has to go...I am not offering these in an auction because I don't need the money...I would rather someone that REALLY wants to improve their line would have them...YES HAVE them....yours for the taking, Pick-up only but absolutely free...When you see these bantam roosters you will faint...Nothing even close to their quality pictured around here....The standard is as good. PM me if you are interested...I don't have any pictures but suffice it to say "better than anything you have ever seen, at least ever held"...1 barnevelder person to another....Just please don't take them and then sell them...Not the point of this exercise. None of these birds or any of my lines have ever come from hatchery stock and breed and hatch true to the parent stock.

****these birds have been claimed...stop the PM's, unless you just want to chat

 

[littledel]

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If you want to do the cross, it's up to you. But, what goals would you have? Marans have white legs/skin and feathered legs. Barnevelders have yellow legs/skin and clean legs. If you are just breeding for a backyard flock mixing is fine. But if you mix the two breeds you can mess up your Marans and your Barnevelders. Barnevelders don't lay really dark eggs so your now "maranish" birds will not lay as dark as pure marans.

I have two experimental lines (out crossed to different breeds) in my Barnevelder flock right now and out crossing is fine with me IF you keep records and have a goal. Currently I have some 3/4 Barnevelder 1/4 dark cornish cross pullets that are laying some of the darkest eggs in my flock. Thanks to a fellow breeder who started the "cornevelder" project, I hope these pullets will add some size and better carcass qualities back to the Barnevelder. I also have some "blue laced" Barnevelder crosses from outcrossing to BLR wyandottes. My goals for that cross is for blue lacing, size and genetic diversity. Both projects will take a few years to get back to the Barnevelder breed standard.

Now a double-laced, feathered leg Marans might be a popular project to try, but no offense to the Marans breeders out there....I hate feathered legs

I like both the marans and the barnvelders, but my goal in this case is the come up with a heartier bird that still lays a really nice dark egg. I plan to still have some pure strains, but am curious as to what I may get with this. Thanks