Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed

[LittleMissPurdy]

One more thing...Sometimes breeding good birds may not be just breeding the best to the best. It may be necessary to breed two birds together that will complement each other or fix "extremes". High tail set...to low. Great lacing, but small, to a big but not so well laced bird. Etc, Etc. Not all show quality birds come from pairing SQ birds. And pairing up SQ birds does not always equal SQ either.

Egg color is also a factor. You may want to keep a hen with shafting and peppering....if she lays a darker egg. If you cull her and only keep the "pretty" ones...you may loose those dark egg genes. Just evaluate each bird's strengths and weaknesses individually. Eventually you'll end up with what you want your birds to be. Sometimes it's 2 steps forward...one step back

Trisha

Trisha- thank you, so much to learn. It is alot of common sense-like you said. 2 steps forward..1 step back..can be applied to a great many things! I must admit I do judge alot by the looks, I guess I have to start somewhere, but would always want to work-towards a "complete" package. Thank you again Trish.

Danielle

 

[Happy Chooks]

Anyone have experience with leg issues? One of my barnevelder cockerels was limping last week. I have had him in a dog crate since, but it doesn't seem to be getting better. I can move the leg around and can't feel or see any swelling or break. I really need him, so if you have any suggestions, please let me know.

 

[Totalcolour]

. . . One of my barnevelder cockerels was limping last week. . .

I have one that did the same thing. About 4 months ago - I saw him limping and thought his leg was broken, although when I checked him over, I couldn't detect a break. I just let him be, lots of rest and now has almost recovered. He still limps occasionally. I couldn't show him, but he's a nice bird and I can still use him for breeding. He's the only cock I have (Johan line).

Perhaps if your bird is given lots of rest he will recover too?!? Do you need him for showing? You didn't say how bad the limping is - if he is getting around okay, but slow, it may be nothing more than a sprain . . .

Good luck

 

[tls_ranch]

Anyone have experience with leg issues? One of my barnevelder cockerels was limping last week. I have had him in a dog crate since, but it doesn't seem to be getting better. I can move the leg around and can't feel or see any swelling or break. I really need him, so if you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Kelly,
I had 2 blue cockerels hurt their leg this year different hatches but about the same age as yours. I think they just hurt themselves being frisky (running, playfighting, trying to mate etc). Both recovered with no help from me or even being seperated from the flock. I didn't "care" about them (I have so many extras at that time) so they had to tough it out by themselves. But, since your boy is a bit more "special" then maybe some more rest will help out.

On the other hand, my pullet broke and dislocated her leg way up in the "hip" where the leg joins the back. There was a sharp bone sticking through her skin. I had to put her down. But, the boys recovered on their own and didn't show any lameness later on. It did take several weeks for them to completely stop limping though.

Trisha

 

[Happy Chooks]

I've had some birds injure themselves and limp a bit for a while, but this is a pretty severe limp. I do believe it was caused by trying to mate and either getting a smackdown by my rooster, or the hen he tried to mate. I do have an area for broody hens that is 3 ft by 5 feet that I can separate him into to give him some more room to heal.

The way he is holding his foot, I believe it's in the ankle joint. He is not wanting to put weight on it and when he does, he hobbles. He is still in good spirits, trying to cluck to the girls for food.

I need both of the cockerels (the other one is fine), so I will keep him separated until he heals. I have a good amount of birds in that coop and with him being low man on the totem pole, I don't need him getting beat up while he is down.

Thank you so much for the input. And no, I'm not showing him, but I do need him for breeding.

 

[tls_ranch]

I've had some birds injure themselves and limp a bit for a while, but this is a pretty severe limp. I do believe it was caused by trying to mate and either getting a smackdown by my rooster, or the hen he tried to mate. I do have an area for broody hens that is 3 ft by 5 feet that I can separate him into to give him some more room to heal.

The way he is holding his foot, I believe it's in the ankle joint. He is not wanting to put weight on it and when he does, he hobbles. He is still in good spirits, trying to cluck to the girls for food.

I need both of the cockerels (the other one is fine), so I will keep him separated until he heals. I have a good amount of birds in that coop and with him being low man on the totem pole, I don't need him getting beat up while he is down.

Thank you so much for the input. And no, I'm not showing him, but I do need him for breeding.

Sorry, I hope he heals.

Just to give you hope. My sis had a nearly full grown, wild turkey poult that broke her leg TWICE completely in mid shank. Sis had to keep wraping the leg with a makeshift cast (popcile sticks, cardboard, tape and vet wrap). The first time the poult healed up, but was startled and she broke it again. The second time took longer and it finally did heal.

Trisha

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thanks guys. My fingers are crossed that he heals well.

 

[RachaelS]

My FIRST Barnevelder Egg from my Trisha Babies

, lightest one is Speckled Sussex, next is Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock, the darkest and oooohhhhh so pretty one is the Barnie egg.


For anyone interested, these are the cross I did a while back. I sold all the pullets (5) to one lady she sent me a pic back in October, finally figured out how to get it from Text to my PC LOL! Anyway, the Rooster was a Barnevelder, the hen a Barred Plymouth Rock, the result was sex linked babies. She said they are laying machines, at least 4 every day and most days 5.

 

[CarolynF]

My FIRST Barnevelder Egg from my Trisha Babies

, lightest one is Speckled Sussex, next is Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock, the darkest and oooohhhhh so pretty one is the Barnie egg.


For anyone interested, these are the cross I did a while back. I sold all the pullets (5) to one lady she sent me a pic back in October, finally figured out how to get it from Text to my PC LOL! Anyway, the Rooster was a Barnevelder, the hen a Barred Plymouth Rock, the result was sex linked babies. She said they are laying machines, at least 4 every day and most days 5.

Congrats on the Barnie egg!! That's always such a rush.
I like the sex links you made, they're very pretty. Was their mother also a prolific layer? Is it just their neck that has the iridescent green feathers or is it their whole body? I can see myself wanting one of these down the road!

Almost forgot to ask... what color eggs to these black beauties lay???

 

[RachaelS]

Yep, mom was a from Ideal Poultry, she is a laying machine, not the best looking BR but a good layer. Not sure of the exact color of there eggs, they are brow but she did not say how dark.

They have a green sheen ALL over with some brown lacing mixed it. Very pretty birds! I almost kept them, but I was after the boys not the girls