Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed

[corancher]

I have not been on this thread for awhile, however I have had Barnevelders for years. I have been culling and breeding out faults and now have some really nice Barnevelders. My problem is now that I have some really nice birds they lay a light colored egg and 3-4 shades lighter than my Barnevelders from years ago. Does anyone have really nice Barnevelders that still lay a darker egg?

 

[islandgal99]

Who has a favorite age to start picking out barnevelder cockerals? And what's the best age to eat them? My odds have been leaning on the cockeral side this year, I have hatched out about 45 cockerals to 7 pullets. Even the broody hen hatched 100% cockerals. And that's just my barnevelders. I hope it's not the same with the less easy to sex breeds, or I won't have many layers for next year and will be eating chicken every day of the year and so will my friends!!!

What are you selecting for? I have some that already stand out, do these continue to stand out? Last year I only had two cockerals, so wasn't really paying attention to the differences. This year I have so many and would like to start separating the keepers from the eaters. I may have to send my eaters to a friends place to get them to a good eating size, as my nieghbors are already unhappy with my three roosters and I doubt they will tolerate another season of immature crowers. But I won't be able to 'guard' the chickens if they head to a friends house like I do here, so a wee bit concerned about moving any keepers over there.

I don't want to send a roo away that may have had hidden potential I didn't see. But I don't want to keep birds hanging around that needn't be. I have 2 in the 2 month pen that stand out, 1 in the 6 week pen, 2 in the 3 week pen and the babies I'm not even guessing right now. Should I just hang onto the standouts for now and then pick the best of them, or is it even realistic to pick them when so young?

What do you all do for selecting cockerals? Growing them all out to maturity is not an option for me.

 

[irtehun]

Anyone know of any breeders in Indiana? Prefer northern indiana.

 

[sherpagirl]

I have been working on egg color for a few years. It has definitely improved. I have one that lays super dark and a few others that are pretty dark. I'm keeping a rooster hatched from my super dark hen to use next year. I will try to post some pics soon.

 

[DiamondDust]

Islandgal99, I wish I was close enough to take your extra cockerels. I hatched only one DL Barney cockerel this year (though I got three blue and one splash Barnevelder cockerels with my other hatch). I'd gladly grow out your extra cockerels and share the best once grown if I could! Oh well...B.C. is close to WA but not really that close, lol.

 

[sherpagirl]

The first fault and an easy one to look for is feather nubs between the toes and/or a feather on a leg.

 

[sherpagirl]

I have been working on egg color for a few years. It has definitely improved. I have one that lays super dark and a few others that are pretty dark. I'm keeping a rooster hatched from my super dark hen to use next year. I will try to post some pics soon.

Here is a pic of two of what I call my "super darks" next to an average one. This is the best I've had so far in my flock.

 

[sherpagirl]

The first fault and an easy one to look for is feather nubs between the toes and/or a feather on a leg.

This was in response to how to pick cockerels for culling (island gal).

 

[informative]

STANDARD WEIGHTS
Cock 7 lbs. Hen 6 lbs.
Cockeral 6 lbs. Pullet 5 lbs.

I would love to see some pics of you birds and might even want the rooster you get rid of if he has good color I am in West TN. some of my birds seem to be on the small side.

So you are telling me these Barnevelders roos only go up to 7 pounds? Then why do these roos here look like 9 pounds? I like large breeds and have Langshans and looking to breed in some Jerseys and was considering these but 6-7 pounds sounds like something else smaller than my target table/dual use birds

 

[islandgal99]

Islandgal99, I wish I was close enough to take your extra cockerels. I hatched only one DL Barney cockerel this year (though I got three blue and one splash Barnevelder cockerels with my other hatch). I'd gladly grow out your extra cockerels and share the best once grown if I could! Oh well...B.C. is close to WA but not really that close, lol.

Yup, up to 47 cockerals, 10 pullets. The numbers are playing with me this year.. I thought it was my incubator, but even my broody hatched all boys. Must be something in the water. lol

I'd love to send you some but I don't think live chickens can cross the border... which I don't get as diseases don't respect borders, and the any of the same bugs in BC are in Washington. It's closer than you think...I did get both of my dogs from Roy, Washington and that was a day trip with two ferry rides, so not far at all really.