Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed

[islandgal99]

I meant ruined here... If only I won the lottery! Then I could bring the lovelies home

I think there are a lot of nice Barnevelder birds in North America, and there are some lines that lay dark eggs if you look around. And if the worst thing that comes with North American lines is light colored eggs, I'll still take that and don't consider the breed ruined over one trait.

You could start a project line and work on improving the traits you don't like.

 

[southernfiction]

I got some from Ideal also, to be part of a project I was working on. They were not bad birds at all. Most actually ended up with really pretty lacing. They were not as "stocky" as my Trisha girls, but very pretty in their own right. Pretty sure the girl in the back is a Trisha Baby and one in front is from Ideal.


In this picture 2 are Trisha babies and 2 are from Ideal, can't remember any more with 100% certainty which is which. I am pretty sure the on left front is a Trisha girl. The Rooster is 100% Trisha

Thank you so much for the pics! I would be pleased if the pullets I keep turn out like these. So now I'm tempted to hang onto all 8 to see how they turn out.

 

[southernfiction]

Within one week, I joined and unjoined a breed group. I guess I'm just noting that you have to be very careful about what you join.

 

[RachaelS]

Within one week, I joined and unjoined a breed group. I guess I'm just noting that you have to be very careful about what you join.

I can say most breeders do not like hatchery birds. They work very hard to meet the SOP and hatchery birds generally do not. However, if you are just wanting them as eye candy, I don't see the problem. Sorry that you were attacked like that

 

[Happy Chooks]

Hatchery birds have a purpose. Their #1 purpose is high output of eggs, and they do quite well at that. #2 purpose is they bring people into poultry. I started with hatchery birds, then moved on to breeder quality. You can keep your own backyard flock of hatchery birds and breed them, and be perfectly happy.

But if you want to work to better the breed, show them, or keep a breed from dying out, then you move to breeder quality. The appearance will be better than hatchery quality, and most will not lay as well as hatchery birds.

There isn't a thing wrong with either one. You just have to ask yourself what you want to do with them.

 

[mountainvieworchards]

Barnevelder breed ruined? What do you mean exactly?

 

[Lillahimed]

I mean that most of the Barnevelder's in the US are not of high quality. The lacing is wrong, size is too small, eggs far too light, and production could be improved. I don't mean to offend anyone or that the breed can't be revived... it just needs a lot of help that's all.

 

[Apdeb]

Lilla i would do a bit more research before i made a blanket statement like that!!!! There are fine quality Barnevelders . I know because i own some, researched them, and purchased from a reputable source. I did not want hatchery birds i wanted breedable stock. I wish you well on your chicken caring journey!!! This forum has been very supportive informative and enlightening for me!!! Annette de Bruycker proud owner of www.fossilrockfarm Donna Beattie's Barnevelders!!!!

 

[southernfiction]

I can say most breeders do not like hatchery birds. They work very hard to meet the SOP and hatchery birds generally do not. However, if you are just wanting them as eye candy, I don't see the problem. Sorry that you were attacked like that

Yes, it was strange. I am familiar with breeders feelings about hatchery birds, but if those birds are all you can get, I believe you can work with the best you buy, select for what you want to select for (in my case egg production and longevity, plus breeding toward the standard), perhaps bring in a nice cock if you need to. The original breeders of every breed started at the bottom and in fact cross bred and culled. Hatchery birds are not the bottom.

 

[Dr Bjorn Netland]

I mean that most of the Barnevelder's in the US are not of high quality. The lacing is wrong, size is too small, eggs far too light, and production could be improved. I don't mean to offend anyone or that the breed can't be revived... it just needs a lot of help that's all.

This discussion has taken a curious turn, indeed. I doubt whether most of the Barnevelders in any country, including The Netherlands, Germany, UK, USA, Canada, etc. is of "high" quality, whatever that is supposed to mean exactly. If we're talking about a grade of v or hv in the German evaluation system, very few birds would earn that mark in any breed. Based on what I have seen, the Barnevelders in the USA are generally of pretty good quality, and I remember a few years back when a lady in western Washington state showed me some hens that were exquisite both in shape, size, base color, and markings...in fact, the best I have ever seen. She also showed me the eggs, which were large and very dark, about like a UK utility Welsummer egg. I took down her name and phone number but lost it, which I shall forever regret. I don't recall exactly where she had acquired the birds, but I think it was from imported eggs.
Then about hatchery versus breeder suppliers. Some "breeders" truly do not offer birds of any particular quality; sometimes, I bet, they may be inferior to birds offered by some of the commercial hatcheries. Wholesale judgments of any kind are rarely based in fact. It is certainly possible to start with a flock originating from a commercial hatchery and then breed selectively for desired traits. While it may take a lot of time and require a great deal of patience and insight (let alone meticulous record keeping...), excellent results should eventually be achieved.
A breed is perhaps "ruined" when focus is placed on one particular trait to the detriment of all others, and the resulting birds are all that's available. Conscientious breeders, of whom we have many, normally keep that from happening. A good example in this respect would be the single comb White Leghorn, which may be divided into three groups: 1) utility--production is sole focus, and absolutely no attention is paid to conformation other than the basic (size, color, etc.), so some people would claim those birds to be "ruined;" 2) exhibition--conformation qualities are the total focus, to the exclusion of production qualities [I have had them, with pullets laying fewer than 100 SMALL eggs in their pullet year but stunning to look at--I considered them to be a "ruined" strain and got rid of them]; 3) exhibition/utility combined--the strains that have superior conformation qualities and have yet maintained the production quality [several breeders offer such birds]. As for the Barnevelders, I don't know if there are strains that could be considered "ruined" -- at least I have not heard of any. If anything, I am more concerned with their susceptibility to Marek's than significant problems with type or production. However, but if breeders keep co-operating and sharing experiences, insight, and breeding stock, one would expect great strides toward an improved Barnevelder in general. Looking at what breeders like Trishia have accomplished should be encouraging to us all.
In sum, we should celebrate the positive things we already have available and welcome any contribution toward a more perfect bird, which will always be a work in progress. That is as it has always been and what it should be.