Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed

[tls_ranch]

I am trying to thin down my pullets. It is so hard to decide! I would like to get down to 15 hens and 15 pullets. My final selection will be after they all start laying. I have plans for some trap nests so I can make sure of who lays the best egg color etc.

One of my 30+ pullets remaining from earlier selections. Her tail is in a more relaxed position.

One of my 1-1/2 year old hens. She is just finishing up molting. She was on my " cull " list for lacing quality due to the peppering and lacing issues on her tail. But I decided she will stay due to her fast molting, egg production traits and egg color. She is really strutting and excited in this picture, so her tail set looks too high.

Trisha

Pretty girls, do you sell the culls?

I sell pullets as " pet quality" once I decide that I don't want to use them as breeders. Hens are given to my friends and family if I decide I am done with them. Cockerels I rarely sell unless as meat birds or to be caponized.

Trisha

 

[RachaelS]

Wow Trisha, they are looking good!

 

[tls_ranch]

Wow Trisha, they are looking good!

Thanks, Rachael I got a couple of really nice cockerels this year. Pullets are ok, but I am being more and more critical about everything. I have set my goals much higher so it is even harder to select a good pullet or cockerel. I can't wait until I get my trap nests set up. Then I can really focus on egg production.

Trisha

 

[tls_ranch]

Here is a wing picture of a blue cockerel. He has the best overall color and pattern from my blue project so far. But he is small about 1/2 pound smaller than my best standard barnie cockerels of the same age. They already meet or exceed the standard cockerel weight. I think he will just make the SOP weight when he fills out, but he will look small compared to the others. I really am on the fence about keeping him. I planned to post some full body pictures, but he got loose. He wanted nothing to do with pictures after having me inspect him from head to toe.

 

[Dr Bjorn Netland]

I am trying to thin down my pullets. It is so hard to decide! I would like to get down to 15 hens and 15 pullets. My final selection will be after they all start laying. I have plans for some trap nests so I can make sure of who lays the best egg color etc.

One of my 30+ pullets remaining from earlier selections. Her tail is in a more relaxed position.


One of my 1-1/2 year old hens. She is just finishing up molting. She was on my " cull " list for lacing quality due to the peppering and lacing issues on her tail. But I decided she will stay due to her fast molting, egg production traits and egg color. She is really strutting and excited in this picture, so her tail set looks too high.



Trisha

Trisha, I am really impressed with what you are accomplishing. In my opinion, the hen does not carry her tail too high; frequently, one sees Barnevelders carrying their tails too low, which detracts from that elegant back line sweep (IMO) they are supposed to have. Perhaps an APA judge could weigh in with a better-founded opinion here. While I think color/markings are very important, I still think type comes before everything else... And production issues (egg size, shape, color, and productivity) would also be pretty high on my list.
Regards,
Bjorn

 

[tls_ranch]

[/quote]
Trisha, I am really impressed with what you are accomplishing.  In my opinion, the hen does not carry her tail too high; frequently, one sees Barnevelders carrying their tails too low, which detracts from that elegant back line sweep (IMO) they are supposed to have. Perhaps an APA judge could weigh in with a better-founded opinion here. While I think color/markings are very important, I still think type comes before everything else...  And production issues (egg size, shape, color, and productivity) would also be pretty high on my list.
Regards,
Bjorn
[/quote]

Thank you Bjorn I am struggling with setting proper tail set. I have been told in the past they are either too high or low. The ideal sweep seems to vary quite dramatically. It is also near impossible to evaluate a barnevelders tail set without actually seeing them in person. As they can carry their tails high when excited or lower when relaxed.

Trisha

 

[Dr Bjorn Netland]

Trisha, I am really impressed with what you are accomplishing. In my opinion, the hen does not carry her tail too high; frequently, one sees Barnevelders carrying their tails too low, which detracts from that elegant back line sweep (IMO) they are supposed to have. Perhaps an APA judge could weigh in with a better-founded opinion here. While I think color/markings are very important, I still think type comes before everything else... And production issues (egg size, shape, color, and productivity) would also be pretty high on my list.
Regards,
Bjorn
[/quote]

Thank you Bjorn I am struggling with setting proper tail set. I have been told in the past they are either too high or low. The ideal sweep seems to vary quite dramatically. It is also near impossible to evaluate a barnevelders tail set without actually seeing them in person. As they can carry their tails high when excited or lower when relaxed.

Trisha[/QUOTE]
Trisha, LOL...you're so right on! If you ever get a Barnie hen to go broody, then you'll see a squirrel tail like you've never seen before. I once had a hen whose tail set was really too low, and when she went broody, she ended up with a squirrel tail. After that, her tail set became pretty close to the ideal (i.e., according to MY idea of ideal). I might want to get some Barnies again...they're such gorgeous birds, especially what I have seen from your flock.

 

[tls_ranch]

Trisha, I am really impressed with what you are accomplishing.  In my opinion, the hen does not carry her tail too high; frequently, one sees Barnevelders carrying their tails too low, which detracts from that elegant back line sweep (IMO) they are supposed to have. Perhaps an APA judge could weigh in with a better-founded opinion here. While I think color/markings are very important, I still think type comes before everything else...  And production issues (egg size, shape, color, and productivity) would also be pretty high on my list.

Regards,

Bjorn

Thank you Bjorn I am struggling with setting proper tail set. I have been told in the past they are either too high or low. The ideal sweep seems to vary quite dramatically. It is also near impossible to evaluate a barnevelders tail set without actually seeing them in person. As they can carry their tails high when excited or lower when relaxed.


Trisha[/quote]
Trisha, LOL...you're so right on!  If you ever get a Barnie hen to go broody, then you'll see a squirrel tail like you've never seen before. I once had a hen whose tail set was really too low, and when she went broody, she ended up with a squirrel tail. After that, her tail set became pretty close to the ideal (i.e., according to MY idea of ideal). I might want to get some Barnies again...they're such gorgeous birds, especially what I have seen from your flock.
[/quote]

I watched a video on the Dutch barnevelder websiteof a judge evaluating a hen. Oh how I wish I could translate it But, I was really interested in how he handled the hen so as to evaluate her stance and tail set. Now, I am also seeing some " winners" that are showing more cushion than I thought was ideal for a Barnevelder hen.

I can send you some eggs in the spring if you would like to try some of mine I hope next years offspring will show even more improvement.

Trisha

 

[Happy Chooks]

Lovely birds Trisha.

 

[Elaine Elder]

I got about 50 barnevelders, various ages from 2 weeks to 2 months old. I have a 12x18 horse stall that I converted to a chicken coop in my barn. I have one end heated, 7 gallon waterer. Was giving medicated chick starter but they were skinny so switched to 24% starter/grower and added chick grit and spread 13 way scratch in the pine shavings to give them something to do. I have treated with corid for 7 days when they began dropping dead. Then treated with oxine when they started just sitting all hunched up not moving when the weather got cooler.
I fogged with the oxine. Then added 3 cc per gallon to water. There were silkie hens with chicks and a few Sumatra and Phoenix pullets in the coop already when I put these guys in there. None of those chicks various breeds and their foster silkie mothers or the pullets have shown any symptoms. But I'm losing at least 1 Barnevelder a day. Am I doing something wrong or are these little guys just sickly and I can't save them?