Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed

[Piet]

For a blue that one is pretty good. The inner lace is often the problem, it does not want to stick together and not enough color (black dilute) is left. Its because we cannot control the way black is diluted(blue) it often takes away too much black or not does not leave enough to make good lacing. The Barnevelder Breeders Association is barely off the ground yet, but is build by sop breeders for sop breeders and any other fancier of Barnevelders. I did not say the Barnevelders are bad here, there just are not many bery good ones. There are some real nice ones for sure. I wish more people would show their birds so they can get a real educated evaluation on their birds and not just a "wow pretty" because it is shiney looking. And yes, the American are good breeders for sure, you see most of them at APA shows. Piet

 

[tls_ranch]

For a blue that one is pretty good. The inner lace is often the problem, it does not want to stick together and not enough color (black dilute) is left. Its because we cannot control the way black is diluted(blue) it often takes away too much black or not does not leave enough to make good lacing. The Barnevelder Breeders Association is barely off the ground yet, but is build by sop breeders for sop breeders and any other fancier of Barnevelders. I did not say the Barnevelders are bad here, there just are not many bery good ones. There are some real nice ones for sure. I wish more people would show their birds so they can get a real educated evaluation on their birds and not just a "wow pretty" because it is shiney looking. And yes, the American are good breeders for sure, you see most of them at APA shows. Piet

The blue does seem to mess with the lacing especially the inner lace too. I have many full sisters of both black and blue where the blacks have very good lacing and the blues not so good. Then when the Blue hens molt the quality/ expression of the lacing changes. But, my blacks stay much the same. Some black hens can get a bit more peppering after a few years, but generally not much changes. Blues don't seem as " stable" .

But, despite the challenges and I really enjoy mine. The blues fit right in with our natural landscape of blue oaks, seasonal grasses and manzanita.


Trisha

 

[Piet]

Piet,
Sorry I really don't understand, all breeds and all colors are a struggle for even the most seasoned breeders, that is why it is called the SOP.  There are a lot of breeds in the US, from other countries that seem to be doing okay, we are not that bad in breeding. So it would be helpful if you can show why the Barnevelders in the US, regardless of color but also including color, are not to standard and guide from there. Pictures help if possible.

I personally bought some Barnevelders from a hatchery, and nope not the BEST quality but they had really good clean double lacing.  They were not over all "bad", they laid a super dark egg, another quality of them, went broody, so pretty much not a bad rep, just not the best.

What is the BBA?  That must be a new group.

Please feel free to post pictures of yours, I would love to see them!

i posted pictures here before, just have to find them somewhere. Oh, and broodiness is not wanted in Barnevelders, not at all.

 

[RachaelS]

i posted pictures here before, just have to find them somewhere. Oh, and broodiness is not wanted in Barnevelders, not at all.

Thanks, I am very much a visual person, so pictures help a ton. On the broodiness, dang not sure what I read, but that was how I found Barnevelders in the first place, wanted a good homestead breed that would go broody. Everything I have seen said they should and it was all on-line, so it has to be true

Why would one not want a bird to go broody? They are not known for their mass egg laying production but seems to be known for making good moms.

 

[pysankigirl]

Oh, really? no broodiness? I didn't know that!

 

[RachaelS]

Quote:

i posted pictures here before, just have to find them somewhere. Oh, and broodiness is not wanted in Barnevelders, not at all.

Thanks, I am very much a visual person, so pictures help a ton when comparing and contrasting good and bad points. On the broodiness, dang not sure what I read, but that was how I found Barnevelders in the first place, wanted a good homestead breed that would go broody. Everything I have seen said they should and it was all on-line, so it has to be true

Why would one not want a bird to go broody? They are not known for their mass egg laying production (like a leghorn) but seems to be known for making good moms.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Here are the pictures Piet posted:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...r-and-improve-the-breed/4050_50#post_12391772

 

[Piet]

Oh, really?  no broodiness?  I didn't know that!

it takes away from production and the Barnevelder is a good producer and used to be the best in egg competitions before the commercial hybrids came on scene. They measured by total egg weight per year, not number of eggs, and the Barnevelder proved to be the beste herein. Read the history on the Barnevelder Breeders Association. It tells it all from day 1. More will be added to the site as I finish translating material. Piet

 

[tls_ranch]

Oh, really?  no broodiness?  I didn't know that!

it takes away from production and the Barnevelder is a good producer and used to be the best in egg competitions before the commercial hybrids came on scene. They measured by total egg weight per year, not number of eggs, and the Barnevelder proved to be the beste herein. Read the history on the Barnevelder Breeders Association. It tells it all from day 1. More will be added to the site as I finish translating material. Piet

They were originally well known for egg production. But they are no longer utilized for commercial production and can't compete with modern production ideals. They have evolved into more of a show bird and look very different in body type than the utility strains of Barnevelders that were bred a hundred years ago. Broodiness can be a useful trait to many small farm breeders in the present day. So to each there own.

Some picture of old time barnevelders that were winning egg competitions.

They do go broody at least many of mine do. I will be trying to select for average broodiness as I have no use for pullets that only lay a few dozen eggs then go broody.

 

[Piet]

To each their own, I stick with what the we (Dutch) have in mind for the Barnevelder and that view has always been the same from day one. Off course everyone has their own right and opinion as to what to do with their Barnevelders and so different quality birds are found in different parts of the country. Mine rarely go broody, but off course you can never say never. I have had older hens go broody, but I would never try to specifically select for it. You can end up with a notoriously broody line of birds. Incubators work pretty good! The ulitlity strains you are talking about did not look like anything, they were very inconsistent and had all different colors and many were even feather legged. After the Langshan did its job, the sop was written and very quickly the birds had to be bred to the written standard if it wanted to have any future as its own breed. The type and color became consistent and much like what we see today. Piet