Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed

[MissChessy]

There is also a new hatchery in Boerne, Texas that have the Barnvelders called Randall Burkey company. I want to get myself some Barnevelders also. Gonna try and see if I can get some chicks from the Ideal Poultry and if I can't I'll try the Burkey Company.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Quote:
Ideal was sold out until 2010 in February of this year.

 

[Tailfeathers]

I don't understand something and am thinking maybe someone on here can help me see what I'm missing. With the Subject being what it is, why in the world is there all this talk about getting Barnevelders from hatcheries? How is that gonna help improve the breed?

God Bless,

 

[corancher]

Barnevelders are very hard to find so sometimes all you can find is from hatchery. With selected breeding of these birds the overall breed can be improved. This is true of any breed. You can get good birds or bad birds from a hatchery and also from a private breeder.

It is always much easier to start with good stock but some people either can't afford it or can't find it.

 

[Tailfeathers]

Quote:
Yes, it is true that Barnevelders are rare and therefore hard to find. It's, as I said, one of the things that appealed to me about them. And yes, it's true that a breed can be improved thru selected breeding of hatchery birds, but it takes a lot effort, time, and money to do so. Barnevelders aren't so rare that one has to resort to buying from hatcheries.

With the lack of QC from hatcheries, I believe more harm is done to the breed than good. Take Welsummers for example which came, in part, from Barnevelders. There are so many faults in Welsummers now that shouldn't be there. Stubs, gray in the feet, white feathers, etc.

As far as I'm concerned, the only way to improve the breed is thru serious selective breeding with strict QC standards and the goal to improve the breed to the point of being the closest to perfect as possible. That simply cannot be done in an environment where there is no QC and the emphasis is on mass producing and selling as many possible chicks in order to achieve the goal of making as many bucks as possible.

Hatcheries have their place and Breeders have their place. But the goals of each are different and I submit if one's concern is truly to improve the breed, then hatcheries are not the place to go.

God Bless,

 

[tfpets]

I compare hatcheries and feedstores to fastfood restaurants (providers of quick chick fix), and private breeders to nicer eatery's and sit down restaurants (quality birds). Buyer beware. You often get what you pay for, or should I say, what you dont pay for?

If you have to have them, and want to work out the kinks later, people will get what they can, any way they can get their hands on them? Its a learning process as with anything, and it comes with it's share of grief.

I've learned the hard way with the Marans. I have given away a few interesting populations of not so Marans from my egg laying flock. I got the birds first, then found out about their history. Whoops.

I cant imagine Barnevelders are that much different. Many of us here are seeking Barnevelder stock, and will entertain offers of decent lineage for a reasonable price. Maybe a productive idea would be to suggest breeders or make recommendations for people to buy good lines from when we come across them?

For example, I saw Julie Gabbard's site tonight, she has Barnevelders, her eggs are $60.00 a dozen plus shipping....I think her birds are lovely too. Takes 4 weeks, but who's counting? Those are pretty!

Take it easy! Tina

 

[Tailfeathers]

Quote:
Julie is well known for her Barnevelders (and others too). I've talked with both Christina Ledford and Christina Cole and I know they are serious about their breeding efforts as well. I don't know the history of Julie's birds or their lineage but I have become aware of several things that would prevent me from recommending her.

I can't remember if I mentioned it here or not but I'm picking up Barnies (that are supposed to hatch tomorrow!) from a breeder that I got my Welsummers from. He is one of the original five breeders that got both Barnevelders and Welsummers accepted into the APA in 1993.

As soon as I make sure he's got enough to get me what I want, I'll ask if he's wanting to sell anymore and can't let you know then.

God Bless,

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I have Barnies from a breeder that you all have mentioned and I also have 20 pullets coming from Ideal. I have several roos so I can have several different lines going. I don't just want someone else's line of birds, I want to improve what I think is important with the Barnies. What good is buying from a breeder just to have the same birds they already have? I think it takes a good breeding program, different opinions about what is important to a specific program and a bit of trying to find the right clicks in breeding to get a superior bird. Just because they come from a hatchery doesn't mean they are bad stock and if I can't improve them then I am not a very good breeder at all.
Just my humble opinion about breeding these nice Barnies.

 

[tfpets]

Quote:
Julie is well known for her Barnevelders (and others too). I've talked with both Christina Ledford and Christina Cole and I know they are serious about their breeding efforts as well. I don't know the history of Julie's birds or their lineage but I have to imagine it much be pretty good since she's charging $60/dz.

I can't remember if I mentioned it here or not but I'm picking up Barnies (that are supposed to hatch tomorrow!) from a breeder that I got my Welsummers from. He is one of the orginal five breeders that got both Barnevelders and Welsummers accepted into the APA in 1993.

As soon as I make sure he's got enough to get me what I want, I'll ask if he's wanting to sell anymore and can't let you know then.

God Bless,

Why thank you!

But I'll also be the first to admit, I can admire your stamina! Holding out for real thing - the quality Barnevelders, doing your research and such...you know, my analogy of fine dining, eating good food and not garbage??

Well, I had to cave....as soon as I saw a local person here had Barnies on Craigslist, dont you know I had four of them in a box on the way home within the hour (like a Happy Meal??) I've lost 3 chicks already, they were weak from the get go, but the fourth is the prettiest bird I think I've ever had - dont tell my 75+ others that, I'll be in huge trouble!

I have 4 more coming from Lee and Penny of Little Gem Hatchery in April, $10.00 a bird - oh the Stigma of putting Hatchery on their name, but they are really neat people to work with, their birds look great as well, and their not a monster Quantity over Quality place. They'll even let you know when your eggs are going into the incubator!! Hopefully these are a better example of the breed than my previous little trip to (McDonalds)....

See, I have an addiction to chickens....it's why I'm here on BYC...to continue my abitilty to gain knowledge, support, and be enabled!
Oh, and I dont know squat about Barnevelders, except what I have seen at the shows. Impressive. Very Impressive!

So hopefully this spring, with everyones guidance, I will start to have visible birds with feathers to know what to work with to improve or keep or breed or what??? I hope to continue to encourage each other, as we do on the Marans thread....and as my Barnevelders become Egg Layers, I'll make a page for them and I will share my failures and successes, and their eggs as well. I like to send out eggs to people, with disclaimers, that they are "test eggs" for the cost of shipping, if they like. But whoa right now. I only have chicks!!!!!

Hope to be here for a while, with this interesting breed!
Tina

 

[Teach97]

Are there bantams? Just wondering...I love the dark egg but am really set up for banties and would love to add another line, project, breed...ok fine another addiction!