Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed

[peachychick]

TNchickenut,
I don't think $10 is too much. Depending on your bloodlines, that could be a steal. You're market will ultimately let you know if your price is right. How long have you been advertising? It takes on average 3 weeks for us to get a response on our listings. Maybe he could go into solitary confinement until you find a home?

 

[tnchickenut]

()relics :

Here is an observation: It seems that certain breeders are pushing lower quality birds into the market. It happens with every breed when there is a demand but a limited supply. It seems, to me anyway, that the "true barnevelder" has been watered down by cross breeding to increase egg production. I have seen lots of "barnevelder" chicks/hens/rooster lately that actually look very little like barnevelders. My theory, and that of some of my other breeder friends, is that breeders are using both welsummers and penedesencas to generate more eggs which are to be sold. This happens all the time with almost every breed, outcrossing to improve stock or change a feature BUT it seems to have really taken off with the barnevelder breed. Hatching eggs breeding stock and chicks in the standard variety are easily found; not to mention bantams. Again many MANY of these are being sold to buyers as pure stock barnevelders when really they are not and the bantams are really nothing more than a project at this point but are being pushed as "pure".
Just curious to see if anyone else has come to a similar conclusion.

I'm starting to think the same. I hate to talk badly about people I have bought from but I'm just very leary of one particular "hatching egg only" breeder. I bought a number of breeds from them... and the funny thing is.. the barnevelders (bantams) were the only ones I would question their quality and background. The REALLY funny thing is that this same person offers Penes and Welsummers. I got their Wheaten Penedesencas and the one who hatched is a gorgeous female. I don't question that at all... the barnies though.... they are varied to say the best. Especially size. Egg color is also only as brown as my Delawares. I would LOVE to get in touch with someone and get some good Barnie pullets. (Someone PM me)​

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
it's been about three weeks I think... I am thinking of having a day set aside to put him and a few other cockrels out in the front yard (in cages of course) and put out signs. I think there are alot of people who just don't check online for chickens... at least in my area. Even people young, like my age (the computer age) don't always realize you can buy and sell chickens and eggs online. I have met a few around here that are blown away by the idea... so maybe my marketing is wrong. I would say where he came from if I didn't just write that line in the last post.

 

[peachychick]

When the young barnevelder chicks begin feathering in, do the boys tend to have a solid breast, either black or reddish? I notice some have a uniform pattern/lacing all over and others are broken up, with wings that look one way, hackle another, breast another. Is that indicative of their sex? I think the oldest are around 10 weeks old now.

 

[peachychick]

TN,
It still amazes me the people who don't know what craigslist or freecycle are. And they are in their 20's! Probably they are still paying retail for everything We have a couple of local trade paper/newsprint booklets around that allow free classifieds.
Do you have a local library or homeschool org. that has a email loop? Lots of us nutty home educators like to dabble in homesteading/extra curricular learning projects involving plants and animals. It taps into so many subjects (science, math, history, economics....). Plus it gives us an outlet for our sick, sick chicken obsession

!
The front yard is a great idea. Beautiful birds are hard to resist!

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
We have what is called "The Tennessee Trader" which is just classifieds from front to back. I tried that once and got a lady who was nice enough, but she never followed through with picking up the birds. I hope she just forgot for her sake.... hate to think she had a wreck or something on her way.

I think the yard idea would work for like you say... a pretty bird is hard to resist. I went to the local chicken trade one morning looking to sell these very barnevelders and never got them out of the car because right off the bat they had two SQ silver sebrights and I bought them. lol. I wanted to get them home quick, and I wasn't (I'm going to offend someone, I know) too impressed with the people there. I couldn't just sell my roos to people who were throwing them into cages. I have never held my birds upside down and slung them into a crate. I'm sorry, I know it is the way it has been done for generations, but that doesn't mean it's the best or only way.

So, needless to say, I am even weary of selling them in the yard because who knows who will stop by to get them. I don't mind people getting them to eat if they do so with some quickness and respect, but there are alot of fighters here and these barnies look the part. I'm just keeping it real here, folks. If they were game birds I would have a line wanting them.


You know... you just reminded me of a poll I wanted to post.

going to go do that.

 

[Laurieks]

Quote:
..starting to think the same. I hate to talk badly about people I have bought from but I'm just very leery of one particular "hatching egg only" breeder. I bought a number of breeds from them... and the funny thing is.. the barnevelders (bantams) were the only ones I would question their quality and background. The REALLY funny thing is that this same person offers Penes and Welsummers. I got their Wheaten Penedesencas and the one who hatched is a gorgeous female. I don't question that at all... the barnies though.... they are varied to say the best. Especially size. Egg color is also only as brown as my Delawares...

Relics: Sad but probably true, especially in hard times. All we can do is educate folks, and sell our birds at fair prices.
Tn: I hatched some eggs (for someone else) from, I believe, the same person... a bunch of Partridge Pene eggs, some of which hatched out other breeds... one is a Wheaten marans... very pretty but not what my friend paid for. I hoped the breeder would replace the mislabeled eggs, but no.

 

[rnau]

I usually don't post anything about breeders but I recently hatched chicks from who most Barnevelder people consider the top 3 lines and was very surprised to see some off colors. I also picked up some chicks that came from who is considered the best Barnevelders and again was surprised.
I breed Barnevelders and I know what they look like as chicks and grown birds. I have even hatched chicks from my own birds that are not right so I am not putting them down just making an observation.

Have a Blessed Day
Roy

PS: I am selling around 10 trios if anyone desires any.

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
If it is the same person, it happened to me too. I'm still not sure if I got standards or bantams. Some were marked standard and some bantam. When I wrote a email about it to this person, they said... "they are all bantam. Don't worry." Bantam is what I wanted but standard seems to be what I got. I know there is no exact size for bantam barnies but these are 6-7 lbs!!!! Not at all close to what I would even call a big bantam.

 

[Kansaseq]

I was given 4 pullets and a rooster last fall from a friend. He bought the eggs from a breeder (he can't remember the name now) who had show quality birds. Well, being new to the breed, it took me a while to start to wonder why two of my pullets are lighter than the other two, and don't have good lacing on their breasts. After doing some research, I've come to realize that they probably shouldn't be bred, so they will be retired to my layer pen. I wonder if my birds originate from the same lines as Laurieks and tnchickenut?
But then arnau said that you can get off-colored birds, even from very good lines. Guess you just have to evaluate each chick as they hatch.