Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed

[tammyd57]

Quote:
Boldman is my hubby, and it looks like I have properly fooled him into thinking I'm an expert, lol.

 

[acw123]

I am about part way through incubation with my Barnevelder eggs from a farm in Corvalis, Oregon. Pictures show that they are from Mountainview Orchards. They seem very aware of lines and breeding and which lines each egg comes from and is labeled as such. I have read through the thread and am wondering if anyone has had any experience with this breeder. The pics listed in their ad were great and the chicks shown don't appear to have the V marking. I am very excited for their hatching in about 10 days. So far 6 of the 10 I recd are developoing well, 1 looked unfertilized and 3 quit along the way. I am also waiting for a dozen hatching eggs from Farmer Johan to be mailed in a week. I am hoping to have a good mix of Barnevelders when all is said and done. My first batch of eggs were not listed on BYC, here is the description that was given from the Oregon seller.

Anyone with thoughts or past experience with this seller and or Johan that they care to share?

FROM THE OREGON SELLER LISTING....
Bloodlines: Our breeding birds are of the best lines available in the USA. The core of our flock, our roosters, are all pure Johan line, from the famous flock Farmer Johan imported directly from the Netherlands. Four of our layers in one pen are also Johan line and in the other pen two pullets are from the lines bred by Christina Ledford and the other two are Ledford x KC crosses. We breed for the best double laced females, darker brown eggs and the docile Johan temperament roosters.

Pedigree: We mark each egg with pencil to identify the pen it came from so that you can separate them in your incubator and band chicks. This is how we do it, and we want to offer you the same opportunity to pedigree your chicks.

Temperament: Our Barnevelders are very calm and friendly birds. Our roosters are friendly and like to be held. Our hens are gentle and active birds, they are proven winter layers and active foragers throughout our soggy Oregon winters.

Fertility: We have rooster to hen ratio of 1:4 in each of our breeding pens and fertility has been running close to 100 percent in the eggs and we typically have hatch rates of 85 percent of fertile eggs set from our Barnevelders.

Egg Quality is high. These eggs are dark golden brown to rosy brown, and we get speckled eggs now and then. All have that signature Barnevelder shine. The Johan birds and Ledford line birds come from darker eggs and this is good seed stock for improving egg color through breeding.

FROM AN EMAIL TO ME FROM THE SELLER....

The letters and numbers on the eggs are the pens they were from. CH-1 is pen one and the birds are all Johan Line, CJ-4 is pen 4 with a Johan line roo and Ledford, Johan X KC X Ledford hen


Looking forward to hearing back from a few owners.

Lisa in Charlottesville, VA

 

[peachychick]

For anyone interested in getting started with a bantam barnevelder project, we have buy-it-now offer going:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=479785

We can not keep these and time is quickly running out for them

. If you have a friend/relative close by, I would be glad to meet them with the chicks within reasonable driving distance of my home.

They are sweet little birds and hardy layers. They have great coloring and lacing, just need work to shrink their size down.

Please pm me if you are interested/have questions.
Thanks,
Kelli

 

[tls_ranch]

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Hi Lisa,
There are 3 maybe 4 main breeder lines of Barnevelder here in the USA. They are Johan (imported by himself), KC (Kelly Cratty), vB (C. ledford) and Erhard. Andy from Mountainview Orchards is very dedicated to improving the breed and has stock from the top lines. I think he even has two pullets from my stock he's using that are the two (KC x ledford cross) pullets he mentioned. But, I'm not sure of that. Barnevelders need dedicated breeders who are willing to keep working towards the Breed standard and improve egg color which is severely lacking.

Trisha

 

[Jen F]

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Hey there acw123, I am also waiting on a shipment from Johan. He said that mine would be mailed the week April 11th or 18th. I'm sure you are so excited, I know I am. I guess some of our chicks will be brother and sisters. Hopefully more sisters

Keep me updated on when you get yours. It would be really neat if we get them the same week. We should definitely be hatching buddies.

I do have to admit that I am very nervous. I had my humidity too high on my last hatch. I think I drown 3 chicks.

I need lots of advice. I want to do things just right of course.
Keep me/us updated.

 

[acw123]

I think it was wishful thinking/lack of remembering on my part when I wrote my first post as to when eggs were to be shipped from Johan. Went back and checked the email and mine will be shipped about April 20th. So excited too. Will keep you posted. I must admit I hadn't even considered the possibility of accidentally killing the chicks by having too high humidity, I will keep an eye on it. My six currently incubating Barnevelder eggs will go in lockdown this coming week. I really hope they hatch AND make it. Wish I could have hatched these and the Johan eggs at the same time or at least a bit closer together but eventually they will be able to be together in the same area. Right now I feel I am overwhelmed with chickens having to be kept separate in different areas...5 Buff Orpington and 5 Australorps outside in one run that are about 20-23 weeks old (still no eggs yet), 6 3 week old Barred Rock (which I think are 5 roo's and a hen), 16 Cornish Rock in their own pen and then the hatchlings to come that are now incubating and then they will have to be separate from all others as well as the Johan chicks that will hatch out in late May. It sounds awful but I will be looking forward to the Cornish Rock's being gone when they are of age. I am hoping that if I put an ad on Craigslist for at least 4 of the BR roosters there will be some takers as I will offer them for free.

 

[Jen F]

1 have one Australorp roo that is beautiful and very gentle. First one of that breed that I've had. Was from a neighbor. I've only had Barred rocks. I had a place for them so my father in law ordered them from Mcmurray hatchery about 3 years ago. I haven't had luck with the roosters being very nice. They like to flog me then I have to chase them with a broom

I hope that the Johan roosters are docile like others say they are. I want to enjoy my chickens and not have one climb my back when weeding the flowers

I'm nervous about incubating these because... cost a decent amount of money, there are only 12, I want to do it right. No rookie mistakes even though that's what I really am. I try and research incubating tips, but feel I never know enough. Of course different people have different opinions also. Which one is the best? Makes my head spin sometimes

I'm going to put you on my buddy list so i can keep in touch also.

I'd say that you are overwhelmed with all those. Oh well you can handle it.

I have faith.
Good luck and keep in touch.
PS what kind of bator do you have?

 

[oconnorfamily25]

Johan's Barnevelders are some of the most beautiful chickens I have ever seen. We picked up six chicks last week at his farm. They are my daughters 4-H project. It will be fun to watch all these lovely babies grow up. My family is from Holland so we thought this breed would be perfect for us.

 

[Jen F]

How awesome to be able to go pick them up.
I'm also thinking 4-H for my daughter with these birds.
I think that they are beautiful birds as well.
There is a picture of a BEAUTIFUL barnevelder roo on Google images. Lighting is just right and I'm sure it was a nice camera. Check it out sometime. It is my wallpaper on my computer.

 

[acw123]

Jen-

I am using the Little Giant with a turner, I got the fan kit but had to put the eggs in before I could install. So next batch, Johan's, will be with the fan. What was your humidity reading on the ill fated chicks? I know what you mean about information from so many sources, I too look for all the information I can but sometimes am no better off in the end.

Funny reading the last few posts. I too first ordered the barnvelders with my 12 year old daughter in mind for a 4H project but turns out not much going on in my area with 4H and chickens. We would have to drive about an hour just to go to regular meetings and they admitted they rarely do anything poultry related. And she has to go to at least 50% of the meetings. She could do an independent project but it is more fun to be part of the group. Of course I already am way more interested in them than she is so they will probably end up all mine. The unfortunate thing for kids her age is that you can't show poultry in the County Fair here unless you are a 4H member it seems. She has already won for her pies, jams and bread and really wanted t go for chickens this year.

On a different topic...how do I put pictures onto my posts??