Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed

[tls_ranch]

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Thanks

I keep looking at pics of the blues in the UK and comparing them to my project birds. I think the color is almost right. Tail set, leg color, egg color and lacing still need work. I think a few more generations and they'll really start looking nice I'm glad I went ahead with the project after so many told me that it wouldn't work.

Trisha

 

[tls_ranch]

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Very cute little barnie

Trisha

 

[WillowTreeFarm]

Thank you! I am having a ton of fun watching them grow... it's my first time having chicks!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I took some pictures today of my 30 week old freeloaders. Still not a darn egg in sight! I think they've decided they are too pretty to lay eggs.

Here's my main roo - he has great type, but he wouldn't cooperate for a picture as he was too busy trying to intimidate the camera.

He is also the largest rooster I had. (and I had lots of them to choose from) He's from Trisha's stock.

This is my back up rooster - he's not as large as the first one, and his comb isn't as nice - but he's got good shape I think. We'll see how he matures as he gets older. He's darker than roo #1.

This pullet is from Mediazeal's stock - she's pure vb lines. She's a bit on the small side compared to my other pullet, but I'm hoping to improve that by breeding her to my top roo.

This pullet is from Trisha - she scalped her comb really badly, she used to have a really nice comb. I think she tore it off on the fence, there was a piece hanging on, but it disappeared about a week ago.

The 2 girls together.

 

[pinkchick]

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They are looking great Kelly! Really liking that first boy! The girls are lovely! From the looks of the their combs and faces they should be laying..shame on the scragglers for making you wait.

 

[pinkchick]

Day 24 and look what is happening in the 'bator.


Day 24!!!!!

Geesh!


6 out of 7 eggs made it to lockdown, just after I snapped a photo of the first chick the second one hatched and #3 is pretty much here too. 2 more pips in there. Not sure what the 6th egg is going to do.

Chooks or Trisha~ Please remind me again of the chest color thing....creamy off white= boys and the darkish grayish taupe = girls???? Thank you in advance. For the life of me I can never remember this. I must write it down.

I think I am going to be hatching lots of Barnies this year. They are so addicting!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Yep, white = boys, taupe = girls. Day 24 YIKES! Talk about stress!

I thought for sure I was going to get an egg yesterday. Trisha's girl was in and out of the nest box, bawking loudly, heard the egg song from her twice BUT no egg. Hopefully today will be the day.

Kim, funny you mentioned the first boy, he's my favorite too, and has been from the start. But I've been debating whether to keep the 2nd boy or not. I have 14 girls in that coop that they are in. (including the barnevelder pullets) I go back and forth on keeping both and seeing how they fill out OR just keeping rooster #1 and breed a 2nd rooster to keep when the girls start laying. I'd love your opinion.

(And Trisha's too)

 

[pinkchick]

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I know he likes to intimidate the camera, but is it possible to get photos of him from the side...particularly showing the slope of his back? I like him and love his comb....a little worried about the fluff at the base of the tail, is he 30 weeks old too? Maybe he is not done feathering in and the tail coverts aren't done growing so they cover that fluff. (We are having a nice discussion about the fluff over in the Wellie thread if you didn't see it..

would love to have you join in. ) His colors are nice from what I can see in the photo, especially that hackle color. I love his hackle color!

#2 has good hackle color as well and seems just a tad darker than #1, both have great eye color. I wouldn't worry at all about #2's comb, with the right female that can be fixed. I'm not in love with this guys back or stance (slope), but it very well could be the way he is standing because he is checking you out and probably a little on guard.


Ohhhh and yah....this day 24 thing is STUPID!!!!!!! But I had a hatch go until day 27 once...now that was nerve wracking. It was Marans, go figure.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Yes, they are both 30 weeks old. EVERY rooster I hatched had some gray fluff at the tail. I'll try to get a better picture of #1 when it's not raining. I love #1's comb, it's darn near perfect - nicely spaced, not overly large, etc.

#2 is smaller than #1, but possibly a bit wider in the chest area. He also seems a bit shorter legged. He's definitely darker though, which I'm not sure is desired or not. There's just something about him that I constantly look for, but can't place it. It's weird.

I'm watching the wellie thread. Moose has a little gray fluff at the base of his tail, but it's weird - sometimes it shows and sometimes it doesn't.

 

[tls_ranch]

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Nice looking cockerels and pullets

The less whitish tail fluff = the better. But, you can't really evaluate the cockerels until they are almost fully grown. Yes, the tail fluff seems to be a problem with the vB and KC lines. The Johans seem to have less white fluff. It's just another thing to work on and select against.

Trisha