Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed

[RachaelS]

I am so thrilled...I found some barnvelders!!!! I am going to pick up 5 pullets on the 28th!

Soooooooo happy for you!

 

[RachaelS]

So Trisha when are you going to ship him down to me, LOL

 

[pickledchicken]

The first cockerel will probably produce pullets with better lacing. The second may not be fully double laced.

Trisha

Thanks Trisha I can always use the help.

Chad

 

[Meg2000000]

What do guys think the one below looks like he might have some heavy lacing on the chest, I guess only time will tell

I looooooove their lacing! How beautiful!!

Hi Meg. I was told by a long time chicken breeder that if the ends of the feathers are curved they are female, if the ends of the feathers are pointy they are male. For what that's worth?? Aya

Thanks Aya! They all look pretty curved to me!

I am so thrilled...I found some barnvelders!!!! I am going to pick up 5 pullets on the 28th!

Yay for you!! How are you going to make it til the 28th?! Lol


I went to get some eye drops today and they didn't have much at my local feed store. I've read good things about Vetericyn so, although it was expensive, I got it! $35 for a 16 oz bottle was hard for me to swallow but it's supposed to be great for everything and can be used on my dogs too if needed. Sprayed it once on my BV's infected eye and will do it again before bed. Hopefully it makes a difference!

 

[Helen in the Desert]

Helen............I'm new to this so take my advise with grain of salt. Your rooster: I don't know much about eye issues. You could try getting a son from him without the eye issue and with less tail fluff. He has a nice tight wing set, and I personally like his dark coloring.

For the hens, it's really hard to tell as they are being overmated, but nothing sticks out as a problem.

The hens have realy nice lacing when they had their feathers - I was wondering about the combs as there is such a variety and general body/head shape and where they carry their tail

 

[pysankigirl]

Quote:
By looking at all of y'all's pictures...so keep 'em coming!

 

[tls_ranch]

Quote: You'll have to wait until the hens grow back their feathers to judge their conformation because they are missing a lot of tail and saddle feathers. Their combs look a bit rough, but roosters can be very hard on hens when breeding both on combs and of course the feathers. Your rooster should have more points to his comb, but combs can be fixed. Just keep an eye out when hatching for a cockerel with a better comb and less white fluff in his tail. The hens do have really good lacing and the rooster has nice color too. The roosters eye looks like it's been injured at one point. Over all the saggy (bull dog) eye look should be selected against if it's genetic, but that's a small thing to worry about...just again keep an eye out for "cleaner" eyes. Heat stress could amplify the "saggy" look too. In very hot weather, my birds can look really stressed by mid-day. But once they cool down their faces look much less "saggy".

I would also recommend adding some extra protein along with providing some extra treats (like greens etc.) so they don't get bored. Meat based protein would be great if you can. Just a bit because too much of any one "treat" could cause more issues. If the hens are heat stressed ( like most are this summer) they may not be eating as well or as much as they should. So the extra goodies may keep them happy but remember.... Everything in Moderation

As for light eggs, I read that commercial feed sometimes has quite a bit extra "vitamin D". If your hens are raised outside (unlike caged layers) the extra sunlight causes even more D to be produced by the hen. The hens can get an "overdose" of D and the extra D can cause light eggs shells. Stress, heat, too much D and not enough protein will lighten the eggs. I tend to get my darkest eggs in cool or moderate weather. Some hens might also just not have the genetics to produce darker eggs. Most of us are still trying to select for darker egg layers...it's just going to take time.

Trisha

 

[Meg2000000]

Today, for my 27th birthday, I mailed a dead chick in to UC Davis for a necropsy. Fun fun! We picked up our two 7-8 week old chicks and one 10 week old (all BV's) on Saturday. One was pretty lethargic but I didn't notice her not eating or drinking. I added Save-A-Chick to their water (both the electrolyte and pro-biotic packages). She started acting very sick yesterday in the late afternoon so we moved her away from the others. She wouldn't open her eyes very often and had trouble standing. There were no weird respiratory sounds. She died a couple of hours later. I don't know if you guys remember, but I originally had 5 baby BV chicks and 4 out of 5 died. My EO Basque's are doing great. Is it the breed?? Or maybe the place I got them? The guy I bought all of my BV's from "babysat" all of my chickens at his place while I was on vacation... so if it was an environmental issue than all of my breeds would be sick right? I can't figure it out! I sent the dead chick in for a Necropsy today so I hope to get the results soon.

Here's my 10 week old who has something going on with her eye. I've been putting Vetericyn on it for 3 days now and still no difference. Any ideas what it could be? She shows no other signs of being sick.

 

[mountainvieworchards]

Where do you live pysankigirl? Maybe someone here is near to you and can get you some birds or eggs, Don't give up.

Andy

PS Anyone on West Coast I have a surplus of 100% Johan cockerels form this years breeding if you are working with Barnevelders and want some of this blood in your program, they are off heat an in grower pens.

 

[mountainvieworchards]

Hi Meg
Sorry about your chicks being sick. In the pics you posted I saw two sick looking chicks. When one of my birds puff out like that and become lethargic it is usually coccidiosis. This occasionally happens when I am switching from medicated starter to non-medicated grower and the birds do not have resistance. If you just got them they may have been coming from a situation like a crowded brooder or grower pen where cocci can grow like crazy.

At the first sign of this condidion I go back to medicated starter and dose the water with Corid for the five day treatment. This usually clears up before the five days. Look for bloody feces. Chicks should not be puffed out like that and they should be active. These are two clues to look for.

Andy