Barred Holland breed of chickens

[msladyhawke]

Woot woot! 1st pullet egg yesterday, it was nice and white. Got a picture of it next to a store bought white egg.

Store bought egg on top, Holland pullet egg on bottom.

 

[smoothmule]

Woot woot! 1st pullet egg yesterday, it was nice and white. Got a picture of it next to a store bought white egg.

Alrighty! I have been getting whiter eggs now, the first were pretty translucent so it was hard to judge the white. I have some in the bator and have hatched one chick so far. Because I'm getting so few, I don't have enough to ship but when I get some chicks hatched and well started, I will offer 3 or 4 chicks with 6 hatching eggs as a bundle.

 

[Cross Creek]

Congratulations. That's a beautiful egg.

 

[Cross Creek]

Thanks Ms. Ladyhawke.
I'm planning to order an incubator today and order eggs from Murray McMurray to make sure it's working properly before I use it for precious Barred Holland eggs. I never thought I could be so excited about raising chickens.
After much research, albeit by a novice, I've decided on a Brinsea Octagon but would like input from the gang before I order it.

 

[donrae]

Thanks Ms. Ladyhawke.
I'm planning to order an incubator today and order eggs from Murray McMurray to make sure it's working properly before I use it for precious Barred Holland eggs. I never thought I could be so excited about raising chickens.
After much research, albeit by a novice, I've decided on a Brinsea Octagon but would like input from the gang before I order it.

Oh, if it's just for an incubation test, don't go through the expense of ordering eggs. Folks here put ads on craigslist all the time for fertile eggs for incubator testing or giving to a broody. Unless you want a specific breed, just post in the farm & garden section. Folks love to give or sell fertile eggs for a low price. Lots of times you can barter hatching the eggs for half the chicks, something like that. If you don't want to keep the chicks, offer to hatch them for free. I just hate to see someone spend $ if they don't have to!

 

[Cross Creek]

Thanks for the suggestion! I definitely don't want to spend money I don't have to.
Someone suggested getting a few brooder hens and let them do the work for me. Any thoughts on that?

 

[Pocket Farmer]

The Barred Hollands don't tend to go broody, so if you are planning to breed, you'll need an incubator. Brinsea is a good brand. I get excellent hatch rates from mine.

 

[donrae]

I have a few bantam cochins I keep for broodies. I love letting momma do the work, and watching a hen raise chicks is just the coolest thing! Course, you have to wait for them to go broody, it's not just on demand like an incubator. My bantam can take 8 large fowl eggs, incubators can take a lot more depending on how much you want to spend. It's just a personal decision. My personal decision was an incubator would be bad for me. Like crack bad. I don't drink, don't gamble, don't do drugs.....but I think I could become a hatchaholic quite easily!!

 

[mrquacker]

Cross Creek, Broody hens work great for hatching eggs. I;ve got a game hen 7 years old that can pull off 3 hatches a year. I let her do all the raising up of chicks.I just busted her off a nest she had hidden with 14 eggs. Only 1 of my hollands acted broody this year and that was two weeks ago. For me it's too late to have chicks around so I didn't encourage her at all. No matter if you go hen or incubator both will work. I bought a Brinsea Oct off craigslist back in april filled it with Bourbon Red eggs{10[ in the cellar went to ILL to work for 3 weeks came home and 7 poults hatched so I think the Oct with humidity pump is a set it and forget it rig. But as far as if its worth what they cost only time will tell. Dave

 

[mhollow]

Reminder
If anyone is interested in getting your name on the American Livestock Breed Conservancy Barred Holland breeder list, Please forward to me (by way of PM) the following information. (I have been in contact with Alison Martin at the ALBC and volunteered to do some data gathering for them)

Name
Contact information
Address
Source of Stock
Number of Breeding Birds (Hens/Cocks)
Any additional information that you think might be helpful to the ALBC

If you do not feel comfortable forwarding this information to me you may forward it directly to the ALBC.

There has been some activity with the ALBC lately and they are currently trying to determine where the birds on the list came from. My hope is that this project will be placed on the fast track soon! Lets keep our fingers crossed