Breeding Barnevelders and BCM?

[puppyduks]

I have Blue Barnevelders, Silver Barnevelders and Black Copper Marans that I'm getting ready to breed. I have hens and roosters of all three. I love my little flock of Silver Barnevelders and my Marans. I'm not so sure about my Blue Barnevelders, I think their coloring/lacing could be much better. What would you do with these birds?would you cross breed them? Get a better Barnevelder rooster or hens? Keep breeds separate? They are all young, about 5 months old.

 

[nuthatched]

How old are they? sometime they don't get proper colors until they reach adulthood. You shouldn't really breed young hens until they lay full sized eggs for the health of the chicks. Where'd you get them.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I definitely wouldn't cross breed them. It just takes too long to get back to what you currently have.
I feel like those that cross breed just end up with barnyard mixes/mutts. With patience you can continue to improve on what you have.

 

[puppyduks]

How old are they? sometime they don't get proper colors until they reach adulthood. You shouldn't really breed young hens until they lay full sized eggs for the health of the chicks. Where'd you get them.

The silvers were purchased as hatching eggs, the Blue barnevelders and BCM came from TSC.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Are you planning to try and make these better examples of their breed/variety in future generations?

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I have Blue Barnevelders, Silver Barnevelders and Black Copper Marans that I'm getting ready to breed. I have hens and roosters of all three. I love my little flock of Silver Barnevelders and my Marans. I'm not so sure about my Blue Barnevelders, I think their coloring/lacing could be much better. What would you do with these birds?would you cross breed them? Get a better Barnevelder rooster or hens? Keep breeds separate? They are all young, about 5 months old.
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I would cross them. But that’s because I like the variety of crosses better than purebreds. It all depends on your own goals with your chickens.

 

[puppyduks]

Are you planning to try and make these better examples of their breed/variety in future generations?

Yes, wondering if these are worth trying to make better or do I consider them a loss and buy better quality? Not necessarily looking for show quality but good examples of their breeds would be nice.

 

[Amer]

Yes, wondering if these are worth trying to make better or do I consider them a loss and buy better quality? Not necessarily looking for show quality but good examples of their breeds would be nice.

Then don’t cross them. Your birds do not look bad, if you keep breeding them, they should improve.
I know someone who took silver Campines (very rare of course) from a hatchery and bred good quality birds from that. To be competitive with the Marans you’d have to buy from an exhibition breeder but to have decent non-show-quality stock I believe you could work with what you have. With the Barnevelders few people have quality stock so you won’t really be behind anyone else. Now for the Marans, it would be a lot less time and money wasted to buy from a breeder, but I see how fun the challenge would be to create your own strain and respect that.

 

[puppyduks]

Update- My Blue Barnevelders are beginning to mate the barnyard mix hens and are fighting over them. I have to decide which one to keep. Which one of these is the best representation of a Blue Laced Barnevelder?

 

[Amer]

Update- My Blue Barnevelders are beginning to mate the barnyard mix hens and are fighting over them. I have to decide which one to keep. Which one of these is the best representation of a Blue Laced Barnevelder?
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I prefer 1.