Need assistance from Barnevelder experts, PLEASE!!

[oregonkat]

So sad. It really is a disorder. My little blue chicks should be here around the beginning of October! She's on vacation until 9/7, but she she'll set a batch for me when she gets back. I prefer hatching eggs, but I really want blue so chicks are really the best way to make sure I get them. You know how shipped eggs can be.

Lucky thing, you!! Please post pics when you get them! Yes, I certainly do know how shipped eggs can be, a solid PITA!!!!

 

[KikiLeigh02]

PITA is definitely accurate!

Lucky thing, you!! Please post pics when you get them! Yes, I certainly do know how shipped eggs can be, a solid PITA!!!!

 

[oregonkat]

@BlackHackle can you tell me if Barnevelder cockerels show a very pink comb, very early? My 'Ming' and one other chick now have bright pink combs. They are exactly a month old! UGH, my camera battery is dead but I will post pics in a little while!

 

[BlackHackle]

@BlackHackle can you tell me if Barnevelder cockerels show a very pink comb, very early? My 'Ming' and one other chick now have bright pink combs. They are exactly a month old! UGH, my camera battery is dead but I will post pics in a little while!

Yes, Barny roos start to be able to be sexed at around a 2 weeks to a month. The cockerels should already have relatively larger combs than the pullets at these ages

 

[oregonkat]

Here are a couple of not so good shots:

In the lower fuzzy shot, you can see the head of one of the other chicks, I suspect pullet. So both these are cocks you think?

 

[oregonkat]

@BlackHackle, if I cross this blue laced Barnie (assuming it is a cockerel) with my blue Wyandotte hen will I get 25% blue laced chicks?

 

[BlackHackle]

@BlackHackle, if I cross this blue laced Barnie (assuming it is a cockerel) with my blue Wyandotte hen will I get 25% blue laced chicks?

It's a possibility depending on what type of Blue your Wyandotte is. She could be both an Andalusia style blue or a unicolor blue

Here are a couple of not so good shots:
View attachment 1530560 View attachment 1530561
In the lower fuzzy shot, you can see the head of one of the other chicks, I suspect pullet. So both these are cocks you think?

Both Cockerels

 

[oregonkat]

Both Cockerels

Yes, I thought as much. Depending on who they turn out to be, I might keep both just for the lacing possibilities.
As for the Wyandotte, I will post a pic of her too as I have no idea as to her 'style'. She is very pretty with a nice disposition and I am LONGING for a blue laced HEN!!! It appears at the moment, that this is too much to ask!

 

[Cindyetal]

@BlackHackle, if I cross this blue laced Barnie (assuming it is a cockerel) with my blue Wyandotte hen will I get 25% blue laced chicks?

Likely not. The Barnevelder, Blue laced Red Wyandotte, Blue Copper Marans and several others all have the same method of inheritance of Blue. Blue is an incomplete dominance when you cross splash (the light form) and the black. If you cross two blue birds you will get 1/4 the splash, 1/4 the dark, and 1/2 are the blue (hybrid). If you breeder sends eggs or chicks from a pen where only blue parents are breeding you will get all 3 color forms. If you want to be positive all offspring are blue you need to cross a standard Barnevelder with a splash Barnevelder. The standard and the blue are indistinguishable at hatch, it takes a bit of growing out to see they are different. Here are some photos of my young Barnevelders Blue cockerel, splash cockerel, standard pullets and a splash pullet, all about 3 1/2 months old. I would suggest keep all the ones you have and when you find out which colors and genders you have you will know what you want to keep. Wait till they are 6 months or so to really evaluate feathering. If you keep only blue you will hatch all 3 colors. If you keep a pair with splash and standard you will produce only blue. If you keep one blue and one splash you will produce blue and splash but they can be easily seen at hatch. The double lacing on the cockerels is not quite the same as the hens and mine are not grown yet, but hopefully this will help

 

[Cindyetal]

Here are a couple of not so good shots:
View attachment 1530560 View attachment 1530561
In the lower fuzzy shot, you can see the head of one of the other chicks, I suspect pullet. So both these are cocks you think?

The lower chick looks like a splash. At this age the blue is still quite dark but possibly distinguishable from standard, this looks is pale like the splash. Cross the splash to the standard and you will have all blue or the splash to a blue and get 50/50. Oh and you wee commenting the legs were not yellow. That shows better at maturity, wait another month and they will look yellower.