Olandsk Dwarf Chickens

[Sylvester017]

I came across an older GFF post about the original OD's which they had imported. GFF from experience had not been particularly fond of bantams like Seramas, etc, because bantams are flightly, jittery, afraid of humans, etc. Bantams were just not GFF's cup-of-tea. However, they did a nice write-up about the calmness and friendliness of OD's saying the breed was unafraid to walk around your feet, did not spook wildly, and were the calmest of any bantams they had worked with. At first they thought because their original OD imports were from a breeder who pampered and socialized the birds that it was the reason they were so nice. However, subsequent breeding showed the new chicks were every bit as sweet and gentle as the original import stock. The ODs truly seem like a worthwhile bantam to perpetuate especially after someone who is not particularly fond of bantams does a very nice write-up about the bantam OD breed.

 

[free burd]

Sylvester017
valuable post and very considerate of you to share it.
they have no faults, the olandsk, do they.

robert braun

 

[Goosegrrl]

Well... after reading at least a dozen breed threads, many the whole thread because I'm a nuts research addict, I finally think I've found my 'holy grail'.
A bantam that is beautiful, personable (fewer worries of tiny little ninja cocks- I have a baby granddaughter), lays better than most, and no worries about SOP snobbery and arguments. Perfection!

I live on 4acres of grass lawn and pasture, and I want to make this my only bantam breed.
Ultimately, I'd like to get chicks from a few different sources for genetic variability. Then repeat that influx of outside source genes every few years to keep the landrace aspect of this breed strong.

Now, to complete my coop and find some stock. I'm in Central FL if there is anyone with some in this area. Otherwise I'll be shipping I guess. I really want to breed these little beauties, and plan on building up a rather considerable sized flock. No restrictions on numbers here.



As a side note: I will probably also keep a pen of Lg fowl, but they would never be run together to risk interbreeding.

 

[Sylvester017]

Well... after reading at least a dozen breed threads, many the whole thread because I'm a nuts research addict, I finally think I've found my 'holy grail'.
A bantam that is beautiful, personable (fewer worries of tiny little ninja cocks- I have a baby granddaughter), lays better than most, and no worries about SOP snobbery and arguments. Perfection!

I live on 4acres of grass lawn and pasture, and I want to make this my only bantam breed.
Ultimately, I'd like to get chicks from a few different sources for genetic variability. Then repeat that influx of outside source genes every few years to keep the landrace aspect of this breed strong.

Now, to complete my coop and find some stock. I'm in Central FL if there is anyone with some in this area. Otherwise I'll be shipping I guess. I really want to breed these little beauties, and plan on building up a rather considerable sized flock. No restrictions on numbers here.



As a side note: I will probably also keep a pen of Lg fowl, but they would never be run together to risk interbreeding.

You are so right on all points! I love bantam breeds and originally started with two Silkies. I made the mistake of adding a couple LF dual purpose with the bantam Silkies and the LF eventually bullied the smaller gentle breeds so we re-homed all our LF. We didn't have enough space to free range bantams and LF separately. We keep 5-lb-&-under breeds only now with our Silkies. We have a gentle 2 y/o Ameraucana and a gentle Breda with our 2 Silkies - no more heavy dual purpose or layer breeds anymore. The Silkies are good layers of 1.25 oz eggs. The only drawback with bantam breeds is that most of them are very broody - all bantams are broody but Cochins and Silkies are especially moreso. I don't know how broody ODs get but I assume they get broody too. Broodiness is a trait that cuts into egg production numbers but there's only two of us and we don't need that many eggs. So glad to hear you love the ODs!

I think Greenfire Farms in FL still sells ODs as chicks or juvenile pairs or trios plus there are people on this thread you can PM to find out what breeder they obtained their birds from.

Even though I personally have no ODs at present I think ODs and/or Dominique bantams would be nice bantams to mix with our Silkies. I am so happy you like the ODs!

 

[eyralis]

Hi!! Would any of you have experience with bantam Faverolles vs Olandsk in terms of laying abilities? We have a few bantam favs, and were wondering if Olandsk would lay more/less often, or bigger/smaller eggs?

 

[gottaluvfriends]

This is a comparison of an Olandsks egg with a regular large egg from the supermarket. They lay approximately every other day but sometimes the next day (a pleasant surprise). But I have found that it may be directly related how much daylight/outdoor time they get. (Mine are primarily indoors unless someone is home to let them out for monitored outdoor time).

 

[pascopol]

What is the weight of average OD roo/hen? Reading about OD there is some consensus about hatching issues with them like excessive early deaths and significant loses just prior to piping. I wonder if this is genetic or resulting from possible inbreeding since there was limited initial import to US.
Perhaps somebody who breeds them in numbers can shed some light on this .

If this problem is common then buying mailorder eggs makes little sense, since the hatching rate will probably be awful when you add 50% "standard" losses on hatching shipped eggs to this problem it might be not worth to do it by venue of starting with shipped eggs.

I am concerned cause I consider getting into this very interesting and rare breed or whatever you want to call it.

 

[uzisuzuki]

What is the weight  of average OD  roo/hen?  Reading about  OD  there  is some  consensus  about  hatching  issues  with  them  like  excessive  early  deaths and  significant  loses  just  prior to  piping.  I  wonder if this is genetic  or  resulting  from  possible inbreeding since  there was limited initial  import  to  US.
Perhaps  somebody  who  breeds them  in  numbers can shed some light  on  this .

If this problem  is  common  then  buying  mailorder  eggs   makes little sense,  since  the hatching  rate will  probably  be  awful  when  you  add  50% "standard"   losses  on  hatching shipped eggs  to  this problem  it might  be not worth  to   do  it  by  venue  of  starting  with  shipped eggs.

I am concerned  cause I  consider  getting  into  this very  interesting  and rare  breed  or whatever you  want to  call  it.

I would be interested in learning about this also because I was considering trying to order some hatching eggs. On top of the usual % of losses from shipped eggs, I also have to consider the increased loss of being in a higher altitude.

 

[free burd]

i have read this thread and somewhere in it is information about reduced humidity at lockdown or something similar which is a key to their hatch.
(consider the environment they are acclimatized to)
at least 2 people who have been on this thread sell eggs on ebay and they do it weekly so they have to be having reasonable reuslts.
at 40 to 50 a clutch i am sure they must be...p.m. them from here or email any of them through their websites. they will have the answer.
i have not seen them post here in a while but watch ebay 'olandsk hatching eggs' for a week or so and you will see them.
one of them has a large flock and will know.

if you are giving olandsk any consideration at all - i would recomend trying them if you can. i have seen nothing that compares
to all of their qualities in a natural dwarf or bantam. they should be good survivors as well as productive and friendly.

also, the northern european land races seem to have a much broader spectrum of genetics than an 'apa' standard breed.
those such as the jaerhon (norway) seem to be impervious to inbreeding problems and are vigorously fertile.
(the whole race in america comes from one import of eggs - they are all inbred)
i havnt spent 2 years studying the olandsk like i have the jearhon but the icelandic has similar vigor so i am making an assumption
about the olandsk. initial inbreeding followed by line breeding may not be a problem at all. it will take me a while to figure that out
but i am looking in that direction.

they are really worth the effort of trying to those who can.

 

[Sylvester017]

Does anyone have a trio or quad tO sell? I don't want hatching eggs, young trios or even an old trio would suit me just fine. I'm located in East Tn. If anyone has some to sell or know where there is any for sale thanks.

I hope you get some private breeder responses. I know at one time Greenfire Farms sold Olandsk in started trios so you might see if they still do it. This is kind of the wrong time of year to get youngsters and you might need to pre-order to get juveniles by Spring 2016. GL!