WHITE BARNEVELDERS

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

I've been breeding Barnevelders for a number of decades now, this is the first time I've had white barnevelders hatch out. Is this a sport or a sign of inbreeding (line breeding not going to plan)?

OakA · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:15 am

Hi Purefeather,
You pose an interesting question.
You say you have been breeding for decades and this is a new development, I sense it has you puzzled.
If only just hatched are you sure they may not yet prove to be 'silver' or are they adults and are in fact whites??
This is only my opinion but feel it could well be a spontaneous mutation that does occur randomly from time to time, it is the way many new varieties within a breed or species occurs. It could well be that if your flock is "closed" and from your description you have inbred then this could be the trigger, it is known that close inbreeding has the potential to bring forward any mutation that could have occured sometime in the past and you have just now mated a pair or pen where it is a recessive on both sides of the mating.
Are they attractive, good quality Barnies and do they interest you ????
You have the potential to bring forth a new colour variety, they could well prove popular if true to type and are quality specimens of the breed, possessing the breed character and are distinctive and recognisable from other white breeds.
A large white dual purpose fowl with the characteristic of the large deep brown egg the breed is renowned for could well prove a hit with showman and backyarders alike, it is after all what the home producer prefers, large brown eggs.
Good luck and let us know how you progress.
An after thought. Have you introduced any new blood lines of recent times where this could have been introduced?? If so are you sure of the breeding history /pedigree of those lines??
If you have the room and the inclination I think I would do some test matings to determine just what you are dealing with, matings like sib matings (brother to sister) and/or parent to offspring, also do some to normal barnies to see if it is breeding true.
Interesting times ahead.

rocky · **Joined:** Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:36 pm **Posts:** 144

White Barnevelders have been around for many years, they originated from George Childs Dark Barred birds. They are recessive whites, both parents are carrying it. It can stay hidden for many generations before a lucky mating brings it out. I had a very close bred line of Black Wyandotte bantams and only occasionally got a white bird every few years.

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

Oaklands and Rocky, thanks for your input. So far I've (the incubator I should say) hatched out a cockerel and pullet. I did introduce a new cock bird to the flock this season, not a large specimen but good colour and comb. Didn't get any more whites out of last hatch, but hey look what happened after adam and eve got booted out.

bunyanuternie · **Joined:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:31 pm **Posts:** 2903

Hope you are hanging on to them to see what happens , Are you going to breed them back together ?

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

My word I will , and throw the other barnies over them or under as the case may be.

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

PS. If they don't lay brown eggs after a couple of generations it's chicken soup.

OakA · **Posted:** Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:02 am

Glad to hear it Purefeather.

It is useless to have white Barnies if they do not retain the true breed characteristics just to have an additional colour variety.
I agree with you, a Barnie that does not lay that lovely deep brown egg is just another fowl.

HBG · **Joined:** Thu Sep 10, 2009 6:45 pm **Posts:** 176

Any photos floating around of the white barnies :?:

HBG

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