Breeds of Livestock, Department of Animal Science
Poultry Breeds - Barnevelders Chicken
Brief History: The Barnevelder are the most popular dual-purpose breed of Holland and have been found in Holland since the 12th and 13th century. They regarded as a prolific layer and great for commercial purposes. In 1922, effort was made in Holland to Standardize the Barnevelder stock as it existed in the hands of farmers. Of over 100,000 birds in the Barnevelder district, 2,000 were accepted by the inspector as possessing good breed quality.
Characteristics: The male has a black breast and tail, with red in hackle and saddle, like our Partridge Plymouth Rock. The female also resembles the Partridge Rock female, except that she has a heavy lacing on the feather with secondary lacing within. Where selection has not been a long fancy lines, the color of the stock is mixed black and red. The breed has yellow skin, produces brown shelled eggs, has a single comb and red ear lobe.
Standard Weights: Cock: 8 1/2 lbs; Hen: 6 1/2 lbs
Uses: Barnevelder fowls are hardy. They are good layers, sit and rear their own young. Cold winds sweep over the home district of this breed, and the climate is very damp. Because of the climate conditions a thrifty type of fowl was developed. The females lay a good sized egg with up to around 300 eggs per year.
Egg Shell Color: Reddish Brown
Platt, Frank L. 1925. All Breeds of Poultry, Origin: History: Description, Mating and Characteristics. American Poultry Journal. Chicago.
Lewis, Celia. "Breed Profiles: Barnevelder." The Illustrated Guide to Chickens: How to Choose Them, How to Keep Them. New York: Skyhorse Pub., 2011. 56-57. Print.
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