Barnevelder Egg Laying Question

[SussexInSeattle]

I have a 7 month old Barnevelder who started her squats about the first day of Spring. She has been my last hold out for new eggs in my flock of 9. Every day I check those boxes for that elusive brown egg and every day all I get are those tans and whites! I just don't get it. Then I hear plenty of the chicken egg laying song and it's the BV coming out of the barn just cackling her head off. I go in the barn; NO BROWN EGG! I can NOT figure this out.

End of day, I have collected 9 eggs! How can this be??? I collected TWO white eggs today but only own ONE white egg layer. Is there any way possible that a Barnevelder who is supposed to lay a deep brown egg could be giving me white eggs or could she be un-Purebred? She is a dead ringer for every Barnevelder picture I have ever seen -- other than the roosters of course! Anyone very familiar with the BV's who could give me any info??? BTW, I paid a breeder 15 bucks for this bird as a new fluffy chick, based on the breed's reputation alone! I would hate to think I got a cross-breed.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

I doubt your barnevelder would lay a white egg. One of your white egg layers probably laid 2 in one day - I've heard this happens occasionally.

My 2 barnevelders are 27 weeks old and one of them laid her first egg today. It is a darker brown than the the eggs I get from my other brown egg layers (barred rocks & production red).

 

[SussexInSeattle]

That was my first thought, that the two white eggs would maybe have come from the Blue Andalusian, I just can't get why she is making the chicken song and doing the squats.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Mine squatted for 2-3 weeks before laying the first egg. Is it possible that your hen has found a hidden area in the barn to lay her eggs (separate from the nestboxes)? Maybe she is laying one of the tan eggs?

My second barnevelder laid her first egg today - it was a lot lighter than the other barnevelder's egg, but still brown - it was about the color of my barred rocks' eggs. This barnevelder (with the lighter egg) doesn't have the correct coloring like the other one does (you can see pictures of them on my BYC page).

My barnevelders were the last of my flock to lay. Eight of my hens started laying at 22-25 weeks of age. The two barnevelders both started at 27 weeks old.

 

[SussexInSeattle]

Hey, is Pratt's Feed still down in Glendale? That's where I got my RIR's about 16 yrs ago.

I think my Barnevelder looked a lot more like Lacy at 18 weeks but then in the more mature pictures, I can't tell who she closer resembles now and I'm sure she would not be happy with me waking her for a picture.

Nice set up you have down there. What is your major cross streets? Does Hickman's still sell 'retired' layers? If so, I suggest buying a few. For one it saves their lives and for another, they still lay real nice. I bought three of them way back when and the workers brought them up to the store front with their legs all hog-tied. They were completely submitted in this position and never even flapped. My chickens would freak OUT! They expected you to haul them out the same way they were brought up to you, grab legs and go! One thing I remember the most was that their feet were HUGE compared to my RIR's at home.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Yes, Pratt's is still there - they actually have opened a second store in Surprise. I purchased most of my chicks at The Stock Shop because it's closer to me. I'm at 67th Ave & Union Hills (3 miles north of the Stock Shop).

My barnevelders came from a totally different feed store (can't remember the name). I had seen an ad on craigslist that this feed store had barnevelder chicks for sale. They had about twelve
1-month old barnevelder chicks only - no other breeds of chicks in the entire store. I'm guessing they were from a local breeder. These chicks were about two weeks older than the eight chicks I had already purchased and I bought two of them.

I don't know anything about Hickman's and their retired layers, but I don't have space in my coop and run for any more chickens anyway. I originally meant to keep 8 hens and we now have 13 - what a surprise! I've been noticing that's a common trend with chicken owners

 

[SussexInSeattle]

LMAO, yes that is the trend of us nuts isn't it? I think the more the merrier until someone complains. I am constantly trying to decide who would go in the event of an emergency like that. I think as long as no rooster comes around, us chickens are safe!

I don't know if the Stock Shop was there when I lived there or not. I can't even remember the intersection of 67th and Union Hills now although I worked all over that area for years and years, all up and down the west side actually. And lived off 59th, 67th and 75th over the years but all Camelback or further south. Seems like that whole area has gone to pot. I will have to open my eyes and really look next time I get down there. I haven't been for 4 yrs now.

So if it's 3 miles south would that make it Thunderbird or Greenway? Do you recall the "Greenway Rooster" from maybe 15 to 20 yrs ago now? He used to live on the freeway in the median!

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

67th Ave & Thunderbird - the building looks like a barn (a brown barn, not red). I never heard of the "Greenway Rooster". Poor thing - living on the freeway with no hens

We can't have roosters either, but hens are no problem. Thankfully, we're zoned for chickens. We have an older home with septic even. My older neighborhood (70's) is now surrounded by newer HOA type neighborhoods (Arrowhead area) that would not be chicken friendly.

 

[SussexInSeattle]

I think Arrowhead was just developing when I left. Don't know why I can't picture 67th and Union in my mind but I do remember a barn on the right side of the road if driving westbound somewhere Glendale/Peoria more northern roads.

The joys of ageing out....

 

[SussexInSeattle]

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