Does anyone have the Dutch Owlbeard in the US?

[Windy Ridge]

Here's is a link to the Owlbeard at Feathersite--very interesting bird! (They even have blue ones, SpeckledHen!)

This is a blue hen:

Here's a close-up of a rooster, not sure what color:

I love the V comb. Very unusual.

(The photos are from a Dutch club site.)

 

[EweSheep]

As far as I know, no Owlbeards...they are pretty...even the all white with black beard is something else!

 

[Windy Ridge]

Durn it--I think I NEED some. I bet shipping of hatching eggs would be next to impossible overseas, though!

 

[Frozen Feathers]

You could probably get something similar looking if you crossed a La Fleche (for the comb) and an Amercauna (for the beard). I don't have Amercauna's, but I do have EE's and I can cross a few next spring with my La Fleche and see what I get. I imagine it will take a lot of crossing and back crossing to get one similar to Owlbeards.


Edit~someday I'll spell pretty

 

[Windy Ridge]

That would be an interesting cross! Of course, then you won't necessarily have anything that will breed true, at least not for many years--sigh. They're supposed to be quite good layers, too, the Owlbeards.

It might be less trouble to fly over there and come back with some.

I should start saving my pennies...

 

[Frozen Feathers]

I do believe it takes about 7 generations... so yeah, I imagine you should start saving up pennies, lots and lots of them. I imagine they are subject to quarantine as well when purchasing out of country birds. Maybe you can get some eggs, shipped overnight??

 

[Windy Ridge]

Heehee... I'll have to save my pennies for that, too!

 

[allen wranch]

When the Brabanter breed was becoming extinct in the early 1900's and the gene pool was so small, they were crossed with the Owlbeard because of the similar characteristics.

Some of the Brabanters from Ideal Poultry look more like Owlbeards than Brabanters...

 

[Windy Ridge]

Hmm, that's very interesting.

Here's a picture I found of a Gold Brabanter rooster, again from a Dutch club site:

I can definitely see the resemblance.

Here's another showing the body type from Feathersite:

 

[speckledhen]

I like everything except the split comb-that would take some getting used to, LOL.