The Dutch bred barnevelder breed has to be one of the most popular, distinctive and attractive types of backyard chickens in Australia. Though breeds like ISA Browns, Australorps and Orpingtons are of course intensely popular due to their high egg yield, barnevelders are still a standout breed due to its unique plumage, quirky personality and of course those pretty and peculiar eggs that they lay. But, for most Chicken Ladies, it will be love at first sight when they see the iridescent green tinge in the feathers of a barnevelder chook. Now, any sensible person knows that looks aren’t everything, so it’s essential that you find out more about the other qualities that make barnevelder chickens so uniquely loveable.
1. Beautiful Chocolate Brown Coloured Eggs
Barnevelders arguably lay some of the most beautifully coloured eggs in the world. Now, there is no evidence to suggest that any variety of chicken breed lays tastier eggs than another, however, barnevelders do lay particularly gorgeous eggs, made recognisable by their chocolatey brown shells. Your mouth will start to water when you see these tanned, terracotta coloured eggs resting in your nesting boxes each and every morning. The only downside is when the time comes to crack these glorious eggs open you might struggle to destroy something so beautiful! The good news is barnevelders lay around 200 eggs per year, so if you have plenty of these cute and quirky birds in your coop you should have a fairly constant supply of these eggstraordinary eggs all year round!
2. Extremely Laid-Back Personality, Making Them Perfect for Suburban Backyards
Barnevelders are definitely not the most active and energetic chicken breed out there. In fact, these cute little birds are sort of lazy. But like any loveable lazy character, like Homer Simpson or Garfield, you’ll soon find yourself appreciating their laid-back personalities. In time your flock of barnevelders teach you a thing or two about living the good life and you’ll have no worries about kicking back, relaxing and putting your troubles on hold. This being said, barnevelder chickens can sometimes pack on the pounds, especially if you’re feeding them the wrong kind of treats, like bread or pasta. Don’t overfeed these beautiful chilled ladies because you can rest assured that they won’t be waking up at sunrise to do aerobics, yoga or pilates classes inside their coop.
3. Sassy Little Birds Bursting with Personality
Though barnevelder chickens might be a little on the lazy side that doesn’t mean these girls are boring! Barnevelders are known to be sassy on occasion, especially with other chickens. What does this mean? On occasion barnevelders might try to assert themselves as the alpha chicken by poking and pecking at other chooks. No matter what breeds you keep, chickens will always create rather intricate social hierarchies within the flock. Barnevelders make no secret of the fact that they want to be 'top chook' in any flock and sometimes that means they’ll be a little eager to put other birds in their place. Should you be worried? Not at all. Most of the time it’s best to just sit back and let the chickens resolve their own disputes. Frequent human intervention will just exasperate the tensions and result in further poultry conflict. In fact, it might be beneficial to integrate a barnevelder into your coop, if you’d prefer the ‘top chook’ to have a sassy, easy going temperament, whose main priority is eating, drinking and enjoying the pleasures of life.
4. Vibrant Iridescent Green Feathering
Other birds go green with envy when they see the fantastic feathering on barnevelder chickens. Barnvelders grow striking dark feathers with a iridescent green tinge that shimmers magnificently when they stand out in the sun. Why would you want a chicken with iridescent green feathers? Why not! These stylish barnevelders will add a touch of sophistication and glamour to your backyard. Your legs will turn to jelly when you watch these beautiful birds strut up and down the chicken run as if they were the world’s sexiest chick strutting down the catwalk.
5. They are Low-Maintenance Kind of Girls.
Other chickens with outrageous beautiful feathering, like crested polishes, silkies and frizzles, will need extra attention with it comes to grooming, which can be fun, but sometimes you just don’t have the time. Barnevelders are absolutely stunning but are actually fairly low maintenance. Just like other chickens, beautiful barnevelders will take care of their personal hygiene by regularly giving themselves dust baths, as well as preening themselves. So, you won’t need to worry about giving your flappy friends a chilly bath, barnevelders will be able to take care of their looks almost all year round.
Whether you're looking for a chilled, easy-going chook like the Barnevelders or something more sassy like the Silkies, there are plenty of breeds to consider to create your perfect flock. Deciding to become a chicken parent is the easy part. The hardest is deciding on your favourite breed! It can be eggstremely overwhelming to find the perfect breeds for you and your family. From looks, to traits to egg-laying talents - where should you begin?
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Whatever breed of chickens you end up keeping in your backyard, it’s important that they have a superior coop to keep them safe all year round. Chickens with personality need a coop with character and our range of coops that include the Taj Mahal, Penthouse and Mansion, will be the perfect compliment to the quirkiness of your flock. If you want to find out more about the different chicken personalities that can be found in every flock, just click here.
