Barnevelder

If you are after lovely brown eggs then this attractive Dutch breed will lay them for you.

Classification: Heavy Breed

These fine layers were developed in the Barneveld district of Holland and according to some is a relatively new breed emerging in the early 1920s. Many of the barnevelder eggs these days are more brown speckled than very dark brown in colour. We have noticed that NZ barnevelders do not lay as dark a coloured egg as their overseas counterparts. Also the egg colour lightens over the laying season. We have found the type (shape) of the NZ barnevelder to be lacking in depth and fullness and the double lacing needs continuous work. Due to NZ strict import regulations kiwi poultry fanciers do not have easy access to importing hatching eggs from overseas so have to work with what we have got. This heritage breed is definately worth preserving for their beautiful brown eggs and attractive double lacing with its beetle green sheen.

Please note we no longer keep this breed.