A Bielefelder Thread !

[DesertChic]

My Biels are now 2 weeks old, have nearly fully feathered wings, and have been working on leaving the brooder and perching on the edge of it since 1 1/2 weeks old. That's far sooner than any of my other breeds had started.

Bosch - cockerel

Brom - cockerel

Gidget - pullet

Gretel - pullet

Hansel - cockerel

John Galt - cockerel

Rearden - cockerel

Taggart - cockerel

Zoey - pullet

 

[jbkirk]

My Biels are now 2 weeks old, have nearly fully feathered wings, and have been working on leaving the brooder and perching on the edge of it since 1 1/2 weeks old. That's far sooner than any of my other breeds had started.



Bosch - cockerel Brom - cockerel
t
Gidget - pullet Gretel - pullet

Hansel - cockerel John Galt - cockerel

Rearden - cockerel Taggart - cockerel

Zoey - pullet

OHHhhhhhhhhhhhhh so cute. They look the same size as my Aussies at 4 weeks!!!!!!!!! AMAZING!!!!!

 

[elizmartin]

Anyone have Bieles with a very long and curved upper bill? I've got two pullets with this trait. The bills are long enough to get hooked on something like wire. It's happened a couple times now and they kinda freak out when they try to pull their head back and can't. I don't think this is good trait to have. I watched one try to pick up seeds. It would give up and go to the next nearest one and so on.

Don't know too much about these kind of issues and hope this is not something we see too much of. I would be inclined to only enjoy their eggs and not use them for chicks just in case it was a passing trait, but agree with kittydoc that trimming them will help them be less vulnerable to catching on things.

 

[Odelia]

Anyone have Bieles with a very long and curved upper bill? I've got two pullets with this trait. The bills are long enough to get hooked on something like wire. It's happened a couple times now and they kinda freak out when they try to pull their head back and can't. I don't think this is good trait to have. I watched one try to pick up seeds. It would give up and go to the next nearest one and so on.

Can you post a photo?

 

[Cody A]

Here's the two pullets with the long bills. They're right at 7 weeks old.

 

[Cody A]

Something else that concerns me about this breed is that they're 7 weeks and extremely scared to leave the coop. Right now they really only venture out into the run early in the morning and late in the evening. If a fly farts they run back inside. I'm new to chickens and this is my second breed to raise. The first were barred rocks, by 8 weeks they were out and about. Crows scare these Bieles back inside. The rocks got used to the crows and vultures quickly and could differentiate between a crow/vulture/hawk. I'm wondering since these are a German breed are their instincts not used to American birds and bird calls. If a crow calls and is not even in sight of the bieles they run for cover back to the coop. Every review I've read says they're great free range birds. Is there anyone on this thread that is actually free ranging them as in truly turning them out to a pasture and letting them forage and fend for themselves with free access to the coop and come and go as they please?

These birds may be to young to be brave enough to roam. Hopefully someone can give me some insight.

 

[DesertChic]

OHHhhhhhhhhhhhhh so cute. They look the same size as my Aussies at 4 weeks!!!!!!!!! AMAZING!!!!!

My largest cockerel, Hansel, weighed in at a whopping 6.03 ounces at 2 weeks. My NN Turkens were big birds but I didn't get one to 6 ounces until 3 weeks old. My largest Biel pullet was 4.44 ounces at 2 weeks. I'm really impressed by their growth and development.

 

[DesertChic]

Here's the two pullets with the long bills. They're right at 7 weeks old.

You definitely need to file down those beaks! Chickens typically wear down that tip by wiping their beaks against the ground and other things in their environment. For whatever reason, your birds haven't found the necessary "tools" to do this naturally, so you need to do it for them or they won't be able to eat properly and could starve to death. After filing down their beak you may even notice increased vigor and more of a willingness to leave the coop. Maybe?

Edit: The good news is that it's not a genetic or disease issue, but a management one, and therefore easily dealt with and corrected.

 

[elizmartin]

Thanks for the info about management vs genetic, but it still has to be the birds management rather than us doing it. I only thought what i did since it was 2 out out of her group that had this…slow learners ????

 

[stryker]

You definitely need to file down those beaks! Chickens typically wear down that tip by wiping their beaks against the ground and other things in their environment. For whatever reason, your birds haven't found the necessary "tools" to do this naturally, so you need to do it for them or they won't be able to eat properly and could starve to death. After filing down their beak you may even notice increased vigor and more of a willingness to leave the coop. Maybe?

Edit: The good news is that it's not a genetic or disease issue, but a management one, and therefore easily dealt with and corrected.

Just curious, What type of file would a person use, sand paper, nail file, small metal file? This is very interesting, because a person can easly see where to stop filing after reading several posts before yours.