A Bielefelder Thread !

[johnderosa1]

Not sure on production yet.... they are taking a break LOL.  They are pullets and have only been laying for a few weeks.... Eggs are HUGE and they were laying almost everyday.  So far I am sold!  I will sell my Rhodebars now. 

Good to hear that. Mine are 1 month old and growing fast.... Huge is good!

 

[johnderosa1]

Ok I had a few saved for setting in the incubator...so here ya go: They are HUGE I tried to weigh them & keep reading 3-4 oz.....does that sound correct ? It is a mediocre OZ scale....just wondering

Egg sizes are as follows: 1.75oz = Med; 2.0oz = lg; 2.25oz=xl; 2.5oz=jumbo;2.75oz=xjumbo and 3.0oz must = "huge"

 

[DesertChic]

The book
" A Guide to Better Hatching" by Janet Stromberg recommends temps at below 60, with ideal at 50 degrees, and of course turned as they are held.
Above 60, the embryo struggles to life, and that internal timer begins to tick, and after a while, the embryo gives up, leaving you at best, a bloodring.

I LOVE this book, and read it every year ! Even after raising chickens for 40 years !
(OK OK For 50 years.........

)


Optimal egg storage condition After oviposition the development of the embryo which started in the hen’s body, has to be stopped. Therefore the egg should be cooled down below “physiological zero” (26 – 27 °C) (Funk and Biellier, 1944). This process usually happens inside the nest or on the egg belt. If the ambient temperature is higher (which is not uncommon during summer months), delayed cooling may be a problem. In this case eggs should be collected more frequently to assure that the temperature of the embryo is brought down from 40 °C body temperature to 26-27 °C within six hours. A temperature in the 37-27 °C range leads to unbalanced development and hence early embryonic mortality. Too quick cooling may also weaken the embryo. Further research is needed to determine whether this is due to retarded development or other factors (Schulte-Drüggelte and Svensson, 2011)

DesertChic: It seems the web site you have shown, is describing how to tell a fertile egg, and how to develope it into a chick.
What we were discussing is how to prevent the embryo from developing, and proper handling of these eggs until we set them for incubation.
Unfortunately, once the eggs are exposed to warmer temps, that embryo will try to develope, and that is why eggs need to be held under 60 degrees, then warmed breifly at room temps, and then set in your incubator.

This is fascinating! Thanks for sharing.

 

[LizCar]

How many dif lines of biels are in the US and do they still all eventually trace back to greenfire stock?

 

[Chickielady]

This is fascinating! Thanks for sharing.

It really is a good book to have, and most hatcheries have it for about $5

 

[Chickielady]

Good to hear that. Mine are 1 month old and growing fast.... Huge is good!

Hold on now, all is not perfect with these monster eggs.
I clipped cushion feathers on my girls a while back to get better fertility, and discovered 2 had the beginnings of prolaspe.
One of the girls lays a shell less egg at least once a week at night, but then in the afternoon, she lays another perfect monster egg, perfect size, color & bloom.

The other issue is how dim they are,(eating anything) and 2 more girls had bad pendulous crops, turned out to be impacted with pink fiberglass insulation they found that no other breed has ever been interested in.
A 2" by 3" opening in the interior siding & these 2 girls pigged out.
It was under the poop tray (roosts) so I did not see it til I did the first necropsy & went hunting...and there it was.....fiberglass pulled out of this little crack.

All in all, I am wondering if they were not bred to lay monster eggs & that can tear up their innards.
And ovulating 2 ova a day can make their lives significantly shorter than other breeds....at least their lay lives.
I cannot imagine what German Engineering went into these to make them behave in this manner ?
IDK....the Legbars sound pretty good.....................

 

[jbkirk]

How many different lines of bielefelders are in the US and do they still all eventually trace back to greenfire stock?

There are two and both are from GreenFire Farms.
One a side note I just got my first Bielefelders today (about a week old) YAY.

 

[DesertChic]

There are two and both are from GreenFire Farms.
One a side note I just got my first Bielefelders today (about a week old) YAY.

Woohoo! Happy Dance!!!

I hope you love them as much as I do. Even my husband and son are thrilled with how sweet and friendly this breed is.

 

[RWD]

Finally got a digital scale today to weigh eggs. Collected 4 Bielefelder eggs today the smallest weighed 2.68 oz. and the largest weighed 2.96 oz.. My hens turn 2 years old in another month and have experienced no prolapse or other egg laying problems.

 

[DMRippy]

I was actually kind of worried about laying issues BUT these are large birds. Mine seem to lay thin shelled eggs. I am going to add calcium to their pen again and see if that helps. I just hope they pick back up soon.