A Bielefelder Thread !

[kittydoc]

In my brief experience, the dominant rooster is the loud one. When I had the cream legbar, white leghorn, and polish roos, I only heard the cream legbar. Now that he has passed, I hear the polish. So, in my experience, you really only hear one no matter how many you have?!

Anyone else have this same experience?

Jami

All my mature roos are Orpingtons, but when I had 3 (the most at one time), I heard two of them a lot that were in separate pens, but could see and hear each other. My Jubilee roo was the quietest of the three--he could also see and hear both of the other two roos. You'll always hear the most dominant roo, plus any that want to compete for that spot. As you have experienced, when you lose "the boss," someone has to take over that spot, and things can change. I wish I only heard one boy (and I'm sure so do my neighbors!).

It was the worse when my neighbor had two roos (since eaten by a coyote). Since they could only hear each other, all five went at it all day long. I was not excessively broken up when the coyote got hers because she had them in totally inappropriate and unsafe housing, but I felt bad for her roos. They gave up their lives for the idiot's hens, who survived, as well as her least dominant roo who was in a tiny crate so small he could barely turn around and could not spread his wings. Sorry to drift off topic!

 

[DesertChic]

Hi all!

This is only my second post here, but everything I read just makes me want Bielefelders more and more! There are a couple of breeders close to me (parent stock from GFF) so I'll just have to be patient until they have more chicks.

Quick question - do the roosters get along with each other? Since patience has never been my strong suit, I'm thinking of ordering some hatching eggs and go that route. But if at hatching I have a ton of males, will I have to cull them or just let them grow up until I can find homes for them?

Also, how loud are your roosters? Do they just crow mornings or are they vocal all day long? Anyone try the no-crow collars? Are they humane?

Thanks!!!!!

I hatched my own as well and wound up with six cockerels and three pullets. My cockerels have reached sexual maturity and have all gotten along amazingly well. That said, I must confess that I have been culling the non-breeders so I now only have three cockerels that live together quite peacefully. Yes, there have been scuffles which are essential for establishing the pecking order, and there's been a few bloody combs and wattles as a result, but my boys will roost side by side without complaint and only chastise one another now if the lower ranking cockerel attempts to mate out of turn.

As far as noisiness is concerned, they crow less than many of my other breeds, but still enter the "crowing contests" when they occur. I have over a dozen crowing cockerels on my property and have noticed that the biggest contests occur among my other breeds with my Biels just piping in from time to time. They're usually content to just hang out and do their own thing. And crowing does occur all day long, not just in the mornings.

 

[DesertChic]

I made myself leave so I could get a few things done today! I came home to a baby bielefelder...one down, 11 to go! And I got my first MUTT (my Golden commet just gave me her first egg, a leghorn is the daddy. She was our first ever chicken to our house....so excited! We felt we needed eggs to eat and eggs to breed...hehe). Due to this being our first, we may hatch it instead of eat it! Awesome size and shape, so I wonder if she has been hiding some in the yard (those girls get to free range daily).

Day is looking awesome!!!

Jami

Congratulations! You'll be posting photos soon, right? (Hint...Hint...)

 

[DesertChic]

Thanks for the info! Another question - if you have only one rooster, are they quieter than if you have more (competition and all)???

Honestly, that depends upon the rooster. For a while I only had one Barred Rock rooster and he crowed all night long and into the day. He was an amazing home security alarm because anyone or anything that entered our property triggered a round of crowing. There's no doubt that roosters like to compete with their crowing, but if you get one with a lot to say it may not matter that he's a solo act.

 

[DesertChic]

All my mature roos are Orpingtons, but when I had 3 (the most at one time), I heard two of them a lot that were in separate pens, but could see and hear each other. My Jubilee roo was the quietest of the three--he could also see and hear both of the other two roos. You'll always hear the most dominant roo, plus any that want to compete for that spot. As you have experienced, when you lose "the boss," someone has to take over that spot, and things can change. I wish I only heard one boy (and I'm sure so do my neighbors!).

It was the worse when my neighbor had two roos (since eaten by a coyote). Since they could only hear each other, all five went at it all day long. I was not excessively broken up when the coyote got hers because she had them in totally inappropriate and unsafe housing, but I felt bad for her roos. They gave up their lives for the idiot's hens, who survived, as well as her least dominant roo who was in a tiny crate so small he could barely turn around and could not spread his wings. Sorry to drift off topic!

What a horrible way to keep chickens! Those poor roosters! I know that plenty of people keep their chickens in super small pens like that, never allowing their feet to touch earth nor their wings to spread but I could never do it. Even with birds I know I'll be butchering one day I want them to have the best life possible while alive.

 

[MomtoRarities]

Ok all, I have 2 baby Beilefelders at this pint. One birn yesterday and one this morning. Yesterdays baby is great. The one today i keep finding completely twisted. like head and neck are fine, but body is flipped completely upside down. Like it has no spine??? Is this normal? I have it back in the bator and its staying quite still now. But I feel I have to check it hourly to make sure it isnt stuck??? Here is a picture on my counter.

 

[DesertChic]

Ok all, I have 2 baby Beilefelders at this pint. One birn yesterday and one this morning. Yesterdays baby is great. The one today i keep finding completely twisted. like head and neck are fine, but body is flipped completely upside down. Like it has no spine??? Is this normal? I have it back in the bator and its staying quite still now. But I feel I have to check it hourly to make sure it isnt stuck??? Here is a picture on my counter.

When they first hatch it's not uncommon for them to get twisted up and stuck on their back from time to time until they develop enough strength in their legs to right themselves. Even once they've fluffed up and you've moved them to a brooder they can occasionally get stuck on their back. They'll chirp pretty loudly to let you know something's wrong.

 

[otakalhasas]

Thanks, DesertChick! This forum has certainly given me food for thought!!!!!!

 

[MomtoRarities]

When they first hatch it's not uncommon for them to get twisted up and stuck on their back from time to time until they develop enough strength in their legs to right themselves. Even once they've fluffed up and you've moved them to a brooder they can occasionally get stuck on their back. They'll chirp pretty loudly to let you know something's wrong. 

He's such a plump ball....I can see why he can't hold himself up! No clue how he fit in one egg!!!!

Jami

 

[otakalhasas]

How cool! Good luck Jami!