A Bielefelder Thread !

[ChickensAndBoys]

Hi Deanna, I just saw your thread after I asked about their temperament... did it take a while for your Bielefelder's to warm up to you? We've been trying to calm them by moving slowly, holding them daily and just leaving our hands (not touching them) in their box each day but they are still extremely nervous. They will even run over each other to get away and/or try to fly away.

 

[DCchicken]

Hi Deanna, I just saw your thread after I asked about their temperament... did it take a while for your Bielefelder's to warm up to you? We've been trying to calm them by moving slowly, holding them daily and just leaving our hands (not touching them) in their box each day but they are still extremely nervous. They will even run over each other to get away and/or try to fly away.

They should warm to you as they get older. Mine are 16 weeks old and wait for me at the gate to their free-range area. Just give them time and lots of treats like mealworms. I have one boy called Buddy that actually gets mad if I don't let him sit on my lap.

 

[ChickensAndBoys]

They should warm to you as they get older. Mine are 16 weeks old and wait for me at the gate to their free-range area. Just give them time and lots of treats like mealworms. I have one boy called Buddy that actually gets mad if I don't let him sit on my lap.

Haha, cute! We'll keep at it and hopefully they'll come around. How old were your's when you started giving treats?

 

[DCchicken]

Haha, cute! We'll keep at it and hopefully they'll come around. How old were your's when you started giving treats?

Bielefelders grow very fast but I would be a little careful. I start with treats at around 4-5 weeks once I feel they have built up their immune system. Besides treats, you can give them things to jump up on with different levels. I find the dish cabinet shelf at Ikea are perfect size for the brooder. I am talking about the ones that allow you to stack things in a cabinet. They will practically entertain themselves jumping up and down the different levels.

 

[ChickensAndBoys]

Bielefelders grow very fast but I would be a little careful. I start with treats at around 4-5 weeks once I feel they have built up their immune system. Besides treats, you can give them things to jump up on with different levels. I find the dish cabinet shelf at Ikea are perfect size for the brooder. I am talking about the ones that allow you to stack things in a cabinet. They will practically entertain themselves jumping up and down the different levels.

4-5 weeks, got it. I better mark that on the calendar or I'll forget.

We did put a rubber-ish box thing in there on it's side so they can feel like they can take 'shelter' under it or stand on top of it. They seem to like it, some more than others like to be on top all the time. I think I know what you are talking about with the cabinet shelf. I'll look into that for when this one gets too dirty... which shouldn't take long!

Thanks!

 

[DeannaA]

Hi Deanna, I just saw your thread after I asked about their temperament... did it take a while for your Bielefelder's to warm up to you? We've been trying to calm them by moving slowly, holding them daily and just leaving our hands (not touching them) in their box each day but they are still extremely nervous. They will even run over each other to get away and/or try to fly away.

All chicks I have had scatter when something large comes from above. They are a ground forager so anything above seems like a predator. Once I pick them up, I talk quiely to them and they calm and start enjoying being held. Even my parrot that I have hand raised, now 8 years old, gets startled when something comes at her too quickly.

 

[texas75563]

I hatched some out last night and today. Most of them come running toward my hand when I put it in there. I'm sure that will change tomorrow when I take them outside and put them in the brooder. They get skittish and wilder for awhile. As they get a little older 3 or 4 weeks, they get braver and more curious. Then I'll start feeding them out my hand, holding and petting them again. That has been my experience with my setup.

The 3 black ones are bielefelder roo x black sex link hen. A few extra to add to my regular laying hens. I'm thinking and hoping that they will make good layers.

 

[DeannaA]

I took some pictures this morning. They are such pretty chicks. I have 6 girls.




And 3 boys.

 

[bayocum]

Nice looking chicks!

 

[ChickensAndBoys]

I took some pictures this morning. They are such pretty chicks. I have 6 girls.




And 3 boys.

Awww, sweet! They look like mine, but a little more white I think. Ours have been less skittish since we started smashing up their crumble a little and putting in our hands... they seem to think it's a treat and like to sit on our hands to eat it. So they are more calm now which my boys enjoy.

They are getting big fast. I think we'll have to move them out to their own place in the chicken house because they seem to want more room.