A Bielefelder Thread !

[gracefarm]

Welcome! And I'm really looking forward to those baby pictures!!! They really are wonderful birds.

Thank you & look forward to learning more on the German Bielefelders from the members of this group.

 

[DesertChic]

Just thought I'd post some updated photos of my NN/Biel crosses:


Gypsy - the elder of my two pullets, has all of her mothers sweetness, affection, and chattiness. She's proving to be nicely tolerant of the heat and I hope one day breed her back to one of my Biel roosters.



Misha - The younger sister (2 weeks younger than Misha). She's more golden in color whereas Gypsy is a deeper red, and Misha has green shanks while Gypsy has blue. Oh...and Misha has a beard!!!! I never saw that coming. Again....I hope to one day breed her back to my Biel boys.

 

[gracefarm]

Having eggs sent through the mail is very risky so last night to increase my hatching chances a little I decided to get 10 more eggs to go with the 6 I ordered yesterday. Now I am expecting 6 German Bielefelder eggs coming from Missouri & 10 German Bielefelder eggs coming from North Carolina to arrive at my local post office next week!

Last night I looked through most of my poultry book collection and finding any information on the German Bielefelder can hardly be found but I did come across this.

 

[Aziara]

Is there anyone raising Bielefelders in southern Louisiana?

I'm looking for some in driving distance so I don't have to bother with shipping. I've also heard some horror stories about shipped eggs.

 

[DesertChic]

Having eggs sent through the mail is very risky so last night to increase my hatching chances a little I decided to get 10 more eggs to go with the 6 I ordered yesterday. Now I am expecting 6 German Bielefelder eggs coming from Missouri & 10 German Bielefelder eggs coming from North Carolina to arrive at my local post office next week!

Last night I looked through most of my poultry book collection and finding any information on the German Bielefelder can hardly be found but I did come across this.

My hens are right there on weight, but both of my roosters are larger, and my biggest boy is 11 lbs. The other varies between 9-10 lbs.

 

[Coop de Grass]

My hens are right there on weight, but both of my roosters are larger, and my biggest boy is 11 lbs. The other varies between 9-10 lbs.

My roo was as big as my year old hens when he was 19 weeks old!. I have a crested cream legbar roo in with him that is 5 weeks younger, and he looks like a pygmy rooster!

@DesertChic how are you doing with the heat?

 

[gracefarm]

My hens are right there on weight, but both of my roosters are larger, and my biggest boy is 11 lbs. The other varies between 9-10 lbs.

Really like the size of these German Bielefelders. Looks like next Wednesday both of my German Bielefelder egg orders should arrive!!!

 

[DesertChic]

My roo was as big as my year old hens when he was 19 weeks old!. I have a crested cream legbar roo in with him that is 5 weeks younger, and he looks like a pygmy rooster!

@DesertChic how are you doing with the heat?

This pretty well sums up my sentiments about our heat and humidity, LOL.

So far, no more chicken losses, but it's been nearly a full-time job keeping the birds cool and happy. This morning at 7:00 a.m. it was 85* with 73% humidity. By 11:00 it was up to 105 with 42% humidity. Now I'm awaiting another really bad storm. We had one two days ago that brought with it such a sudden extreme deluge that my entire backyard was under inches of water and the chickens didn't even have time to run for cover. All of them got drenched and I spent much of the night gathering them up and putting them in the chicken cabin to dry off. The next morning I had half a dozen chickens sneezing a lot...but they got over it pretty quickly. I just made sure to add extra vitamins to their water.

Thanks for asking. How are you and yours holding up?

 

[Coop de Grass]

This pretty well sums up my sentiments about our heat and humidity, LOL.

So far, no more chicken losses, but it's been nearly a full-time job keeping the birds cool and happy. This morning at 7:00 a.m. it was 85* with 73% humidity. By 11:00 it was up to 105 with 42% humidity. Now I'm awaiting another really bad storm. We had one two days ago that brought with it such a sudden extreme deluge that my entire backyard was under inches of water and the chickens didn't even have time to run for cover. All of them got drenched and I spent much of the night gathering them up and putting them in the chicken cabin to dry off. The next morning I had half a dozen chickens sneezing a lot...but they got over it pretty quickly. I just made sure to add extra vitamins to their water.

Thanks for asking. How are you and yours holding up?

Glad to hear that your flock is in tact! We've had a few torrential downpours this week. The chickens have been hiding under the 4x4 base of the "mini coop stalled in progress while we predator proof the run.) When the rain slows, they head for the roofed run, one at a time!

DH wants to put up a type of tunnel from that table to the run!

I've wasted a couple of days because my back went out on me when I was picking up a water pan... pretty sad, though I know that the injury is set up earlier, and then the slightest movement can push you over the edge. I've been frustrated because the weather finally broke and it was cool outside yesterday and day before! Just my luck!

I ordered a couple of MistyMate misters from Amazon. The girls have finally figured out the kiddie pool and the bricks and stones that are in it. They stand there all the time! I've been following your advice and giving them extra vitamins, frozen berries, and ACV.

I don't suppose that chicken soup would work on chicken colds???

 

[Sylvester017]

Glad to hear that your flock is in tact! We've had a few torrential downpours this week. The chickens have been hiding under the 4x4 base of the "mini coop stalled in progress while we predator proof the run.) When the rain slows, they head for the roofed run, one at a time! That is so-o-o cute and a picture only other chicken owners can identify with !!!

DH wants to put up a type of tunnel from that table to the run!

Here's a chicken tunnel on youtube I have bookmarked and watch from time to time when I want to smile:

I've wasted a couple of days because my back went out on me when I was picking up a water pan... pretty sad, though I know that the injury is set up earlier, and then the slightest movement can push you over the edge. I've been frustrated because the weather finally broke and it was cool outside yesterday and day before! Just my luck! Same exact darn thing happens to me every time!!!

I ordered a couple of MistyMate misters from Amazon. The girls have finally figured out the kiddie pool and the bricks and stones that are in it. They stand there all the time! I've been following your advice and giving them extra vitamins, frozen berries, and ACV. The extra vitamins, cool fruit, misters, and watered-down soil/concrete are all great for the chickens. I don't leave out pools of water because the chickens and wild birds poop so much in it and it disgusts me watching the chickens drink the filthy and pooped water so I've been using Brite Tap nipple valve jug waterers for clean drinking instead. I asked the manufacturer about using ACV in the jugs and he basically said ACV wasn't all it was cracked up to be for chickens in spite of wide use of it. No judgment -- just posting what he sent me when I asked about it. From to time to time I get responses from other chicken owners who don't find any benefits from ACV so for the moment I've opted out of using it:

FROM MARK AT chickenwaterers.com --
"I did quite a bit of research on ACV and didn't find much compelling to recommend it. If you want to read the blog posting I did on this, you can find it at:
http://blog.chickenwaterer.com/2012/12/dont-use-apple-cider-vinegar-acv-in.html(probably need to paste this in the URL address to see this)
The article is titled "Don't Use ACV" but what the article really concludes is "there's no real evidence that it works, so don't bother." By the way, yogurt is a probiotic because the lactobacilus bacteria it contains can survive in the gastrointestinal tract.( Lactobacilus doesn't need oxygen to survive). ACV contains Acetobacteria that people also think is a probiotic but this type of bacteria does need oxygen to live and so it can't survive in the gut. ACV is not a probiotic. The best time to give your chickens probiotics is when they are baby chicks. At that time, the normal flora in their guts has not developed yet and they would be more prone to get salmonella or coccidiosis. Commercially available probiotic solutions are sold for chicks but you can also try giving your chicks some sauerkraut.

Putting some ice in your water jug is a nice touch. Chickens prefer cool water and it will increase their water consumption. Leghorns given cool water versus warm water laid about 10% more eggs because their overall water consumption rate was higher.

Kind regards,
-Mark



I don't suppose that chicken soup would work on chicken colds??? Too bad it doesn't work! I have a little Silkie that gets CRD issues every year during inclement weather!!!