A Bielefelder Thread !

[otakalhasas]

I am getting a male and female Bielfelder soon! I cannot wait! And the person is giving them to me for free! I am so grateful

Congratulations, you lucky pup (or chick)! ENJOY!!!

 

[otakalhasas]

Yeah, that's the way I look at it!

 

[Hardemans]

Would this be considered a white earlobe? Actually it's golden when viewed up close.

 

[Saris]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/568022023401911/
I have started a Facebook group Bielefelder Chickens Standard Bred with a goal of helping people figure out how to breed their birds to the German Standard of Perfection. It will take a while to get everything in place but the plan is to post pictures of good birds and bad birds so you can compare them to the SOP. So many of us are visual learners and it is hard to picture what the standard is saying. My hope is that breeding Bielefelders with visual aids will make it easier for everyone to breed better birds. Feel free to take a look and join if you would like.

Yay for visuals!!!

I've read most of this thread now and have convinced myself that I want to start with this breed. Where would you guys suggest I get eggs/chicks/birds? I would like to get as close to the SOP even though I don't show. I would like eggs and meat. I'm in Wisconsin if that makes a difference. Thanks for the advice!

I got hatching eggs from Papa's Poultry in CA and Chicken Hill Poultry in Idaho. Both packed extremely well and I had excellent hatch rates. Though I live in WA so they didn't travel far. My adults all have red lobes and nice heavy long bodies. I would recommend both places again.

I have read a good bit of this thread and skipped to the last ten pages or so. I trying to learn more about this breed as I had decided this would be my main focus breed ( not necessarily to show but I wouldn't totally discount it). I have a starter flock coming to me around the first week of April.Now I am concerned after reading the last few pages. Can anyone recommend the best place to get Bielefelders?

I got hatching eggs from Papa's Poultry in CA and Chicken Hill Poultry in Idaho. Both packed extremely well and I had excellent hatch rates. Though I live in WA so they didn't travel far. My adults all have red lobes and nice heavy long bodies. I would recommend both places again.

Quote: Me too!!!!

Would this be considered a white earlobe? Actually it's golden when viewed up close.

You'll want to check the skin under the feathers.

 

[DesertChic]

Would this be considered a white earlobe? Actually it's golden when viewed up close.

No, those earlobes are red. The tuft of feather you see next to the earlobe is just that, feathers...their body's way of protecting the ear opening. The lobe itself is the fleshy, red skin hanging down from there. Look at this "Bielkie" (Bielefelder/Silkie cross) rooster to see a different colored earlobe:



Or this one...which might make it even more clear. The skin itself is tinted blue/white.

 

[DesertChic]

Would this be considered a white earlobe? Actually it's golden when viewed up close.

By the way...nice comb on that boy! None of my Biel boys ever had combs that nice. Extra sprigs showed up in the entire flock, male and female.

 

[otakalhasas]

Would this be considered a white earlobe? Actually it's golden when viewed up close.

No, the ear lobes are RED!!!! The little white/beige feathery thing is what I call a "button" and it is not part of the lobe itself. And I agree with Desert Chic - beautiful comb! My boy had one like that (not floppy, beautiful & balanced to the head, correct # of points, gorgeous red) until he got beat up by another roo, now he's lost a couple of points but so what? He's still beautiful in my eyes!!!!!!

 

[Hardemans]

No, the ear lobes are RED!!!! The little white/beige feathery thing is what I call a "button" and it is not part of the lobe itself. And I agree with Desert Chic - beautiful comb! My boy had one like that (not floppy, beautiful & balanced to the head, correct # of points, gorgeous red) until he got beat up by another roo, now he's lost a couple of points but so what? He's still beautiful in my eyes!!!!!!

All, thanks for the comments on the roosters. I was not sure if the "button" was considered part of the ear lobe. I intend to breed to the standard and from what I have seen, I have some good building blocks to start with. Hopefully, once I get a generation of two done I can bring in some new blood.

 

[sroy]

One of my biels laid her first egg today! She is only 5 1/2 months old. I've heard they usually start to lay much later. Go Coco!!

 

[BluesLadies]

Hi there! My step-mother and I are looking to split a hatch of these sometime at the end of the year and I was wondering if anyone has had them in Florida? I'd love to have them but I keep finding conflicting info on their heat tolerance. Step mom lives in southern Indiana so I think they would be OK there since its a little more temperate.