A Bielefelder Thread !

[PeepersMama]

I need to find a place that has them for sale still. I've got 200+ to spend, so price isn't a huge worry, and I'm trying to find some super good quality birds to start off with.
I've been comparing the Biel roos, and noticed that some have red chests and some have black and red chests - which would be better to look for?

 

[GlennLee]

I ordered mine from Omega Hills Farm. They were excellent about communicating and took exceptional care in packing.

Unfortunately, the USPS didn't not feel the need to do their job and one corner of the box was crushed and one egg was cracked. I think I have 3 eggs that are developing nicely and I'm working on trying to hatch 10 eggs with detached air cells. Let me make it clear - it wasn't the fault of Omega Hills Farm. Even so, they are going to send extras - very good of them to do so.

One of my neighbors used to mail Chantecler hatching eggs and she said if packages went through Chicago, it didn't matter how well they were packaged, the eggs would suffer damage. I'm not sure where you live or how long they would have to travel to get to you, but Omega Hills Farm is in Mississippi. If I was closer, I'd drive to pick them up!

 

[Faraday40]

One of my neighbors used to mail Chantecler hatching eggs and she said if packages went through Chicago, it didn't matter how well they were packaged, the eggs would suffer damage.

Yep! I'm in the Chicago suburbs & most of my shipped eggs arrive scrambled. In several pkgs. a few eggs are crushed & the remaining eggs must get washed of goo & then incubated. Out of a doz I'm always very happy to get 3 chicks. If the eggs are not cracked, they usually have rolling air cells (completely detached). I've learned how to search online to find breeders within a few hours drive. Then search the area for a family museum or event. I tell the family about the great day trip & activities. Oh by the way, on the way home, we're going to drive by a chicken friend and pick up some hatching eggs......

 

[PeepersMama]

I ordered mine from Omega Hills Farm. They were excellent about communicating and took exceptional care in packing.

Unfortunately, the USPS didn't not feel the need to do their job and one corner of the box was crushed and one egg was cracked. I think I have 3 eggs that are developing nicely and I'm working on trying to hatch 10 eggs with detached air cells. Let me make it clear - it wasn't the fault of Omega Hills Farm. Even so, they are going to send extras - very good of them to do so.

One of my neighbors used to mail Chantecler hatching eggs and she said if packages went through Chicago, it didn't matter how well they were packaged, the eggs would suffer damage. I'm not sure where you live or how long they would have to travel to get to you, but Omega Hills Farm is in Mississippi. If I was closer, I'd drive to pick them up!

Cool, I might shoot them an email.

I'm in CO, so I don't think they'd have to ship through Chicago. Are they selling eggs still?

 

[GlennLee]

@PeepersMama - I think they still have them. You can check their website where they list availability or shoot them an email. They are wonderful about getting right back to you and they even put me on a list for Blue Isbar eggs even though they didn't show availability on their site. They arrive tomorrow along with 10 more Bielefelder eggs I bought through Ebay. I'm on a role now and am learning a lot about hatching shipped eggs and detached air cells! Three incubators up and running in the guest room!

 

[GlennLee]

OH one more thing, I checked the shipping route and it went from Mississippi to Memphis, to Rochester, NY and then to me. I guess the Chicago thing isn't the only problem with shipping.

 

[GlennLee]

Update with my Bielefelder eggs.

I am at day 16 with 12 eggs (shipped) - two are on their sides and have been that way the entire time - no problems. Ten had detached air cells and four of those are also saddled - VERY poor shipping on the part of USPS! They have been incubating in an upright slightly angled position with gentle quarter turns 3x's per day - watched a video on you tube.

The good news is, after candling yesterday, I have a total of 8 with attached or reattached air cells and I am seeing movement in at least 8 of the eggs, including some with air cells still detached!

Now I'm reading up on how to assist if necessary. This is my first time hatching eggs that have been shipped and it's been a steep learning curve. Fingers crossed and hoping for the best as we near lockdown.

 

[PeepersMama]

I got 6 Biel chicks in the mail on Friday morning! I decided to buy them from Cackle hatchery, since they have a really good shipping reputation out here, and the welsummers I got from them last year were surprisingly good quality. I hope these guys turn out like the pics they have on the website!





There's four pullets and two cockerels.

 

[GlennLee]

I got 6 Biel chicks in the mail on Friday morning! I decided to buy them from Cackle hatchery, since they have a really good shipping reputation out here, and the welsummers I got from them last year were surprisingly good quality. I hope these guys turn out like the pics they have on the website!

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There's four pullets and two cockerels.

Yay! How exciting! Thanks for sharing your photos. There's nothing like a new chick (or keet)....

 

[GlennLee]

First hatching done - even with detached and saddled air cells, no thanks to the USPS, I had a 90% hatch rate with 10 chicks - three males

and seven females! So happy, but now I will be inundated with Bielefelders. In a panic, I ordered 10 more hatching eggs, plus Omega Hills Farm shipped me an additional 5 when they found out about the damaged box. Yikes!