A Bielefelder Thread !

[texasmomma]

I have 9 bielefelder eggs in my incubator and am having a very hard time telling if they are doing what they are supposed to be doing. This is not my first time incubating, but I've not been having very much success with the incubator this spring. My first "hatch" was not bielefelder's and were shipped eggs. Only one of the eggs hatched.

This time around, I have been turning the eggs on my own. Some are quite dark and others are quite porous, so I don't know if I should dump the ones I think aren't growing or not. I'm on day 11, and it seems that only 4 or so of the eggs are looking like they should.

Has anyone else had trouble hatching bielefelder eggs? I paid a ton for these and was really hoping I would get a good hatch from them.

Thanks!

 

[DCchicken]

I have 9 bielefelder eggs in my incubator and am having a very hard time telling if they are doing what they are supposed to be doing. This is not my first time incubating, but I've not been having very much success with the incubator this spring. My first "hatch" was not bielefelder's and were shipped eggs. Only one of the eggs hatched.

This time around, I have been turning the eggs on my own. Some are quite dark and others are quite porous, so I don't know if I should dump the ones I think aren't growing or not. I'm on day 11, and it seems that only 4 or so of the eggs are looking like they should.

Has anyone else had trouble hatching bielefelder eggs? I paid a ton for these and was really hoping I would get a good hatch from them.

Thanks!

I gave up trying to candle Bielefelder eggs. The egg shells are too think and dark. With these eggs, I use the weight loss method. Since I have an incubator that let's me adjust the humidity, I use the % of weight loss to tell if the eggs are progressing. I also use the sniff test to tell if they have gone bad.

 

[texasmomma]

I gave up trying to candle Bielefelder eggs. The egg shells are too think and dark. With these eggs, I use the weight loss method. Since I have an incubator that let's me adjust the humidity, I use the % of weight loss to tell if the eggs are progressing. I also use the sniff test to tell if they have gone bad.

I have been checking weight on them, too. I figured it couldn't hurt. They have all lost weight, by one week almost all of them had lost about the same amount. I didn't figure out percentages at that time. I will weigh again on Monday and see where we are at when they have been in the incubator for 2 weeks.

I guess I'm a little incubator shy since that last hatch was so bad. I've always gotten at least two chicks from each hatch I've done. Now, I haven't hatched a lot, but this was such a surprise.

These bielefelders look so great and I'm really looking forward to them, if I can get them to hatch.

 

[petersonfarms]

Mine graduated from a brooder to a outside raised pen at 3 weeks. But I live I georgia so it doesn't get real cold

 

[Sylvester017]

I have been checking weight on them, too. I figured it couldn't hurt. They have all lost weight, by one week almost all of them had lost about the same amount. I didn't figure out percentages at that time. I will weigh again on Monday and see where we are at when they have been in the incubator for 2 weeks.

I guess I'm a little incubator shy since that last hatch was so bad. I've always gotten at least two chicks from each hatch I've done. Now, I haven't hatched a lot, but this was such a surprise.

These bielefelders look so great and I'm really looking forward to them, if I can get them to hatch.

I feel for you. My friend went incubator shy after getting only 1 hatchling from a dozen eggs plus it was a roo and she's not zoned for roos. When I gave her 6 Marans eggs to hatch she used a broody Buff Orp and 5 hatched. Nothing like a broody. My Silkies are dying to hatch anything - a plastic egg, a golf ball, a rock, a cucumber slice - ANYTHING - lol.

 

[memphis]

Cucumber slice! LOL! Boy that's the truth!

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
I have a SS and she flies.... don't think I ever saw my NH or Marans fly after they were over a year. They are big birds. My SS is hatchery and not a big girl. Just depends on your definition of flying too. I have seen them fly for 10-15 feet ...... losing altitude all the way though.

 

[memphis]

My Speckled Sussex is too big to get off the ground but she sure tries. She'll come running pumping those fat drummies as fast as she can while wildly flapping her wings the whole way. She looks like some manic wind up toy! My Barnevelders can actually get off the ground a few feet and have a range of 20-30 feet. They look like flying footballs. Assumed the Bielefelder's weren't big fliers...but was curious.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

I gave up trying to candle Bielefelder eggs. The egg shells are too think and dark. With these eggs, I use the weight loss method. Since I have an incubator that let's me adjust the humidity, I use the % of weight loss to tell if the eggs are progressing. I also use the sniff test to tell if they have gone bad.

I love the color of the egg on the Bielefelders and it is a very nice shape also.

 

[cutipatooti]

I will have at least 5 of these chicks coming in May. I heard they are pigs and fast growers. Should I seperate them from my order and feed a 22% grower feed or is a regular 19% starter/grower ok?