A Bielefelder Thread !

[otakalhasas]

THANKS for the update - they are just stunning!

 

[Red Banks]

Okay...Just finished cropping the photos. My Silkie mama hen is a Buff. Here they are at 8 weeks:


Uno - my favorite little pullet and the first to hatch. She's also the smallest in the group with the most assertive but friendly personality.



Chick 2 - an obvious cockerel. I haven't come up with a name for him yet. I'm noticing some deeper gold feathering coming in on him.



Chick 3 - Poppy: I think this is a pullet, but much larger than little Uno. This one definitely seems to be favoring more the Silkie feathering, but with plenty of darker feathers too.



Chick 4: Jordi - my favorite cockerel. He's very sweet and affectionate.

They look a little like orange Cream Legbars! Beautiful!

 

[Faraday40]

I really like those Bielesilkies. At least I think it flows a little easier than Bielesilkiefelder.

 

[otakalhasas]

They look a little like orange Cream Legbars! Beautiful!

You are right, they DO!!!! It will be so interesting to see what their eggs look like...

And I have an update of my own - my Bieldefelder chicks should be arriving next Wednesday and I am SOOOOOOO excited! They will be a week old when shipped and I ordered 3 pullets and 1 cockerel. The breeder said she would be adding another cockerel or two so I'll have my hands busy for the next few months!

I've hand raised (bottle fed - the dam died after C-section) puppies, I've hand raised finches and linnies, but I've never raised chicks and I'm scared and excited at the same time. But excited is winning out!!!!!!! I just hope I can do them justice and raise them well...

I'll post photos next week when they arrive and we will all see how it goes!

P.S. I'm planning on trying a cross of BCM (English, not French, lays a HUGE egg) and the Bieldefelders next year. Trying to get a major jumbo dark brown egg!

 

[DesertChic]

I really like those Bielesilkies. At least I think it flows a little easier than Bielesilkiefelder.

LOL! Yeah.....Figuring out what to call them is a conundrum. I've been calling them SilkieBiels because my tongue doesn't trip as much when I say it.

 

[DesertChic]

You are right, they DO!!!! It will be so interesting to see what their eggs look like...

And I have an update of my own - my Bieldefelder chicks should be arriving next Wednesday and I am SOOOOOOO excited! They will be a week old when shipped and I ordered 3 pullets and 1 cockerel. The breeder said she would be adding another cockerel or two so I'll have my hands busy for the next few months!

I've hand raised (bottle fed - the dam died after C-section) puppies, I've hand raised finches and linnies, but I've never raised chicks and I'm scared and excited at the same time. But excited is winning out!!!!!!! I just hope I can do them justice and raise them well...

I'll post photos next week when they arrive and we will all see how it goes!

P.S. I'm planning on trying a cross of BCM (English, not French, lays a HUGE egg) and the Bieldefelders next year. Trying to get a major jumbo dark brown egg!

Exciting!!!! With all your experience I'm sure you'll do just fine with those little chicks, and the Biels make it easy. They have such pleasant, calm personalities that they make raising chicks even more of a joy than usual in my opinion. I can't wait for pictures!

 

[otakalhasas]

Thanks for the vote of confidence!!!!!

 

[Faraday40]

You are right, they DO!!!! It will be so interesting to see what their eggs look like...

And I have an update of my own - my Bieldefelder chicks should be arriving next Wednesday and I am SOOOOOOO excited! They will be a week old when shipped and I ordered 3 pullets and 1 cockerel. The breeder said she would be adding another cockerel or two so I'll have my hands busy for the next few months!

I've hand raised (bottle fed - the dam died after C-section) puppies, I've hand raised finches and linnies, but I've never raised chicks and I'm scared and excited at the same time. But excited is winning out!!!!!!! I just hope I can do them justice and raise them well...

I'll post photos next week when they arrive and we will all see how it goes!

P.S. I'm planning on trying a cross of BCM (English, not French, lays a HUGE egg) and the Bieldefelders next year. Trying to get a major jumbo dark brown egg!

Chicks are very hardy & grow quickly. Keeping them clean is key to keeping them healthy. They will poop in their feed & water, so I've come up with a few time-saving tricks. I made chicken nipple drinkers to keep water clean & made hanging chick-sized PVC feeders. Most of the supplies were from the recycle bin. Of course if you don't raise chicks often, you can simply change the water s few times per day for the short time they're little. Did I mention they grow quickly?

Here's my feeder made from a cut PVC elbow. I hang it when they're about 1 week old. (use a dish until then) They put their head inside to eat & waste less feed.



Here are some examples of my chicken nipple drinkers. They start using these from day 1. No poopy water or water spills. Cost only $1-2 to make.

 

[otakalhasas]

Chicks are very hardy & grow quickly. Keeping them clean is key to keeping them healthy. They will poop in their feed & water, so I've come up with a few time-saving tricks. I made chicken nipple drinkers to keep water clean & made hanging chick-sized PVC feeders. Most of the supplies were from the recycle bin. Of course if you don't raise chicks often, you can simply change the water s few times per day for the short time they're little. Did I mention they grow quickly?

Here's my feeder made from a cut PVC elbow. I hang it when they're about 1 week old. (use a dish until then) They put their head inside to eat & waste less feed.



Here are some examples of my chicken nipple drinkers. They start using these from day 1. No poopy water or water spills. Cost only $1-2 to make.

Whoa, those are GREAT tips! I've got my work cut out for me!!!!

 

[Faraday40]

Whoa, those are GREAT tips! I've got my work cut out for me!!!!

Thank you, but it's not really much work. Chicks are easy & you already have experience raising more difficult birds. I just don't like cleaning the water & feed more than once a day. Plus it's technically my kids' job, so I needed something in place that a couple forgetful kids could manage.

In fact this year, my daughter even made her own brooder using recycled school projects!

Here are some day old chicks learning to drink.