A Bielefelder Thread !

[DesertChic]

Yes, it was the Standard in German. So to dark hens and to light/white rooster seem to show up regular. And yes, most breeders show the birds from the same year. This is why show breeders do not like hens with very early POL. Most show here are in late fall/early winter, hatching for show is normally now in full swing, so the birds have the rings from this year and can be shown next fall. A hen that hatches now, and begins to lay in August looses to much skin color when shown in October or November. Esp. the Bielefelder Standard wants birds with vivid yellow feet and deep red combs. A hen that puts out a big egg every day for months will have paler feet and comb than a hen that is not that far into laying.

Well...they would LOVE my hens then. My girls didn't start laying until 44+ weeks of age. They were the best dressed girls in my yard and are big, heavy, plump hens.

 

[jbkirk]

My roosters don't get any white feathers until their adult molt. So annoying.

 

[TNBielefelder]

My roosters don't get any white feathers until their adult molt. So annoying.

Yes very annoying. And therefore time consuming to breed out but it can be done.

 

[TNBielefelder]

Yes, it was the Standard in German. So to dark hens and to light/white rooster seem to show up regular. And yes, most breeders show the birds from the same year. This is why show breeders do not like hens with very early POL. Most show here are in late fall/early winter, hatching for show is normally now in full swing, so the birds have the rings from this year and can be shown next fall. A hen that hatches now, and begins to lay in August looses to much skin color when shown in October or November. Esp. the Bielefelder Standard wants birds with vivid yellow feet and deep red combs. A hen that puts out a big egg every day for months will have paler feet and comb than a hen that is not that far into laying.

I have also seen the skin color return to a nice yellow in the winter when egg laying is at a minimum or when they are growing feathers back after a molt.

 

[Saris]

Hello everyone, I recently discovered this breed and I've ordered some hatching eggs from papa's poultry. I'm excited to have these lovely looking birds. I hope they are as awesome as I think they will be.

 

[cutipatooti]

Hello everyone, I recently discovered this breed and I've ordered some hatching eggs from papa's poultry. I'm excited to have these lovely looking birds. I hope they are as awesome as I think they will be.

Hope your hatch goes well and I'm sure you will love the breed. Good luck!

 

[TNBielefelder]

Hello everyone, I recently discovered this breed and I've ordered some hatching eggs from papa's poultry. I'm excited to have these lovely looking birds. I hope they are as awesome as I think they will be.

These are great backyard chickens. If I could only have one rooster the Bielefelder would be one of my first choices. They are beautiful to look at and very friendly but they lack a little in overall egg production. Easy keepers not flighty, not aggressive, and not overly vocal. If the hens laid an egg a day they would be perfect chicken in my book.

 

[Bridebeliever]

These are great backyard chickens. If I could only have one rooster the Bielefelder would be one of my first choices. They are beautiful to look at and very friendly but they lack a little in overall egg production. Easy keepers not flighty, not aggressive, and not overly vocal. If the hens laid an egg a day they would be perfect chicken in my book.

That's good to know! I just ordered 8 Bielefelder chicks and chose for one cockerel...it will be my only Rooster for the flock! They will be living in a mixed flock that has 3 Wyandottes, 3 Andalusians, 2 RIR, 1 Australorp, 1 Chocolate Orpington and one Aracauna. I hope all 19 will get along. The current group is all very friendly and I never see anyone getting picked on.

 

[otakalhasas]

Good luck with your new Biels! They are such great birds!!!!!

Quick question for the forum - I have an opportunity to get some 18-24 month old Biel hens. Being larger birds that are late maturing, can I assume that they will lay well until 4 years of age or am I really off base with that assumption????? My three Biels are now (GASP) almost 8 weeks old and I'd love to have some older girls to jumpstart our production of lovely eggs.

Thoughts?????

 

[TNBielefelder]

Good luck with your new Biels!  They are such great birds!!!!!

Quick question for the forum - I have an opportunity to get some 18-24 month old Biel hens.  Being larger birds that are late maturing, can I assume that they will lay well until 4 years of age or am I really off base with that assumption?????  My three Biels are now (GASP) almost 8 weeks old and I'd love to have some older girls to jumpstart our production of lovely eggs. 

Thoughts?????

From my experience the Bielefelders tend to decrease production around 3 yrs of age but still lay only sparingly.