A Bielefelder Thread !

[bluejean55girl]

oops

 

[bluejean55girl]

takes time to work up the ladder. Many thanks Bine

 

[KWH1]

I've been looking through this thread and the massive amount of posts for an answer but I can't find one. I have three Bielefelder hens and one rooster. Almost 11 months old. They started laying last December and eggs were fertile around January. I've been watching and checking fertility very closely and most all eggs have been fertile since January. About three weeks ago ALL eggs are coming up infertile. I get two or three eggs every day and ALL stopped being fertile almost three weeks ago. I set a dozen eggs 18 days ago and I believe these were fertile. But everything I've gotten since has not been fertilized. Was planning on loading up the incubator after this upcoming hatch but now I don't have fertile Bielefelder eggs to set. Does anyone have any idea what's going on?

 

[Faraday40]

In Orpingtons, when eggs are infertile, one can give them a feather trim. Too much cushion in back prevents the proper cloaca kiss.

Have you seen mating? If the hens experience a change - like adding or subtracting a chicken, moving to breeding pens, changing their coop, etc. then their behavior will change. A change in weather may force them to stay inside- which could also affect their mood. The hens may not be allowing the roo to mate. If your roo is a gentleman like mine, he will not force the hens. I do not know about breeding Bieles, but these things affect my fussy orps.

 

[KWH1]

Thanks for the input. My Dominiques, Black Australorps and Buff Orpingtons are all fine. Fertile eggs coming in every day. So unless the Bielefelders are more sensitive to weather changes than all my other breeds then I don't believe that's the problem. Haven't made any changes to the Bielefelder coop. Haven't had time to watch them to see if they are still mating.

 

[jbkirk]

@KWH1 some members have had problems with to much fluff preventing their vents from connecting

 

[KWH1]

Thanks for the reply! I've read that many times here but I have a hard time getting my head wrapped around how the 'fluff' could have increased enough to interfere in such a short period of time (4 weeks) but didn't interfere from early January through mid February. All eggs were fertilized from January through just a few weeks ago. I have to assume the rooster has stopped mating for some reason but I've not had time to sit and watch them all day to see if he's attempting.

 

[Saris]

I locked down 25 eggs last night, but I feel that I will be so lucky to get 10 chicks, unbeknownst to me many of the eggs have incomplete CAMs, I'm so sad, I had them in an auto turner that was working so I was so hopeful that this hatch would end well..... Now I am again filled with doubts, ugh..... There are a few that seem perfect, but many have aircelss that are smaller than I want and then a few have the incomplete CAM. Things were going great until now, fingers crossed I can get at least a nice breeding set. If not I will have another order shipping in April and possibly an order after that as well.....

 

[Bridebeliever]

Good luck Saris!

I've never incubated before...I can't imagine the pressure!

 

[chickendreams24]

Yes good luck Saris!!!