A Bielefelder Thread !

[Honora]

Just checking out this thread while I wait for my Bielefelder eggs to hatch. I know, I know, don't count them before they hatch! This sounds like a great breed though, & I am hoping that between the incubator & the broody we manage to hatch out a couple of pullets to keep. They are due on June 1st.

Just wanted to say sorry about losing your hen @Faraday40 . Do you still have your black bantam Orp? I just lost one of my Splash bantam orps last week, it's very sad. I lost another hen last month also to egg yolk peritonitis, that's why I'm hoping for a couple of nice pullets to replace them.

 

[Faraday40]

Just checking out this thread while I wait for my Bielefelder eggs to hatch. I know, I know, don't count them before they hatch! This sounds like a great breed though, & I am hoping that between the incubator & the broody we manage to hatch out a couple of pullets to keep. They are due on June 1st.

Just wanted to say sorry about losing your hen @Faraday40 . Do you still have your black bantam Orp? I just lost one of my Splash bantam orps last week, it's very sad. I lost another hen last month also to egg yolk peritonitis, that's why I'm hoping for a couple of nice pullets to replace them.

Sending some Good Hatching Vibes your way!

Bielefelders are a great breed. I was hoping to keep & breed some, but it just didn't work out. For now I'm happy to have hatched one pullet.

We still have our spunky Cookie (nickname: the Bantam Menace). We also added another bantam- a sebright named Trouble. Those 2 add a lot of fun to the flock, but nothing beats the big lap birds when you want chicken cuddles.

 

[Saris]

I still can't get over how big these guys are. 11 weeks old and the biggest are the same size as my year old hens.



My biggest boy.

 

[DesertChic]

I still can't get over how big these guys are. 11 weeks old and the biggest are the same size as my year old hens.



My biggest boy.

Yep! My biggest pure Biel hen is closing in on 9 lbs now, and even my Biel/Australorp mix is a big girl at nearly 8 pounds and only 7 months old...AND she's broody! My Australorps don't go broody, and so far none of my Biel girls has gone broody, but this mixed girl is a very determined broody.

 

[Faraday40]

I noticed a HUGE difference in size between the the different GFF import years. The earlier ones were giants with a lot more height. The more recent ones were lower to the ground but better layers. All have great personalities & gentle nature. Mine loved to "talk" but they always sounded grumpy. If you can't tell, I sort of regret getting rid of all of my biele females when my biele roo died. I've had a hard time trying to hatch new ones this year. (Last year I hatched 9 out of 10 eggs & 7 were female. This year I tried almost 18 eggs & only got 1 pure female, 8 biele mixes, & many clears.) The little biele pullet is fantastic & I don't need more chicks, so I'm going to stop trying for now.

 

[Saris]

Yep! My biggest pure Biel hen is closing in on 9 lbs now, and even my Biel/Australorp mix is a big girl at nearly 8 pounds and only 7 months old...AND she's broody! My Australorps don't go broody, and so far none of my Biel girls has gone broody, but this mixed girl is a very determined broody.

Man, I want a broody hen so bad. Everyone I know with chickens has broodies. I'm so jelly.

I noticed a HUGE difference in size between the the different GFF import years. The earlier ones were giants with a lot more height. The more recent ones were lower to the ground but better layers. All have great personalities & gentle nature. Mine loved to "talk" but they always sounded grumpy. If you can't tell, I sort of regret getting rid of all of my biele females when my biele roo died. I've had a hard time trying to hatch new ones this year. (Last year I hatched 9 out of 10 eggs & 7 were female. This year I tried almost 18 eggs & only got 1 pure female, 8 biele mixes, & many clears.) The little biele pullet is fantastic & I don't need more chicks, so I'm going to stop trying for now.

My FIL wants to take one of my Biele boys and pair it with some Jersey Giants he has. I have one Biele girl who is the smallest of the bunch and she is a "normal" sized 11 week old chicken.

 

[DesertChic]

Man, I want a broody hen so bad. Everyone I know with chickens has broodies. I'm so jelly.
My FIL wants to take one of my Biele boys and pair it with some Jersey Giants he has. I have one Biele girl who is the smallest of the bunch and she is a "normal" sized 11 week old chicken.

As of today I am back up to 7 broody hens, two of which are downright mean. You're welcome to them.

 

[Marty101865]

Good luck with the hatch! I came upon a few Bielefelder eggs by chance when buying Marans. Of the 14 I hatched we're keeping 3 Wheaten Marans (pullets I think), and 3 Bielefelders (1 Roo and 2 Pullets), So far, at 3 weeks the Bielefelders are super mellow and the roo will even approach my big girls, 4 Buff Oprppingtons although they don't want anything to do with the "kids". Here's pics of the three at 2 weeks. If any Bielefelder experts are out there please comment on the faded "eyeliner" on the blue background pic, should I be concerned?

I can't wait to see them grown! They are developing vivid colors at 3 weeks.

f

 

[Saris]

As of today I am back up to 7 broody hens, two of which are downright mean. You're welcome to them. 

I wish!

 

[Red Banks]

Quote: I have hens going broody left and right. Yesterday when I did a head count at bedtime I found I was missing a Biel hen.... since everyone says they don't go broody I fear the worst. Not only that but the Biels were scattered in pens they don't normally roost in. It makes me think something has disturbed them. I hope she is alright.

My Biels have a mind of their own and can be quite stubborn.... lets hope she spent the night in the woods.