Bielefelder family reunion

[SnapdragonQ]

I ordered a dozen eggs from Omega Hills. They were having extreme heat and my order was delayed by a couple weeks, I started thinking this could be a bad deal and I tried to cancel but they hurried and shipped them. They were smaller eggs than before, I got 14. I'm in lockdown now with 6 but one doesn't look good so probably 5. I have a feeling they're all boys...

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I ordered a dozen eggs from Omega Hills. They were having extreme heat and my order was delayed by a couple weeks, I started thinking this could be a bad deal and I tried to cancel but they hurried and shipped them. They were smaller eggs than before, I got 14. I'm in lockdown now with 6 but one doesn't look good so probably 5. I have a feeling they're all boys...

So I was justified in worrying about hot weather delays in my shipped eggs. 6 made it to lockdown out of 14. 1 was a quitter and 1 was too weak to hatch.
I have 4 chicks; 2 males and 2 females.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

So I was justified in worrying about hot weather delays in my shipped eggs. 6 made it to lockdown out of 14. 1 was a quitter and 1 was too weak to hatch.
I have 4 chicks; 2 males and 2 females.

I'm sorry about how many didn't make it.
Hopefully your chicks will stay strong and grow well, and before you know it your place with be crawling with Bieles.

 

[chickiebaby1]

I had 3/10 hatch all boys in august! They are growing strong only one seems a bit smaller than the others. My 2 girls are close to 8 weeks old now and are doing great. Can’t wait for spring to start growing my flock.

 

[Savitar]

I got into the breed through the generosity of a friend. He was going to give me a Lavender Orpington rooster when I started my flock, but out of 6 sexed chicks bought locally, 4 died and one was a rooster. Then he gave me a young Mille Fleur D'uccle chick, and that also turned out to be a roo. I had to turn down the Lavender, so he gave me four hens that he bought in March, I think from McMurry. I had a choice from ones that his kids hadn't gotten close to, and two of them were Bielefelders.

I figured they might not be very tame since they weren't the ones his kids paid attention to, but they are quickly becoming so. Berta & Gerta are shown below, with Gerta being the tamest. She'll get into my lap, or try to fly up to my shoulder. Mainly because she's a pig and is always looking for treats. I think my Bieles are laying, but honestly, I can't tell if it's the Light Brahma that we also got from my friend. They seem pretty large for being 7+ months old.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

So how is everyone's Biele kids doing?

My six are 15 months old now and overall I'd say they are average heritage size. Of the four hens, three are pretty mellow, and one is more space sensitive. She doesn't like anyone, even the other chickens, in her space.
The two boys are very quiet and mellow, which is exactly what I was hoping for. I can't say they are exceptionally large, but a well behaved roo is one I will take over a large nasty roo.

Two of my girls went broody this spring and summer, but the chicken inn was full and I did not allow them any eggs to set on.

Overall I'm happy with the breed so far.

 

[AgnesGray]

So how is everyone's Biele kids doing?

My six are 15 months old now and overall I'd say they are average heritage size. Of the four hens, three are pretty mellow, and one is more space sensitive. She doesn't like anyone, even the other chickens, in her space.
The two boys are very quiet and mellow, which is exactly what I was hoping for. I can't say they are exceptionally large, but a well behaved roo is one I will take over a large nasty roo.

Two of my girls went broody this spring and summer, but the chicken inn was full and I did not allow them any eggs to set on.

Overall I'm happy with the breed so far.

Where do your bielefelders come from? I found it interesting the size and charachter difference I saw from a few different sources that I purchased from. One source had steady big roosters and bigger-than-orpington ladies, but they tended to have major issues with the summer heat and hatching issues. Another source the birds were flighty and barely the size of barred rocks, if that. We enjoy them as a breed overall, but some lines have been a disappointment. We only have 2011 line birds left and they are somewhere in the middle, charachter and size-wise.