Bielefelder Neiderrheiner breakfast and growth update

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

looks like you have a few cockerels in the mjust have to follow you (not a stalker ) and watch your lil’s grow up
❤

Really!!¡! Which ones, where? Will you point him/them out to me?

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Give me a sec. I’m trying to figure out how to draw on your pics.. I need a teenager!! Anyone got a spare, mine’s at school.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I am assuming you have either Bielefelder or Niederrheiners in the flock. Depending on where you got them Niederrheiners can be a rainbow of colors and not all will have the pink/white legs. I have two with very yellow legs and one of those looks more like a cuckoo RR (McMurray hatchery). I don't breed to sell so I don't care, but if you are looking for LEMON CUCKOO and get a red/brown bird with yellow legs it says a lot about hatchery quality. I assume McMurrays is still playing with the genetics.... so having had several of these breeds, and good documentation from day 1 (on my flocks) here's my take based on your pics.

Pic 1: Upper left corner Bielefelder with mixed markings. White dot but chipmunk pattern... def one to watch but I would say male.
Also in pic 1 (not marked) the fast feathering chick to the far right..can't see it all to determine but if its a Bielefelder then prob a female (will have eye lines) BUT if its a Niederrhiener it will not have eye lines and is feathering fast which could indicate a male.
The male Niederrheiners in my lots ALL had fast comb development and feathering, and they acted very male with alert posture, chest bumping and defensive head-up, beak poised to peck posture toward my attempt to handle surprisingly early on. The female combs at one week were there but it was clearly less obvious than males of the same age.

Pic 2: Def a male Bielefelder in front. All male Biels are autosexing at hatch and will have white dot on head, lighter color overall. Chick in back looks like male Nieder...comb easy to see but need a clearer pic of whole chick. Is that a death stare? Would be worth noting feathering, leg thickness too.

Pic 3: Likely male. Any Niederrheiner with fast feathering wings, shoulders tails is worth a closer look. Look for defined comb bumps, thick legs. This guy has good tail feather growth for 8 days old..

Pic A: the two in center don't have obvious male characteristics for Niederrheiner males. The posture is likely simple curiosity I think. The chick on the far right is too blurry but appears to have some good feather growth--may need a closer look.

Good luck..it will be fun to watch these guys. What is your plan for these littles?

 

[Iluveggers]

The Bielefelder girls have dark stripes and the boys have very light almost grey stripes. I know nothing about Niedderheiner sexing though!

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

Give me a sec. I’m trying to figure out how to draw on your pics.. I need a teenager!! Anyone got a spare, mine’s at school.

I'm allergic to "em . . teens!

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

I am assuming you have either Bielefelder or Niederrheiners in the flock. Depending on where you got them Niederrheiners can be a rainbow of colors and not all will have the pink/white legs. I have two with very yellow legs and one of those looks more like a cuckoo RR (McMurray hatchery). I don't breed to sell so I don't care, but if you are looking for LEMON CUCKOO and get a red/brown bird with yellow legs it says a lot about hatchery quality. I assume McMurrays is still playing with the genetics.... so having had several of these breeds, and good documentation from day 1 (on my flocks) here's my take based on your pics.

Pic 1: Upper left corner Bielefelder with mixed markings. White dot but chipmunk pattern... def one to watch but I would say male.
Also in pic 1 (not marked) the fast feathering chick to the far right..can't see it all to determine but if its a Bielefelder then prob a female (will have eye lines) BUT if its a Niederrhiener it will not have eye lines and is feathering fast which could indicate a male.
The male Niederrheiners in my lots ALL had fast comb development and feathering, and they acted very male with alert posture, chest bumping and defensive head-up, beak poised to peck posture toward my attempt to handle surprisingly early on. The female combs at one week were there but it was clearly less obvious than males of the same age.

Pic 2: Def a male Bielefelder in front. All male Biels are autosexing at hatch and will have white dot on head, lighter color overall. Chick in back looks like male Nieder...comb easy to see but need a clearer pic of whole chick. Is that a death stare? Would be worth noting feathering, leg thickness too.

Pic 3: Likely male. Any Niederrheiner with fast feathering wings, shoulders tails is worth a closer look. Look for defined comb bumps, thick legs. This guy has good tail feather growth for 8 days old..

Pic A: the two in center don't have obvious male characteristics for Niederrheiner males. The posture is likely simple curiosity I think. The chick on the far right is too blurry but appears to have some good feather growth--may need a closer look.

Good luck..it will be fun to watch these guys. What is your plan for these littles?

Uww, excited to compare the information you so kindly shared while watching my brood and looking at these pics and comparing to better understand the babies.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

I am assuming you have either Bielefelder or Niederrheiners in the flock. Depending on where you got them Niederrheiners can be a rainbow of colors and not all will have the pink/white legs. I have two with very yellow legs and one of those looks more like a cuckoo RR (McMurray hatchery). I don't breed to sell so I don't care, but if you are looking for LEMON CUCKOO and get a red/brown bird with yellow legs it says a lot about hatchery quality. I assume McMurrays is still playing with the genetics.... so having had several of these breeds, and good documentation from day 1 (on my flocks) here's my take based on your pics.

Pic 1: Upper left corner Bielefelder with mixed markings. White dot but chipmunk pattern... def one to watch but I would say male.
Also in pic 1 (not marked) the fast feathering chick to the far right..can't see it all to determine but if its a Bielefelder then prob a female (will have eye lines) BUT if its a Niederrhiener it will not have eye lines and is feathering fast which could indicate a male.
The male Niederrheiners in my lots ALL had fast comb development and feathering, and they acted very male with alert posture, chest bumping and defensive head-up, beak poised to peck posture toward my attempt to handle surprisingly early on. The female combs at one week were there but it was clearly less obvious than males of the same age.

Pic 2: Def a male Bielefelder in front. All male Biels are autosexing at hatch and will have white dot on head, lighter color overall. Chick in back looks like male Nieder...comb easy to see but need a clearer pic of whole chick. Is that a death stare? Would be worth noting feathering, leg thickness too.

Pic 3: Likely male. Any Niederrheiner with fast feathering wings, shoulders tails is worth a closer look. Look for defined comb bumps, thick legs. This guy has good tail feather growth for 8 days old..

Pic A: the two in center don't have obvious male characteristics for Niederrheiner males. The posture is likely simple curiosity I think. The chick on the far right is too blurry but appears to have some good feather growth--may need a closer look.

Good luck..it will be fun to watch these guys. What is your plan for these littles?

Oh, I meant to share the Bieles - I purchased THREE pullets and ONE cockarel. The Neiderrs were straight run.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

looks like you have a few cockerels in the mix.
I, too, love LOVE my Bielefelders and Niederrhieners. The Niederrhieners grow sooo fast!
I just have to follow you (not a stalker ) and watch your lil’s grow up
❤

I'd like to see yours

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

I am assuming you have either Bielefelder or Niederrheiners in the flock. Depending on where you got them Niederrheiners can be a rainbow of colors

it will be fun to watch these guys. What is your plan for these littles?

They hail from M. McMurray.
Our plan is to raise for eggs. Allow the cockarel to do his thing and hopefully experience the natural cycle of chickening. .

The thing is we ARE going to free range at some point before end of year. I just hope when my cockarels start tapping the good stuff that they do so with the pullets of same breed and not neglect them in favor of the other girls. Had I three coops I would separate my faves from the others. But really what difference would that make if they are all free ranging? Guess I could free range them in groups and separate times; but that ain't happening for we have one big hoop coop.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

They hail from M. McMurray.
Our plan is to raise for eggs. Allow the cockarel to do his thing and hopefully experience the natural cycle of chickening. .

The thing is we ARE going to free range at some point before end of year. I just hope when my cockarels start tapping the good stuff that they do so with the pullets of same breed and not neglect them in favor of the other girls. Had I three coops I would separate my faves from the others. But really what difference would that make if they are all free ranging? Guess I could free range them in groups and separate times; but that ain't happening for we have one big hoop coop.

Interesting. My biel cockerel tends to the pullets equally but his favorite is a nieder we call Big Momma. The egg color between the biels and nieds are very different, so even if you kept them together you could just pick out the nieds eggs for consumption. Nieders lay large eggs, around 20 wks. Biels med-large 24-28wks

cream colored egg- Nieder
Brown with fine specks- Biel

I have 10 birds, only one cockerel which seems to me a good ratio for him. The cockerel is gentle but I’m glad I have them altogether so the hens get more of a break