Bielefelder or Barred Rock Rooster for my flock?

[Outta Here]

Some kind person on this forum told me my plans of creating Rhodebars with a Barred Rock Rooster over RIR hens wouldn't work, and someone else suggested Bielefelders. Since researching them, I am super excited about getting a pair of this breed. A local Craigslist ad is offering a four-month-old pullet and an unrelated one-year-old rooster for $30. I've never even seen this breed--they look gorgeous to me! But since I only keep 12 hens, I would have to choose between my 3-month-old BR and the Bielefelder.....Anybody out there help me decide by sharing their preferences between the two?

Also, if I did go get the two, since the pullet is the same age as my 12 pullets and the rooster is older and bigger, would I have to go through all the lengthy introduction period? I was thinking the larger, new rooster would protect his girl....

 

[Outta Here]

P.S. These were hatched from eggs from Murray McMurray.

 

[Outta Here]

P.S. They are for sale in Phoenix, AZ, which has brutal heat--my place is 20 degrees cooler. Others on Craigslist said they had fertility problems in this heat...Anyone have experience with Bielefelders in the heat?

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

When deciding what rooster for my flock, I like going with a smaller rooster. I'm pretty sure that they're both around the same weight... So I'd go with the Bielefelder just because it's different, prettier, and something new if it was me. As far as introduction, a new rooster will adjust rather quickly because roosters aren't in the hens' pecking order. And with fertility, with Bielefelder or Barred Rock, for a good fertility rate, go no more than eight breeding hens with your rooster during breeding. The more hens that a rooster has to mount, the fertility rate goes down.

Breeding fertility rates rooster to hens.

Small rooster - 1:18
Average rooster - 1:12
Large rooster - 1:8

 

[Outta Here]

Thanks Lacy--I did just that! What sweethearts....I put a blanket down in the full cargo area of my van for the 3 hour ride home so they could walk around. They haven't been handled much, yet one of the pullets flew from the back of my van into my lap to finish the journey!
And the gigantic rooster was very docile when I placed him on the roost with all my others. The two pullets just settled right next to him. This morning the three are pecking together on the lawn with my flock, with very few kerfuffles. I'm really looking forward to getting to know these Bielefelders! Thanks to the person who suggested them! (Can't seem to find that reply.)

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Thanks Lacy--I did just that! What sweethearts....I put a blanket down in the full cargo area of my van for the 3 hour ride home so they could walk around. They haven't been handled much, yet one of the pullets flew from the back of my van into my lap to finish the journey!
And the gigantic rooster was very docile when I placed him on the roost with all my others. The two pullets just settled right next to him. This morning the three are pecking together on the lawn with my flock, with very few kerfuffles. I'm really looking forward to getting to know these Bielefelders! Thanks to the person who suggested them! (Can't seem to find that reply.)

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Awww... I'm so glad that you got them! That's adorable that one that wanted to ride on your lap. Both my Speckled Sussex and my Cuckoo Maran mix I had ride on my lap on the way home.

 

[Carolina28]

Some kind person on this forum told me my plans of creating Rhodebars with a Barred Rock Rooster over RIR hens wouldn't work, and someone else suggested Bielefelders. Since researching them, I am super excited about getting a pair of this breed. A local Craigslist ad is offering a four-month-old pullet and an unrelated one-year-old rooster for $30. I've never even seen this breed--they look gorgeous to me! But since I only keep 12 hens, I would have to choose between my 3-month-old BR and the Bielefelder.....Anybody out there help me decide by sharing their preferences between the two?

Also, if I did go get the two, since the pullet is the same age as my 12 pullets and the rooster is older and bigger, would I have to go through all the lengthy introduction period? I was thinking the larger, new rooster would protect his girl....
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I love my Beilefelders because they are so gentle and sweet. The rooster even rats out if my hand. They lay MUCH less than my Plymouth Blue Rocks. Their plumage is gorgeous especially the rooster. I have 4 Beilefelder hens and I'm lucky if I get 1 egg a day. The Plymouths I usually get 5 a day from 5 hens. I've also been thinking Of like to cross the Beilefelder rooster with the Plymouth hens or at least give it a try. I have noticed that when you incubate a Beilefelder egg they usually all hatch and I don't seem to lose any after hatching unlike the Rhode Island Reds or the Plymouths. Beikefelders are also auto seeing. Would be interesting to see if it's the same for cross bred chicjs.