Bielefelder thread!!!!

[Faraday40]

Biels are at the top of my wish list for duel purpose breed and I would want a broody hen to hatch for sustainability. I'm curious as to how often hens become broody and if they are good mothers? My other thought was to put fertile biel eggs under orpington because they are known to be exceptional mothers. Any thoughts?

I have not owned many Bieles, but none have gone broody for me. I'm not sure if they are a broody breed.

My best broody (ever) was a bantam Orpington (English). She looked like a Cochin but without the hassle of feathered legs/feet. "Cookie" would go broody 3-5 times per year, would hatch whatever eggs would fit under her, was never "pecky" and was extremely dedicated and watchful of her babies. We never had a rooster her size so she never biologically reproduced, but she raised more chicks than I could count. Her max adoption clutch was about 35-40 chicks. She raised large orpingtons, serama chicks, turkeys, quail, ducklings, and just about every sized chicken in between. She would adopt any size, any number, any age (hatched within 4 weeks of each other), and any species. If it peeped, it was HER baby. Such an amazing little hen.

 

[SkiboJeff]

Ron is out of cockerel quarantine at his new home and is ready to be a key player in the cross breeding experiment with the Wellsummer hens.

 

[heatherbeast]

Uh... how have I not found this thread before?!

Incoming pic dump of my beloved boy, Oppenheimer <3

Mystery chick from Murray, hatch date ~ 07/29/2020...

Awkward teenage phase -- the surprise flash didn't help, 4-5 weeks old...

A little bit more grown at 3.5 months, note the eye color change from baby blue!

6 months, and yes he gets handled a LOT and carried inside. I think he's watching TV in this pic.

9 months, and hangs out in the shopping cart when we are in PetSmart.

11 months. POOF! Spurs have come in. His temperament is still excellent.

A year old, and looking INTENSE.

Wishing you all a (belated) merry Christmas!

And, at 18 months, putting up with being a mount for a Serama buddy. He just really wants to go back outside to his ladies. At this age, he weights 8.5 pounds.

I also have two hens that just started laying a bit at 7 months. In the spring, I will be incubating some of their eggs, and also picking up a set of hatching eggs from Vitoria Farms to get a good little Bielefelder flock going. I've loved seeing all your stories!

 

[The Coop-D-etat]

Yes! Back when I use to live in Washington my friend had managed to obtain a Barnie. And I was just struck by how deep and rich her colors were! And I love how chatty she was but her tone was very deep and prolonged. Such a beauty. Vorwerks are gorgeous I love their colors! Idk something about that deep buff compliments the black neck feathers. Very stunnin. And these Bielefelders would pair so nicely with the colors of said above. Lol like fine wine and cheese if you will

 

[abpatchy]

I hatched some Bielefelder last year. I kept 3 hens. I really like them. They lay very well and large eggs. They are friendly. On the other hand they are sassy, always first at the feed and treats. And really fast when it comes to getting treats and running off with them.
I lost one hen last week and don't know why. The others will be moving to a friend soon (hopefully) as I need the space.
My friend Clint @wildcat chix breeds them as of this year. He's in Ky

 

[abpatchy]

I found some pictures of my 3 girls when they were 12 weeks old last year.

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

Here are my new Bielefelder chickies! Going on 1 week today! So excited to watch these beautiful girls grow and see how they end up!
There’s 4 total.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

I've got 6 Bieles from eggs I ordered last summer.
Of 11 eggs, 7 hatched, but Bieles are so immediately robust that the last one had problems fully absorbing the yolk before he wanted to run around. Keeping him still was impossible, and bleeding became in issue.

The others popped like popcorn, have been strong since day one, and I loved knowing as soon as they dried which were which. I ended up with four hens and two roosters.
Like the other pictures posted here, mine are all beautiful with a range of light to darker feathering among the hens, and the boys are opposite. One is darker red based and the other much lighter. Both are well behaved, quiet, and mellow at 15 months.

Three of the four hens are confident and outgoing, with one being more sensitive about her space. She's like that with the other chickens too, so I think it's just a her thing. She will take a treat from my hand, but gets all huffy and insulted she had to touch my hand to get the treat. It's rather comical.

 

[Outta Here]

It free online, created by a very gracious lady named Lisa Steele at FreshEggsDaily. https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/2017/01/free-customizable-printable-egg.html
I printed each month and keep it on a clipboard to mark when I collect the eggs, then enter it in to the chart online.
I love it! At the bottom, it also charts each hen's progress:

 

[Outta Here]

First Bielefelder egg! The other breed of the same age have been laying for weeks before these late bloomers.

Sapphire Gems: 17 weeks and 20 weeks
Rhode Island Reds: 17 weeks and 19 weeks
Easter Egger: 18 weeks
Barred Rocks: 20 weeks
Leghorn: 22 weeks (seems very late--later than Sapphire Gem, EE, RIR!!)
Blue Laced Red Wyandotte: 24 weeks
BIELEFELDER: 27 weeks

My first Biele egg, on the left, is a sort of taupe/mauve color!