Bielefelder thread!!!!

[BlueBaby]

I would like to give hatching a try eventually but I have too much going with establishing my tree farm on ATM . I need to purchase an incubator first, but ideally I would let a broody hatch. I don’t know that Bielefelders or Niederrhieners go broody, so having an incubator backup is important.
Next year I will get more into crossing Bielefelder with Niederrhieners.

I know nothing about the Niederrhiener's as I have never had those. I did have one of my Bielefelder hen's trying to go broody on me about a month ago, but I broke her of it. I caught her at the beginning so she wasn't as stubborn yet.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I know nothing about the Niederrhiener's as I have never had those. I did have one of my Bielefelder hen's trying to go broody on me about a month ago, but I broke her of it. I caught her at the beginning so she wasn't as stubborn yet.

Niederrheiners, available as Lemon cuckoo Niederrhieners, is a dual purpose, cold hardy docile breed. Auto sexing but difficult to distinguish until a week or so old. They grow much MUCH faster than Bielefelders throughout the first year, and pullets come into lay about 2-4 weeks earlier. I harvested a couple of cockerels at 14 wks last Fall and the dressed wt was 4.25-4.5 lbs. (would liked to have gone to 16-18 wks). Right now I have a 10 month and two 8 month old pullets. Their eggs are 55-70g consistently and they lay in winter. Pullets presently weigh 7-9 lbs. They need lots of fluffy-butt trimming as they are messy.
Mine are from McMuurrays. I will say they are way too fragile as chicks; my losses exceeded 50% on my first order and 25% my second order.
I will eventually hatch eggs from BM (Big Momma, 1st pic) and my Bielefelder roo, Spatch. 2nd pic below is of the LCN cockerels at 14 wks- Frodo and Sam.

 

[Sally PB]

My neighbor wants to split an order! I WILL GET BIELEFELDERS!!!!

Now, does anyone know if the hatcheries mark the chicks so you know which breed is which? Is that a regular thing, or would I need to ask for that?

 

[BlueBaby]

Niederrheiners, available as Lemon cuckoo Niederrhieners, is a dual purpose, cold hardy docile breed. Auto sexing but difficult to distinguish until a week or so old. They grow much MUCH faster than Bielefelders throughout the first year, and pullets come into lay about 2-4 weeks earlier. I harvested a couple of cockerels at 14 wks last Fall and the dressed wt was 4.25-4.5 lbs. (would liked to have gone to 16-18 wks). Right now I have a 10 month and two 8 month old pullets. Their eggs are 55-70g consistently and they lay in winter. Pullets presently weigh 7-9 lbs. They need lots of fluffy-butt trimming as they are messy.
Mine are from McMuurrays. I will say they are way too fragile as chicks; my losses exceeded 50% on my first order and 25% my second order.
I will eventually hatch eggs from BM (Big Momma, 1st pic) and my Bielefelder roo, Spatch. 2nd pic below is of the LCN cockerels at 14 wks- Frodo and Sam.

According to your picture's there, the LCN's have smaller comb's then the Biel's. They also seem to have thicker leg's on them?

 

[BlueBaby]

My neighbor wants to split an order! I WILL GET BIELEFELDERS!!!!

Now, does anyone know if the hatcheries mark the chicks so you know which breed is which? Is that a regular thing, or would I need to ask for that?

I've heard that some do, but some don't. You can always ask them to, I guess.

 

[Iluveggers]

No thread yet on the Bielefelder/NN mix to be auto-sexing. These should lay first egg about Feb/March and I'll separate out a couple of breeding pens/runs for the project.

It will be a good learning experience since I'm not well versed on genetics (but studying and learning all the way). I have downloaded the auto-sex "recipe" file posted elsewhere here to start with.

I need to write out my project plan so I have a firm goal for guidance. My initial thoughts on goals for the NN/Bielefelder--
auto-sexing
heat tolerant (since I'm in AZ)
large birds (so could be dual purpose and perhaps less targeted by predators)
good egg layers
good temperament

Good luck! Can’t wait to see how this turns out!

My neighbor wants to split an order! I WILL GET BIELEFELDERS!!!!

Now, does anyone know if the hatcheries mark the chicks so you know which breed is which? Is that a regular thing, or would I need to ask for that?

Which hatchery?

 

[Sally PB]

Which hatchery?

One that carries Biels!

We haven't discussed that yet. I've looked at Cackle and Murray Mc Murray. My neighbor hasn't said what breeds she's interested in, or where she's looked online.

Any recommendations? I know she won't be interested in the high end hatcheries, like Greenfire. That would be beyond her price range.

 

[BlueBaby]

One that carries Biels!

We haven't discussed that yet. I've looked at Cackle and Murray Mc Murray. My neighbor hasn't said what breeds she's interested in, or where she's looked online.

Any recommendations? I know she won't be interested in the high end hatcheries, like Greenfire. That would be beyond her price range.

I can't recommend a hatchery to you, because I bought mine as hatching egg's. If you lived close to me I could help with the Biel's as I will be hatching from my flock this year. None of mine will be mixed breed's as all that I have here is the Bielefelder's.

 

[Iluveggers]

One that carries Biels!

We haven't discussed that yet. I've looked at Cackle and Murray Mc Murray. My neighbor hasn't said what breeds she's interested in, or where she's looked online.

Any recommendations? I know she won't be interested in the high end hatcheries, like Greenfire. That would be beyond her price range.

I know that Meyer & Mt Healthy have Bielefelder, too. Mt Healthy will mark them on request for 25c per mark.

 

[Sally PB]

Well, Meyer is sold out.

Looking at Mt. Healthy.

Thanks for the suggestions!