Bielefelder thread!!!!

[BlueBaby]

Decisions, decisions.... so I am trying to start my flock of Bielefelder's. I have a few eggs in the incubator that seem to be dropping off 1 by 1. Today I was asked if I wanted to consider buying an entire flock(4 1 year old 2/2 and 30 12 week old about half and half with a few more hens then roo) $450. I had inquired about buying a few eggs and he said he didn't have any to sell but was going to process out his flock in a few weeks to focus on his other 2 breeds. Should I go for it?? He is not sure where the lady he got them from bought hers when he originally bought 2 roo and 3 female because that is all she would sell him. Anyway opinions on if this is a good investment??

That sound's funny to me. If he has both adult hens and rooster's, why is there not even a few fertile egg's? How is the heath of these said chicken's? Have you seen them?

 

[BlueBaby]

He did have a handful that he is incubating now that will also be mine. I just don't think he is interested in selling hatching eggs. He was selling chicks at $20 and $25 but was planning on slaughter next week or 2 of what he didn't sell. . I got his contact from someone who knew I was looking. He was not really advertising to sell any in the 1st place.

Wow, that much for them as chick's? Maybe I shouldn't be selling mine so cheap then?

 

[BlueBaby]

View attachment 3202162

Well, as I see those chick's and knowing that they had to been hatched by the egg's from those adult's, if you took them all, you won't know which one's of those younger one's are brother and sister's. I see no distinguishing leg band's on them to show what one's the parent's were.

Is there a way that you can only buy those 4 adult's? That way you would be able to do them in pair's for breeding purpose's so that you can keep track of what chick's have what parent's.

 

[BlueBaby]

Lol they are 3 and 4 months old so not exactly chicks. But that is about the price I have seen. All said and done I will get them at about $9 each and off starter food except for a few new hatchling.

What will you do with all of those young boy's? They will be brother's to those younger girl's.

 

[BlueBaby]

I'm going to have several Bielefelder pullets for sale over the next few months. I'm struggling with how much to sell them for. They will be sold at 16 weeks, so pretty close to point of lay. Does anyone have any suggestions on what a reasonable price would be for them? Thanks

I've been wondering the same thing too. I have been building up my stock of them so most likely won't be starting to sell any extra females until next year.

 

[BlueBaby]

What's up with this? My tracking update says the chicks went from Iowa to Minnesota. I'm in Washington state! They arrived in Minn at 5 pm yesterday and were still in the acceptance process at 10 pm. There is no entry since 10 pm last night. This doesn't sound good!

Edit: just spoke with McMurray and they say all is normal. Should expect delivery Fri or Sat.

Maybe the airport hub for the post office is in Minnesota?

 

[BlueBaby]

Yes. Please look at these pics and give me some advice. I tried the egg yolk with no interest. I'll try scrambled eggs today. Another chick died last night! They are in a 50 gal poly tank. There is a heating plate on one end and a heat lamp pointing at angle to prevent a concentration of heat at the other end because they are in the unheated garage. I put a towel over one end of the tank with the plate at night, and the rest is open. There are warm spots and cooler spots around the tank.View attachment 3515955Yesterday I added the wood shavings and a new feeder, which they haven't taken to, so I also put food into a little bowl and they dig right in. They get Purina Start and Grow crumbles (unmedicated, because they were vaxed). They had water with Quik Chik and sugar from the nipple. Today I changed to plain water. Should I continue adding Quik Chik? View attachment 3515956The surviving chicks are running and jumping, scratching, eating and drinking and just looking very lively. The chick that died last night seemed fairly active previously, too, but was smaller than the others and I noticed it was not as lively or interested in food yesterday. I've raised many ducklings and never had so much trouble as with these chicks. Do you have any suggestions? I apologize for the poor quality of the pics.

It's charming how they come out when they hear my voice and are comfortable with me reaching in, even jumping into my hand, a major difference from the panic of ducklings!
View attachment 3515954

Do you have a thermometer inside of it to let you know what the actual temperature in there is?

I see that you've had duck's too. I was just in checking on thing's in my brooder. Gave fresh wet feed, and put a small dog food bowl filled with water and sitting in a pie plate in there. Of course the duckling's had to hop right in it, don't you know. It looked like a bowl of duckling soup.

 

[BlueBaby]

Thank you for the advice. I assure you they haven't been cooked, although I understand how it appears that the heat sources are excessive. It is really quite cold in my garage.

Took some readings.
Air temperature under the brooder is 87-88.
Temp under the heat lamp a few inches above the floor of the trough is 75.
Ambient (outdoor) temp (high) is the mid 50's, night time lows in the mid to high 40's. The ambient garage right now is 68 but only because the kiln has been running today in the shop next to the garage. Usually it's in the 50's year round.

The first night the only heat source was the brooder; two chicks died. I added the heat lamp after that. This is my first time using the brooder plate. The chicks have to duck to get under it but are able to stand without the plate touching their backs. Is it too high? Too low? Are any of the temperatures problematic?

What about the bulb in your heat lamp? It's not one of those that's Teflon coated is it?

 

[BlueBaby]

Can you share what kind of paper bedding you're using? I'd like to give it a try but looks like I'll have to buy online and there is an endless variety to choose from. Shredded, crinkled, shaved, recycled, brown white, small animal, large animal, very fine shredded and not so fine shredded, even colored!

I just used puppy pee pad's in my brooder. They absorb any moisture as there is a layer of plastic on the bottom. Easy to clean out, just fold all of it towards the middle, and throw away.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Yes! This is best I could get. What do you think? I don't have ducks but seems to me what a baby duck quack would sound like!

cute! That’s a cluck. My girls do the same and give a good back and forth cluck-cluck-cluck conversation when I go out to see them early mornings.