Bielefelder thread!!!!

[BlueBaby]

Look at this hansom guy! NN/Bielefelder (NN mom in the foreground...lol... and NN/Bf sister behind him - sister is NN/Bf without a NN showing)
View attachment 3379596

It look's like he turned out pretty nice for size, and you can see the barring from his Bielefelder daddy in him too! His momma look's as curious about thing's as she did over here.

 

[BlueBaby]

Thanks for the input about hatcheries, @Iluveggers.

My neighbor is slow to get back to me about any of this, other than she's interested in splitting an order. I don't want to miss getting Biels because I wait for her.

I know she is very busy; she and her hubby have a business and home school 3 boys. I'm retired, so I don't have demands on my time the way she does.

The maximum number of birds I want to add is 4, so Mt. Healthy may be where I order as they have a 3 minimum. Yeah, I'm going to have to pay $30 extra, but I really want what I want, so that's doable.

You can always get those 4 that you want for yourself, and then let her know where see can do the smaller order for herself of what she want's. Then everyone should be happy with that.

 

[BlueBaby]

Believe me, when I order and get a date, EVERYONE will hear about it!

Dates are always something to squawk about, right?

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Daphne, 7.5 month old laid second soft shell egg in a week. It was broken in a nest with 3 other eggs. After a nice dose of calcium citrate she expelled some clear watery poo so she earned a night in the ICU, aka the Chick-U, complete with en suite and kitchenette. She is turning her back on me in protest.

 

[heatherbeast]

I would order them asap because they might run into problems later in the hatching season with availability, shipping or disease outbreaks. I just now looked at Murray McMurray (which I used in 2020 to restart my flocks) and they have female Beilefelder chicks available this month and then waning later (maybe this is just because it is harder to predict further out, or pre-orders, logistics, etc.).

I believe you can order and specify a delivery date that they will try thier best to meet. meaning you could order now for late this month or later in season so you would be on thier schedule. Make sure you specify you will or will not accept substitutions if you order specific breeds.

McMurray usually will have their best predicted availability of breeds about 3 weeks out (incubation time of course). Check on Friday afternoons or Saturdays. I learned about Bielefelders from the 'free surprise chick' from Murray, and fell in love with them. He does have a fair bit of white in his wings and tail. His sons have a lot better color coverage, and more evenly spaced points on their combs. My next order of Bielefelders to out-cross will be from Cackle, I have it scheduled for mid-April.

Dad:

Son:

 

[Iluveggers]

McMurray usually will have their best predicted availability of breeds about 3 weeks out (incubation time of course). Check on Friday afternoons or Saturdays. I learned about Bielefelders from the 'free surprise chick' from Murray, and fell in love with them. He does have a fair bit of white in his wings and tail. His sons have a lot better color coverage, and more evenly spaced points on their combs. My next order of Bielefelders to out-cross will be from Cackle, I have it scheduled for mid-April.

Dad:

Son:

The are truly gorgeous birds.

 

[BlueBaby]

McMurray usually will have their best predicted availability of breeds about 3 weeks out (incubation time of course). Check on Friday afternoons or Saturdays. I learned about Bielefelders from the 'free surprise chick' from Murray, and fell in love with them. He does have a fair bit of white in his wings and tail. His sons have a lot better color coverage, and more evenly spaced points on their combs. My next order of Bielefelders to out-cross will be from Cackle, I have it scheduled for mid-April.

Dad:

Son:

The son look's better.

 

[CFLRanching]

Ok, so if you were choosing among hatcheries... who would you order from?
Cackle
Murray Mc Murray
Mt Healthy
Other...?

We ordered ours last summer from Chickens for Backyards. We originally ordered a male only (they were pretty pricey) but they were out of some of the other breeds we ordered so the included a female. She ended up with an infection in her eye (and after that she continued to not be well, and so we lost her @ like 4 months) we still have him, and he made it through a critter attack (unknown but thinking skunk as his throat was cut (but he was in the run). He's pretty and docile very friendly (so was she but I always make sure when our birds are little I make it a habit to get them unafraid of us by bringing them a dry feed treat (with meal worms and let them get used to me bringing it and eating out of my hamd (and petting them at the same time. But they're definitely unique birds for the flock

 

[BlueBaby]

We ordered ours last summer from Chickens for Backyards. We originally ordered a male only (they were pretty pricey) but they were out of some of the other breeds we ordered so the included a female. She ended up with an infection in her eye (and after that she continued to not be well, and so we lost her @ like 4 months) we still have him, and he made it through a critter attack (unknown but thinking skunk as his throat was cut (but he was in the run). He's pretty and docile very friendly (so was she but I always make sure when our birds are little I make it a habit to get them unafraid of us by bringing them a dry feed treat (with meal worms and let them get used to me bringing it and eating out of my hamd (and petting them at the same time. But they're definitely unique birds for the flock

Sorry that you lost your female!

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I used to recommend Cackle, and had bought a lot of birds through them. However, I won't ever be buying anything from them again.
When I bought 15 very expensive Chanteclers from them last year they had deformed legs. I contacted them about it and they said it was because I didn't give them Apple Cider Vinegar. WTH? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.They just didn't want to take responsibility for their breeding stock. I will stick with McMurrey they have always had quality birds. Cackle won't let you change or add to your order either.