I've raised chickens for 40 years. My favorites are Orpingtons, Australorps, Welsummers(best tasting eggs), and Whiting True Blue(not the roosters). Got my first Beilefelder hen this year and really like her. She's calm, likes hanging with me, and forages good. Looking forward to her eggs. Thinking of getting some more Bielefelder hens and roosters next year.
I love my Bielefelders. We have had other breeds in the past but will be sticking with Bielefelders - egg production, docile, easily sexed, cold hardy.
So glad I came across your channel! My main reason for getting this breed is the 1st day sexing ability for selling day old chicks, however love that they are docile, as we want our little kiddos handling these birds and going in the coop. Love that they are heavy foragers, looking to start cover crops in our coop run area and surrounding fields. Thanks for the informative videos!
You can add marigold flowers, or even chili peppers, or perhaps organic paprika to influence the egg yolk color..! I’m growing some safflowers to see if they’ll eat the flowers, plus I like growing stuff I’ve never grown before..
Big chemical companies make nasty things to add to feed in less reputable egg producers, usually in other countries than the US, you have to buy organic eggs to eliminate that possibility. BASF makes some, I read an article online about it.
This is 1 of 3 chicken breeds that I'm getting this spring! I wish I had of known you had them when we picked up the pigs ,I would have tried to take a few of them off your hands!
I have heard others claim the Bielefelder was a superior meat bird and had my doubts. Free ranging Cornish Crosses do just fine with the rest of the egg laying flock. You simply cannot beat them for efficiency.
Thanks for the info. My wife and I have a small homestead in Indiana. I think we may have a beilefelder (sp?) cross from a livestock auction. I'm not sure. I would like to get some. It's just my wife and I. So I would probably use them for dual purpose. Was glad to hear that the hens will go broody. On our little homestead we have goats, meat rabbits, and chickens. This year we fed out feeder pigs. Sold 2 kept 1. Just got our meat Saturday. Thanks again.
My Whiting True Blues are very pretty, one sort of off lavender, cream, with rusty edging, and my Ameraucana is really pretty, she’s getting the funniest face, her muff is developing, and she’s getting these funky , well, sideburns, she looks like a mad scientist. The Whiting True Blues are all different, a couple have very fierce looking expressions. My sis commented that the mix I have, only the Cuckoo Marans and Australorp look like chickens, the rest look like wild birds.
Great video! I just started with my initial flock….a few hours ago. Local store was out of the Olive Eggers I wanted, so I subbed these, knowing nothing about them. YOU make me wanna go back and get a couple more! Very much enjoyed watching you walk around with your animals - you are living just where you need to be! I’m in a suburb and we are “not allowed to free range” but oh yeah, I have a wooded area just like yours. Perfect! I’ll have to figure out some movable cloth-netting fence as the birds need to be safe in the coop at night. Thanks for the post.
I have one belifelder rooster He is very impressive, and gentle but he is young yet, maybe 14 months old. I keep a mixed flock of hens, three pens, and a rooster for each pen. It just seems right to have a rooster with each set of hens.
I got a ship date in late July, bummer, but that gives me plenty of time to hatch out a bunch of BuffOrps to pay for the new breed, and build a couple more tractors
Three Bielefelders in a mixed 15, if they’re not all three first into my lap, they’re next. Just in love with my girls. Seven weeks old next week..their feathers are already so soft and beautiful, such good natured creatures..
I mentioned our chicken math experience earlier. Of the 40 chicks we got, two died and we gave 9 barred rocks away at 7 weeks(not enough room even though we built additional housing). We have a mix of barred rocks, black sex links and buff Orpingtons. Of those three our favorite is the buff Orpington. They are very calm, curious and friendly. The rocks and black sex links are pretty nervous. Maybe that will change as they mature. Who did you buy your bielefelders from? How many eggs per hen per year do they lay?
I had buffs growing up and they were always very nice. It says online that they lay around 200/yr. I think it is higher than that. They have slowed down a hit because we have 3-4 broody hens
Beautiful birds, I need birds with pea, or rosecombs though.... I live in the Adirondack mountains of upstate N.Y., We have brutally cold WINTERS, AND single comb breeds GET frostbite...... I enjoy looking at yours... great FEATHER pattern color... am a retired zoo keeper. I keep all types of Wyandotte, buckeye, dominikers.... rose pea comb breeds.... much success to you, AND your family....
We will be getting some Bielfelders in late February. Curious! Which is safest (with many birds of prey and ground predators around)... the Justin Rhodes Chick-saw OR the Joel Sallitin Tractor?
Not sure any retailers sell Beilefelders in my area.....a little leery of getting any day old chicks shipped....just coz....no incubator either ...northern middle Tennessee.... Not heard of a Whiting True Blue.....
Man we really liked the Bielefelders. Ours stopped laying and weren’t sure why. Some commented and say that they don’t do well in the heat but I’m not sure. We actually kept the rooster because they have never attacked us but we don’t have hens anymore
Beautyful video. If you are interested dir Others chicks wir other colors. Than try french Maran or Araucaner. The eggs from Maran are chocklade brown and the Araucaner are light green light green-blue. Maybe good for eastereggs. Kind regards from Lower Bavaria
Hello ! I have now Bielefelder chicken since 3 months and I'm very happy with them. My other 2 breeds are French Marans and Araucana. By the way, do you have now also Marans chicken ?
@@KCFarms About Bielefelders, I have 3 hens and 2 roosters. They are now 17 weeks old. I see that roosters are a bit aggressive and peck the hens often. Is that normal ? They are a lot of feathers in poultry house...
I have bielefelders I’m new to raising chickens are you feeding your hens and roosters the same feed If so what I’m being told by some people you shouldn’t feed the roosters layer feed i thank you for your opinion
Most of the time the chickens will stay in because they like to be close to their house. They do get out but always go back in at night. We have lost maybe 4 chickens to hawks since we have been here 3 years it hasn’t really been that bad.
@@KCFarms that's great! I wonder if we just have an abundance of hawks around us. We are first timers with chickens and lost a 10 week old chicken to a hawk. Now we are scared to let them in the electric poultry netting area. I'm hoping it will be better when they are full grown.
I would say 7-8 lbs I have learned that the strain of birds in America don’t get as big as the birds in Germany. They do well with the heat. We have around 16 hens and we were getting 12 eggs a day before 3-4 of them went broody. Online it says about 200 eggs/year but I would guess it’s a little more
Finally got my Bielefelder’s 8 bucks a chick got 15 seems high but if I wanted them they are worth it. Plus Jersey giants from another hatchery. Yeah ......
@@KCFarms well let you know never had them but I hear cause they are big and black they keep hawks and other air strikes at bay. They think they are Ravens /crows But yes I hear they are good meat birds as well just take longer .
@@coziii.1829 Gosh that is a good idea 💡 getting Jersey Giants! To a hawk above it could look like a crow and we all know how much they hate each other .
@@KCFarms Update Jersey giants eat like crazy And seem to grow tall fast . I thought my Bielefelders where sick cause they don’t eat as much . Only a week and half apart. Bielefelders are still quite small still . Though I heard JG slow down to get fuller/ wider. So we will see size difference when mature. I went ahead got some buff Orpingtons as well at Tractor supply. Won’t have eggs till late summer or even next year. I’m thinking about doing my own Heritage breeds hatchery kind of thing for my business since I am kind of retired. So see you soon on your videos.
I've raised chickens for 40 years. My favorites are Orpingtons, Australorps, Welsummers(best tasting eggs), and Whiting True Blue(not the roosters).
Got my first Beilefelder hen this year and really like her. She's calm, likes hanging with me, and forages good. Looking forward to her eggs. Thinking of getting some more Bielefelder hens and roosters next year.
I love my Bielefelders. We have had other breeds in the past but will be sticking with Bielefelders - egg production, docile, easily sexed, cold hardy.
Came across your channel as I am learing more about Bielefielders chickens. Thanks for all that you shared in the video!
Appreciate you following along
So glad I came across your channel! My main reason for getting this breed is the 1st day sexing ability for selling day old chicks, however love that they are docile, as we want our little kiddos handling these birds and going in the coop. Love that they are heavy foragers, looking to start cover crops in our coop run area and surrounding fields. Thanks for the informative videos!
I am also hatched some for me this year for the first time
A video on your rogue chickens sounds like a lot of fun. Please do make this video!
Haha thanks we will put it in the works
I would say that Buff Orpingtons are my favorite. They're so beautiful and sweet. They're also rather quiet.
Had a few of them growing up they were nice birds
You can add marigold flowers, or even chili peppers, or perhaps organic paprika to influence the egg yolk color..! I’m growing some safflowers to see if they’ll eat the flowers, plus I like growing stuff I’ve never grown before..
Big chemical companies make nasty things to add to feed in less reputable egg producers, usually in other countries than the US, you have to buy organic eggs to eliminate that possibility. BASF makes some, I read an article online about it.
This is my favorite breed. The roosters are very docile.
I really enjoy the Bielefielder breed:)
I got these chickens because of your videos first of last year. Been a follower ever since.
Awesome appreciate you following along!
My favorite is the Buff Orpington.
I do like buffs had some growing up
I think, they are great.
Thanks for sharing
We really like our Buff Orpingtons. We will be going with some Beilifelders and Black Australorps for a 2nd flock. Ken Billman
Love the Buff orpingtons had those when I was growing up. Sounds like you have some nice flocks
Thanks for sharing. I have 3 females and my main rooster is also a belifender
Total of 15 mix group ( 5 months old now)
Welcome glad you enjoyed it
This is 1 of 3 chicken breeds that I'm getting this spring! I wish I had of known you had them when we picked up the pigs ,I would have tried to take a few of them off your hands!
Wow thanks.. orpingtons r good 4 me.. so docile and calm.. nice setup man
Thanks! Love Orpingtons as well had them Growing up
Silverudds Blues are at the top of my list of breeds to keep. Great video. Hard to believe the difference in those egg yolks.
Yeah it is quite a difference
I have heard others claim the Bielefelder was a superior meat bird and had my doubts. Free ranging Cornish Crosses do just fine with the rest of the egg laying flock. You simply cannot beat them for efficiency.
Great video, very informative. Where did you did you get your stock from?
I just love he Plymouth Barred Rocks but I'm going to try a Bielefelder in my next batch of chicks.
I think you’ll enjoy them
Thanks for the info. My wife and I have a small homestead in Indiana. I think we may have a beilefelder (sp?) cross from a livestock auction. I'm not sure. I would like to get some. It's just my wife and I. So I would probably use them for dual purpose. Was glad to hear that the hens will go broody. On our little homestead we have goats, meat rabbits, and chickens. This year we fed out feeder pigs. Sold 2 kept 1. Just got our meat Saturday. Thanks again.
Awesome thanks for following along
Getting their nutrition from mother nature that our feed, no matter how good lacks. Good work here . Good strain of fowl.
Thank you
Really thinking about getting some of these
My Whiting True Blues are very pretty, one sort of off lavender, cream, with rusty edging, and my Ameraucana is really pretty, she’s getting the funniest face, her muff is developing, and she’s getting these funky , well, sideburns, she looks like a mad scientist. The Whiting True Blues are all different, a couple have very fierce looking expressions. My sis commented that the mix I have, only the Cuckoo Marans and Australorp look like chickens, the rest look like wild birds.
Great video! I just started with my initial flock….a few hours ago. Local store was out of the Olive Eggers I wanted, so I subbed these, knowing nothing about them. YOU make me wanna go back and get a couple more! Very much enjoyed watching you walk around with your animals - you are living just where you need to be! I’m in a suburb and we are “not allowed to free range” but oh yeah, I have a wooded area just like yours. Perfect! I’ll have to figure out some movable cloth-netting fence as the birds need to be safe in the coop at night. Thanks for the post.
Awesome thanks for following along
I have one belifelder rooster
He is very impressive, and gentle but he is young yet, maybe 14 months old. I keep a mixed flock of hens, three pens, and a rooster for each pen. It just seems right to have a rooster with each set of hens.
you talked me into it, I've had buff orps for a couple dozen years, I'm ordering some Bielefelders for a second flock, thanks
Sounds good I think you’ll enjoy them.
I got a ship date in late July, bummer, but that gives me plenty of time to hatch out a bunch of BuffOrps to pay for the new breed, and build a couple more tractors
Three Bielefelders in a mixed 15, if they’re not all three first into my lap, they’re next. Just in love with my girls. Seven weeks old next week..their feathers are already so soft and beautiful, such good natured creatures..
When do they make adult sounds? Mine are six weeks, and they still all sound like babies, which is sweet, but I was just wondering..
I have some roosters that just started crowing at 12 weeks
Sheesh, if I have my “girls” start crowing, I’m going to have a big problem! My neighbors will be out immediately with torches and pitchforks!
I mentioned our chicken math experience earlier. Of the 40 chicks we got, two died and we gave 9 barred rocks away at 7 weeks(not enough room even though we built additional housing). We have a mix of barred rocks, black sex links and buff Orpingtons. Of those three our favorite is the buff Orpington. They are very calm, curious and friendly. The rocks and black sex links are pretty nervous. Maybe that will change as they mature. Who did you buy your bielefelders from? How many eggs per hen per year do they lay?
I had buffs growing up and they were always very nice. It says online that they lay around 200/yr. I think it is higher than that. They have slowed down a hit because we have 3-4 broody hens
Chantecler are my favorite breed but I am just starting to hatch some Bielefelders. I live in Northern Canada
You’ll enjoy them
Beautiful birds, I need birds with pea, or rosecombs though.... I live in the Adirondack mountains of upstate N.Y., We have brutally cold WINTERS, AND single comb breeds GET frostbite...... I enjoy looking at yours... great FEATHER pattern color... am a retired zoo keeper.
I keep all types of Wyandotte, buckeye, dominikers.... rose pea comb breeds.... much success to you, AND your family....
Thank you. And thanks for following along! My wife grew up near Adirondack mountains.
We will be getting some Bielfelders in late February. Curious! Which is safest (with many birds of prey and ground predators around)... the Justin Rhodes Chick-saw OR the Joel Sallitin Tractor?
Not sure any retailers sell Beilefelders in my area.....a little leery of getting any day old chicks shipped....just coz....no incubator either ...northern middle Tennessee....
Not heard of a Whiting True Blue.....
Curious how their meat is? Does it make a difference in taste or texture from all their foraging?
Where did you get them? I can't wait to get some of those!
We got our initial ones from Murray mcmurray but we are hatching our own now
@@KCFarms I'd love to get one of these roosters for my flock of hens.They're so beautiful!
I truly enjoy the ones I have... just added six more hens. I have 8 now. Two roosters.
Man we really liked the Bielefelders. Ours stopped laying and weren’t sure why. Some commented and say that they don’t do well in the heat but I’m not sure. We actually kept the rooster because they have never attacked us but we don’t have hens anymore
@@KCFarms oh wow. I have 4 Issa browns, I like them to but I think I'm sold on the bielefelder breed for now. Thanks for the great vids
We love em sure you will too
Beautyful video. If you are interested dir Others chicks wir other colors. Than try french Maran or Araucaner. The eggs from Maran are chocklade brown and the Araucaner are light green light green-blue. Maybe good for eastereggs. Kind regards from Lower Bavaria
Awesome thanks for the info. We do have Easter eggers and we have just added whiting true blues so should have some cool colors
Yes
We have some black australorp we really like.
I have heard really good thing about australorps. Might need to try some!
Hello ! I have now Bielefelder chicken since 3 months and I'm very happy with them. My other 2 breeds are French Marans and Araucana. By the way, do you have now also Marans chicken ?
Hey! Glad you are happy with your Bielefelders! We do not have Marans yet we thought about adding them but not yet
@@KCFarms About Bielefelders, I have 3 hens and 2 roosters. They are now 17 weeks old. I see that roosters are a bit aggressive and peck the hens often. Is that normal ? They are a lot of feathers in poultry house...
We haven’t had any issues with the roosters. I think normally you want about 1 rooster to 7-10 hens. Maybe there aren’t enough hens 🤷♂️ not to sure
wow the egg yolk color difference we let our lose on 20 ish acers and we have dark yolks (our chickens sadly i dont have any bielefelders
I have bielefelders I’m new to raising chickens are you feeding your hens and roosters the same feed If so what I’m being told by some people you shouldn’t feed the roosters layer feed i thank you for your opinion
We feed our hens and roosters the same
I like chickens
Looking to get these, I want friendly hens and rooster!
Love our Bielefelder roosters!
Hey John, where do you get your Bielefelder chicken eggs from? Looking to add those to our homestead, we are in Maryland.
We got our from murray mcmurray but a lot of hatcheries are carrying them now.
Where in Maryland are you in in Hollywood md.
'Bert' looks like a dark brahma
How do you keep your chickens in with the pig size electric fence? Do you have issues with hawks with your brooder house set up?
Most of the time the chickens will stay in because they like to be close to their house. They do get out but always go back in at night. We have lost maybe 4 chickens to hawks since we have been here 3 years it hasn’t really been that bad.
@@KCFarms that's great! I wonder if we just have an abundance of hawks around us. We are first timers with chickens and lost a 10 week old chicken to a hawk. Now we are scared to let them in the electric poultry netting area. I'm hoping it will be better when they are full grown.
What about canonizing the roosters? Any thoughts about this, I’ve been get getting free roosters from local hobbyists and am pretty good at it now .
Do you mean caponizing?
Love my Lil Rosie bielefelder she's kinda like a dog or cat. I call her and she comes running 🥰 rooster didn't make it for unknown reasons 😔😢
We love the roosters haven’t been attacked once
Are you in KC?
No we are in Tennessee. KC is a family nickname
about how much do they weigh about 12 weeks, how many eggs a year? heat tolarent?
I would say 7-8 lbs I have learned that the strain of birds in America don’t get as big as the birds in Germany. They do well with the heat. We have around 16 hens and we were getting 12 eggs a day before 3-4 of them went broody. Online it says about 200 eggs/year but I would guess it’s a little more
Lohmann brown
Cool! I had never heard of those before had to look them up. Look a lot like Novogens
Finally got my Bielefelder’s 8 bucks a chick got 15 seems high but if I wanted them they are worth it.
Plus Jersey giants from another hatchery.
Yeah ......
Yeah seems everything is going up. Interested to see how you like the jersey giants I have always wanted to try those
@@KCFarms well let you know never had them but I hear cause they are big and black they keep hawks and other air strikes at bay.
They think they are Ravens /crows
But yes I hear they are good meat birds as well just take longer .
@@coziii.1829 Gosh that is a good idea 💡 getting Jersey Giants! To a hawk above it could look like a crow and we all know how much they hate each other .
@@KCFarms
Update
Jersey giants eat like crazy
And seem to grow tall fast .
I thought my Bielefelders where sick cause they don’t eat as much .
Only a week and half apart. Bielefelders are still quite small still .
Though I heard JG slow down to get fuller/ wider. So we will see size difference when mature.
I went ahead got some buff Orpingtons as well at Tractor supply.
Won’t have eggs till late summer or even next year.
I’m thinking about doing my own Heritage breeds hatchery kind of thing for my business since I am kind of retired.
So see you soon on your videos.
Awesome thanks for the update
Hi dear I need haching eggs please
American Bresse
Have heard about that breed haven’t been able to locate any
Egg yolk color isn't a good indicator of quality or nutrients.
Won't the pigs eat the chickens?
I have heard of that but the chickens are pretty quick and the pigs haven’t bothered them