In search of high productivity, farmers pay attention to newer breeds of chickens, and, upon hearing an unusual name, immediately try to purchase in order to familiarize themselves with all its indicators, and subsequently opt for the breed that is more productive. This article will tell you about Bielefelder chickens, features of breeding and care. To learn more about the Bielefelder breed of chickens, the description should be read in this article.

History of origin

This breed was bred in the last century in the seventies. Over the years, they have become very popular among farmers in Russian regions and other countries. The selection was worked on by Herbert Roth, a German by birth. In 1976, he showed them at an exhibition in Hanover, calling them "German Designated".

Two years later, this breed was recognized by members of the German Pedigree Bird Federation (BDRG), and in 1984 the dwarf Bielefelder breed was bred.

Among the features of the breed should be noted:

  • large body structure;
  • calm character;
  • beautiful appearance;
  • frost resistance;
  • high egg production.

Bielefelder chickens are real Germans

The following chicken breeds were used to breed this breed:

  • Amroxes,
  • Rhode Island,
  • Malin,
  • New Hampshire;
  • Velzumer.

Thanks to these breeds, Bielefelder has inherited all the excellent qualities.

What do Bielefelder chickens look like?

Chickens Rhode Island

The description of the Belvedere chicken breed is as follows. The Bielefelder rooster has an elongated body shape. The tail is slightly raised, the back is long, the chest and belly are wide, the wings are of medium length. The head is of medium size with red comb, earrings and lobes. The eyes are red with an orange tint. The neck is strong and well feathered. The legs are long, strong, colored yellow, like the beak.

In chickens, the appearance is slightly different from that of a rooster. The body is tilted forward, the abdomen and chest are more round in comparison with the male. They are referred to as a meat-and-meat breed of birds.

The plumage can be one of two types of color:

  • golden-black-striped;
  • silver-black-striped.

Chicken eggs are laid with brown or light brown shells.

The features of the breed are:

  • Autosexuality of the breed, which means that sex can be determined in chickens that are no more than a day old;
  • Bielefelder are distinguished by the fact that the chicks grow rapidly and gain in mass;
  • Egg production of the breed begins at the age of five months;
  • The poultry carcass has good muscles, which allows you to get a large amount of meat;
  • Birds are resistant to disease;
  • Easily withstand frost up to minus fifteen degrees;
  • They are unpretentious to feed.

The nature of these breeds of chickens is very peaceful, not in their ability to fight even for food. They are able to give up their food to other birds. For this reason, you need to make the feeders in such a way that all the birds eat their fill.

Chickens Bielefelder

This breed of chickens has become popular due to its productivity. They carry testicles continuously. A year from one head, you can get at least two hundred eggs, while the mass of one is at least sixty grams. An adult breed rooster gains four and a half kilograms, a hen - exactly four kilograms.

Since chickens begin to lay as early as five months of age, their maximum egg production rates occur in the second year of life. Only in the third year do they begin to rush less often.

Keeping chickens

Dutch chickens

For good development and productivity, Belfelder chickens must be kept in the following conditions:

  1. The premises in which the Belvedere chickens will live must be dense and not let in drafts;
  2. High perches should not be made in the chicken coop, since these birds are too large in build, which is why they often get injured;
  3. For the Bielefelder chicken, it is necessary to organize a walk, where there is a lot of vegetation, so they can independently find their own food, that is, forage. Due to this, birds need a small amount of grain feed in summer;
  4. The coop is cleaned in the spring. The droppings are removed from it and the feeders are disinfected. For this period, the livestock must be transferred to another temporary building;
  5. Birds gain weight quickly, but since they cannot compete for food, it is best for this species to have a separate room with feeders. Otherwise, another bird may simply peck at these peace-loving individuals;
  6. Catching chickens of this breed must be done carefully so as not to frighten the rest, otherwise, in a state of stress, they stop laying eggs.

Despite the fact that the Bielefelder chicken variety does not require special food, it must be fed in the same way as any other bird. The menu should contain a variety of foods that contain a large amount of nutrients.

You need to feed the bird:

  1. Vegetables:
  • beets;
  • cabbage;
  • pumpkin;
  • corn;
  • peas;
  • soy.
  1. Grain;
  2. Bran;
  3. Oats;
  4. Greens;
  5. Fish meal;
  6. Meat and bone meal;
  7. Shellfish;
  8. Crushed eggshell;
  9. Chalk.

If chickens are kept only to obtain eggs, then they do not need to be fed with special additives.

It is recommended to feed young children:

  • cottage cheese,
  • grated eggs
  • greens.

When they reach one and a half months of age, then the feed must be changed to cereals. The adult population of chickens finds beetles, worms, grass for food. Thus, feed additives can be avoided.

Reproduction

Chickens Cornish

To get offspring from Bielefelder chickens, you need to use an incubator in which eggs obtained from layers are laid. Many are interested in Bielefelder chickens how to determine the sex even at one day of age. It is very easy to do this, since babies of a certain gender differ from each other by the color of the gun.

Rooster Bielefelder

Males have yellow down with a light spot on the head, and pale brown stripes on the back. Chickens have a darker color of down, with black stripes on the back and near the eyes.

Anyone who does not want to raise Bielefelder chickens from an early age can purchase them at the age of several months. That said, commercial chickens are the easiest to raise because they grow well and do not require much maintenance.

To get offspring, you can use the natural way of incubation. Caring mothers come out of chickens of this breed. In order for them to look after the babies well, they need to create suitable conditions. In addition, when the chicks are a little older, they are placed in a separate room where they can be safe and fed.

Advantages and disadvantages

The birds of this species have a large number of advantages, among which it should be noted:

  • Large eggs;
  • Elegant plumage;
  • Unpretentious cultivation and frost resistance;
  • High performance of the immune system;
  • Even in the first days of life, you can easily distinguish where the chicken is and where the cock is;
  • Chicks grow and develop rapidly, gaining weight.

The breed has several negative traits:

  1. Chickens lay the maximum number of eggs for only two years; later, egg production decreases significantly.
  2. Chickens rarely become brood hens.

Bielefelder chickens are easy to grow even for beginners, since they are completely unpretentious in care. Properly maintained, the farmer will receive large quantities of eggs and meat.