How are the Bielefelders doing?

[@mrsrlkennedy]

Our bielefelders' laying cycle is more similar to our Brahmas. They lay most of their eggs through the winter months and slow down through the summer, which is the opposite of most of our other layers. This allows us to have eggs through the cooler months from the Bielefelders while the other ladies are taking a break.

[@kathrynleslie9278]

I have more laying in the winter months, than summer

[@luketilley9137]

Have a couple of friends with bielefelders and they don't lay worth a crap down here in the summer, good in the winter. I think I have the perfect homestead chickens. Crossed buff orpington roosters with black giant hens. Offering are huge, grow at the same rate as buffs. Good foragers, very calm and friendly. Best part is, they lay year round. Hens do go broody, but not as bad a buff hens. Thanks for all the info. 😎👍

[@johnshaughnessy4021]

New Jersey is watching!!!

[@KCFarms]

Thanks for following along

[@georgep9052]

Hi, John! Great video as always. Instead of a Bielefelder rooster, you could add one of your Whiting True Blue roosters to your Novogen flock. All chickens you will hatch will be laying green eggs- if your rooster has the blue gene.

[@KCFarms]

That would be cool thanks for the tip

[@lauraschwer823]

@@KCFarms gyu in number IC yg hi

[@Graytalon]

Afternoon John, Just wanted to ask for an update on the Bielefelders. Ours have stopped laying mostly in the last month or so. Was trying to gauge where we are by where you are. Thanks for the videos! GT

[@KCFarms]

I need to do another update. We got rid of ours because they stopped laying. Not sure why some people said because our climate is to hot. I added a young flock in with the older flock so maybe I stressed them out but not sure. I still like the breed and plan on trying them again but we needed all our birds laying with the price of feed rising

[@Graytalon]

@@KCFarms Copy that. I appreciate the update.

[@SeedFaithHomestead]

The piglets are looking good and nice looking chickens.

[@KCFarms]

Thanks and thanks for following along

[@patricksmith3135]

Love your farm and videos. Thanks.

[@KCFarms]

Thank you appreciate you following along!

[@PerspectiveDesignCo]

Nice look flock bud! Piglets are looking great too.

[@KCFarms]

Thank you we love this litter

[@Deng-a-weng]

Hello,maybe there are a few reasons for the Bielefelders. Maybe they are fully in the sun. There is no small trees for them to rest. Or. You have too quick mixed the chicken. We give the new up to 10 days separat in their own smaller separate place in the place of the elder ones. Than they are not strange and they don't fight. There is from the beginning more harmony. Elder fight with the younger very hard and they often-mostly attac the head of the younger to dominate. And one rooster can't react than at every chick fight. Or. Do you have there a lot of falcon? Wish you all the best from Lower Bavaria.

[@KCFarms]

Thanks for the suggestions we have had them under trees for most of the summer but little luck with eggs still. I may have introduced them to early but didn’t notice any blood or excessive fighting. Not sure what the deal is Thanks for following along

[@Jimmy-wd5nk]

What kind of pigs do you have. I found your channel looking up beifelder chickens. I've watched a few of your chicken videos. Thanks for the info. I did subscribe. My wife and I have a small homestead in Indiana. Thanks again and God bless.

[@KCFarms]

Awesome thanks for following along! We raise Kunekune pigs they are a small lard hog that is amazing we love them!

[@ReasieRoo]

What about the “brand” of your feed??? Lately (around December 2022 & January 2023), there have been MANY reports of this happening regarding egg production.

[@stephendove7447]

my bielefelder rooster will sit on the eggs from time to time.. do you have that on your farm?

[@KCFarms]

No we never had a rooster sit on eggs that’s weird

[@Cityhomesteaders727]

I have beildefelders and they have been prolific layers. Strange you've had so many go broody. Mine haven't once. The only issues I've had is because they are so large they seem to die early from cardiac issues. Dressed one out and she weighed 7.5 lbs!

[@KCFarms]

Wow that is pretty impressive. Really like the breed wish they would’ve worked out for us

[@foursaved1]

Where did you get your beilefelders from?

[@coziii.1829]

Hey it is me Haven’t been able to text and watch you I got rid of my Jersey Giants well butchered them . Still in freezer But before we did that we have Jersey/ Bielefelder mix and very pretty . Black with white specks. Very huge. But Jersey giants are not good moms and hog everything . I could of separate them but I like the Bielefelders. I have also buff Orpington/ Bielefelder cross as well . It’s a rooster . It is huge legs are thicker than any I have seen . Thick as my thumb. Its taller than any Bielefelder or Jersey. Haven’t weighed him but its huge . Only 8 months as well . It’s a reddish golden color like the buff when light hits feathers it looks like it has sparkles that twinkle. But with laced black tips on tail and wings. Heck it be nice to have a new breed lol. I have been getting same problem with eggs . Was 5 dozen a day I did let them go broody and self hatch 30 more . Like I said above mixed and full breed Bielefelder. But after that its just 8-10 a day . I might butcher the older ones keep the mixed and just get some more . Still trying to expand and just be a breeder of chickens as well. Soon I will have buckeyes . Farming and life just happens hope to catch up on your farming Goats I will have next year as well.

[@KCFarms]

Hey thanks for the updates sounds like some cool chickens!! We are wanting to possibly add goats again!!

[@gustavod62]

Did you slaw eggs from those chickens ?

[@KCFarms]

Do you mean sell?

[@gustavod62]

@@KCFarms yes 😂

[@KCFarms]

I am assuming you are talking about hatching eggs. We have in the past but have just been selling at markets for eating lately

[@scottgregory4837]

Hi John. I wanted to ask you what's the laws in your state about selling chickens. I know you are in TN, I am buying a farm in Kentucky in 2023. Do you need a USDA butcher or can you do them yourself.

[@KCFarms]

Every state is different but in Tennessee I can sell them up to a certain number without usda from the farm or at markets just not commercially like in a store or to a restaurant. Check the department of agriculture site for your state and they will have that information

[@shantanumapare1478]

Where are you stay I want a rooster

[@rickolter9552]

What breed of pig are they

[@KCFarms]

Kunekunes

[@just_ducky_acres7561]

If you're looking for good egg production, get some Black Australorps; eggs just about every day and just had a broody mama hatch out some ducklings for us. Great mama!

[@KCFarms]

I have heard they are great may have to try some

[@stanleywheat8931]

Are you selling any of your pigs?

[@KCFarms]

We do sell piglets

[@stephendove7447]

mine are laying fine

[@KCFarms]

Good to hear

[@TT-_-]

🤔 maybe the bielefelders were having a natural egg production pause at a weird time... Usually laying hens would moult and pause laying when the light lessens (=winter, broken lightbulbs, moved from outside sunlight to inside lights). If light is good, individuals will pause production for a month or two of rest after ~10-12 months of eggs. The next few laying seasons should get back up to an egg a day, until the hens get old and start laying every other day, once a week, every-so-often during their shortening laying seasons. Even commercial laying hens would have a pause, but the flocks are replaced when the production drops in preparation for the first pause. They are kept only for one season of egg laying, since the next seasons are 'worse' (meaning not 98% eggs a day, bigger and brittler eggs, more oviduct problems, vastly increased mortality rate).

[@KCFarms]

That’s what we were thinking but we hardly got any eggs all summer 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@livingthegrahnlife]

I got a group in early March from Murray McMurray. None of the 15 hens are laying yet. I have two roosters and literally today was the first time I heard one crow. I like the personality but not impressed with production.

[@GerardoIantosca]

I like that swine food. Lol. You know there good mothers but I can see after a while there old enough there happy to move on, they really like that milk. They must be so tired of feeding them. I tell you the rooster so cool looking.

[@KCFarms]

Yeah most moms are ready to get rid of them after a while haha.

[@simplysouthernroots216]

Out of 15 hens. 0-5 a day. We are looking for new breed. They just not working out for us

[@KCFarms]

Maybe it’s not just me

[@simplysouthernroots216]

@@KCFarms we like the duel aspect of the birds. Laid real good 10 months. They a year and half and just almost stopped We researched b4 hand. Your earlier video. Convinced us. 😝. Our roosters we kept 2. Attacks us. We going to sell whole flock

[@simplysouthernroots216]

@Lottie Lot not sure. We are north Alabama. Research says cold hardy So it could be it

[@simplysouthernroots216]

@Lottie Lot most of run is under roof. With trees all around. I’m not sure humidity here in the south is stupid crazy in summer.

[@jamesandrus3607]

You might have a few egg snakes eating your eggs.

[@cccynova]

Very real possibility. We've come to the conclusion that that was why we hardly got any eggs from our chickens several years ago. Found out there was a bull snake living under the coop. We'd get 3-4 eggs a day from over 20 hens!

[@koldblooded1352]

Don’t castrate Charlie it’s abuse