The Bielefelder is one of only a handful of auto-sexing breeds - pullets and cockerels are born with distinctly different colors at hatch. Pullet chicks are light brown with dark brown dorsal stripes and black eyeliner. Cockerel chicks should be yellow ochre with light brown dorsal stripes and a clearly visible white head spot.

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Bielefelder hens should lay around 220 extra large to jumbo size eggs per year and are known for their winter hardiness. Our Bielefelder do have a broody streak, and are excellent mothers. Bielefelder ideally lay a rich, caramel colored egg, and speckles are not uncommon. Crossing Bielefelder with blue egg layers are said to produce layers of dramatically colored green eggs. 

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Bielefelder are excellent free-rangers, and their primitive coloring helps them blend in with their environment to avoid predators. 

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The cockbirds are particularly known for their docile temperaments and the standard calls for them to mature at nearly 9 pounds. Despite the Bielefelder size, they are prone to being harassed by more dominant breeds. 

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The Bielefelder is not an American Poultry Association (APA) recognized breed due in part to its lack of establishment in America. We strive to adhere to the German Standard of Perfection. Waylon, our young Bielefelder cockerel, is one of the best specimens you can find. He and his hens are of the same excellent stock. Common faults in the American Bielefelder lines include black coloration in the breast on either sex, black coloring on the back of the head for hens, solid white tail feathers on cocks, and a lack of barring in hens (especially in the tail) - just to name a few. Commercial hatchery stock is fraught with these faults and disqualifications. See our blog post for the German breed standard. 

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Pictured is Waylon, our young Bielefelder cockerel, who has been an absolute pleasure to have here on the farm.