The Bielefelder has skyrocketed in popularity since arriving in the U.S. With one of the best personalities of any breed we carry, they are easy to raise and have a quiet, friendly temperament — the hardest thing about raising Bielefelders is being able to pronounce their name. Bielefelders are a hit with homesteading and urban families alike.

Originally from Germany, these gentle giants are beautiful, hardy, and robust. Developed as a true dual-purpose bird, Bielefelders are a wise choice when raising a sustainable flock for both meat and eggs. Their large, round bodies put other heavy breeds to shame. Males have an abundance of thin, barred feathers and are easily 10-12 lbs. Hens aren’t much smaller and lay large brown eggs.

The Bielefelder is a Heritage breed with an established standard in Germany, its country of origin. While the Bielefelder does not have an American standard, and has not been accepted into the American Standard of Perfection, it does meet all other criteria for a Heritage breed: it is naturally mating — not a hybrid or a cross, they breed true from like parent stock and are repeatable for multiple generations, and they are not bred for rapid growth and live a normal life span.

As an auto-sexing breed, male and female baby chicks can be easily identified at hatch, and this trait will pass down to future generations. Male chicks are soft brown and have a white spot on their head, while female chicks are darker in coloring with a chipmunk pattern and a distinct black mark across their eyes.