Sex-linked and auto-sexing traits are often confused, but they’re not the same. In sex-linked crosses, chicks from two different parent breeds can be distinguished by color or pattern at hatch, but this trait does not reliably pass on to future generations. Auto-sexing, on the other hand, is a true genetic trait within a single pure breed—like the Bantam Bielefelder—where the distinctive down patterns of male and female chicks are consistently inherited, making them sexable at hatch generation after generation. 

While this trait is now commonly seen in American large fowl flocks (thanks in large part to our importation of breeds like the Cream Legbar and 55 Flowery Hen), there has never been an auto-sexing bantam breed available to the American poultry hobbyist… until now, that is!

The Bantam Bielefelder was developed by Gerd Roth, the same breeder who created the large fowl Bielefelder, and it was officially recognized in 1985. To produce this striking miniature version, Roth combined New Hampshire Bantams, Bantam Amrocks, and Bantam Welsumers. As the breed grew in popularity in Germany, the “Special Association of the Bantam Bielefelder” was established, dedicated to protecting and preserving this unique variety.

This bantam’s famous counterpart, the large fowl Bielefelder, was originally introduced to America by Greenfire Farms more than seven years ago. The Bielefelder, often referred to as the “Uber Chicken” for its exceptional size and egg-laying capabilities, has taken America by storm and can now be found in several hatcheries across the country. Large fowl Bielefelders require spacious pens and room to roam, and until now, there hasn’t been a bantam alternative for hobbyists with smaller spaces, or for those simply drawn to compact, charming chickens.

Our small laying flock of Bantam Bielefelders is every bit as captivating as their full-sized relatives. Even better, they’re the very first bantam breed in America to produce auto-sexed chicks! From the moment they hatch, you can tell them apart—little males show off pale fluff with a cute head dot, while the females wear darker down with classic chipmunk stripes.

Scroll through the photos below to see just how much smaller the Bantam Bielefelders are compared to their large fowl counterparts. One image shows a full-sized rooster at 8.95 lbs (4.06 kg) standing beside his bantam counterpart at only 3.85 lbs (1.75 kg). In another, a large fowl hen weighing 7.30 lbs (3.31 kg) is pictured next to a bantam hen at just 2.75 lbs (1.25 kg). This striking size difference offers an entirely new experience with the breed—one that makes bantams especially easy to house, handle, and enjoy for poultry keepers of all kinds.

At maturity, Bantam Bielefelder hens typically weigh 2–3 pounds, while roosters reach about 3–4 pounds. We’ve found they thrive with a rooster-to-hen ratio of 1:10. Much like their large fowl relatives, these bantams are calm and docile, though they tend to be a bit more active—especially during the heat of summer. They love to forage and spend much of their day exploring, but they’re not overly flighty, usually preferring to run or walk rather than take to the air.

In our experience, Bantam Bielefelders show a moderate tendency toward broodiness, not excessive, but enough to notice. For their size, the eggs they lay are quite impressive. While they don’t produce the jumbo eggs of their large fowl counterparts, they reliably deliver beautiful, medium-sized eggs, roughly 160 to 180 per year.

Bantam Bielefelders share many of the same striking features as their large fowl relatives, just on a smaller scale. They are clean-legged, with straight combs and bright red earlobes. Hens often have a drooping chest and broad belly, giving them a fuller appearance than their actual size. With their relatively short legs, these birds naturally carry a low, grounded stance.

There is not yet an approved breed standard for the Bantam Bielefelder, however, you can learn more about them in the link below. This page is written in German, so you will need to use your internet browser to translate the page into English. 

 ▷ Bielefelder Zwerg Kennhuhn » Infos & Tipps

We incubate at 99.5°F and 55% humidity. While these eggs generally have good viability, they can be a bit challenging to hatch. In our experience, we typically achieve a hatch rate of around 70–80%, with the ratio of male to female chicks being about 50/50. 

When ordering hatching eggs, be sure to check each chick’s legs to ensure they are clean-legged, with no feathers. Occasionally, a chick may hatch with 2–3 small leg feathers. We cull for this on hatch day, so you can expect to do the same to maintain breed standards.

While we typically ship our bantam breeds as 2-week-old chicks, the Bantam Bielefelders are offered as day-olds since they are only slightly smaller than their large fowl counterparts at hatch. 

Import Notes

In 2021, we successfully imported Bantam Bielefelders, making them the very first autosexing bantam breed available in the United States!