It was developed in the area of Bielefeld in the 1970s by Gerd Roth, who cross-bred birds of Malines and Welsumer stock with American Barred Rocks to create the breed.

[4][9]: 95 [10]: 6  Like other breeds with Barred Rock parentage, it is auto-sexing – chicks of different sexes can be distinguished by their colour.

[5] The concept of an auto-sexing chicken breed goes back to the work of Reginald Punnett in the 1920s and 1930s.

[1]: 51  It is not among the endangered chicken breeds listed by the Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen.

[9]: 96  Hens may give about 230 large brown eggs per year, with an average weight of about 60 g.[4] Bantam hens may give about 160 eggs per year, with an average weight of 49 g.[5] This poultry article is a stub.