I love my welsummers. They are really good hens and they lay beautiful dark brown eggs. They are docile and other breeds have a tendency to pick on them in confinement. Great foragers and lovely.
I got my Welsummers from a hatchery originally and I loved them.... until I saw the real thing! I was lucky to do a swap for some great Welsummer stock from Nate Vanwey. The difference between the breeder stock and the hatchery is amazing.
I love how pretty my girls are with their gold hackles and peachy colored breast feathers. And the roos are soooo handsome and polite.
They do well without a lot of space, but they also enjoy free ranging.
Bought my two when they were older. They were VERY easily spooked but still friendly and always in trouble, they got into everything! I would have them again but only if I got them as day old chicks so they could be handled a lot.
I bought two welsummer hens and while they're very calm and nice, they do not like human contact. I bought them while they were about 7 months old so it could be because of the person who had them before me but no matter how much I hold them and take care of them, they still run from me. They're great egg layers though. They're also occasionally broody.
Best dark brown layers of all the breeds I've tried and I think I've tried em all. These guys are fantastic winter time layers and don't go broody. Great birds. Mine of are Whitmore Farm and I could not be happier with them.
I tried a Welsummer, not because this hen really met any of my criteria for a backyard flock in rural Montana but because this breed was known for eggs the color of terracotta. I just had to try it. Her eggs were beautiful, but she was a crummy layer compared to the others. She was re-homed to a 4-Her who wanted to try the breed to show the bird and the eggs. She was perfect for that. As much fun as her dark eggs were, I am not sure that I would try one again. She was flighty, had a big comb and her eggs didn’t come as often as I like.
She was a hatchery chick, and really no surprises based on what was possible with the breed. I just wanted those dark eggs, knowing full well I was choosing well outside of my criteria.
Welsummers are one of my favorite breeds. All of mine are breeder/exhibition stock. No hatcheries. Dual purpose birds, excellent layers of terra cotta eggs, gentle disposition and temperment, beautiful plumage. Very hardy in winter despite of the roosters' wattles and combs being frostbitten but glad breeders are working on them to get them smaller, less chances of getting frostbitten. Tolerates summer heat well with high humidity when extra care is noted. Non broody breed but rare cases, they would brood and successfully raise chicks or will set eggs but will NOT raise chicks.
My Welsummers are very excellent layers, laying from end of January/beginning of Feb, all the way thru October before they molt. Fertility on these birds are pretty high, ranging from 95 to 100 percent in three batches of eggs to be incubated. Shipped eggs are a bit low but neverthanless, it is a risk that we all take. I've had successful hatches when the USPS are not playing football with them.
Would I recommend Welsummers to a beginner? I definately would!
There are two general groups of Welsummes available. Hatchery birds and those from a Breeder. The line you obtain can vary greatly in qualities. It is important to select the source carefully if you are after particular traits. A good line should exhibit the following qualities:
They are an efficient feeder that produces extra large to jumbo eggs from a medium sized hen. They forage well, are disease resistant and don't require any special care. Even with the large combs, they do very well in both hot and cold climates. The housing simply has to be proper.
The beautiful dark, speckled extra large eggs are very desirable. A good hen should lay approximately 180-200 eggs/year. It's not a production breed, but it holds it's own. The vast majority of hens will not go broody. For me, this is a very positive quality. I hate it when hens quit laying for a couple months when I want eggs.
The roosters are not generally aggressive. Out of the 50+ roosters I've owned, only one could be considered aggressive and even that was towards only one particular person. Overall temperament is about middle-of-the-road in the chicken world. They are not what I would call friendly, but are also not flighty. In general you can get them to come right up to you, but they will not want you to handle them.
They are not dual-purpose, but how many breeds actually grow fast enough to truly be considered dual-purpose? In my opinion - none. It's more like - I want a good layer that is at least large enough to eat when the need arises. The 5-6 month old cockerels are very edible.
They are my favorite breed primarily because of the egg quality, size and color.
Purchased my Welsummers from Classy Poultry. They have a flock of "Pure Original Lowell Barber Welsummers" no added bloodline. These birds came straight from Lowell, before he died. These are the darkest laying welsummers, I have ever owned. Their eggs are about as dark as my Black Copper Marans. You can not put them in the same egg basket, it's hard to tell them apart. Would recommend their stock to anyone that wants great birds.
A beautiful bird that produces very attractive speckled terra cotta eggs, Ours have fit in well with other birds in our flock, being neither dominant nor timid.
I LOVE this breed! You don't have to buy them friendly to get them friendly. They start laying right on schedule at 24-26 weeks of age. Their coloring helps protect them during free range but they also seem to do well in confinement.
Nice all around bird.
Had a welsummer hen in Texas that had the most beautiful eggs so got a trio up here in NY. This is the first time I have had a rooster (have 8 hens) and he is a welsummer and is pretty mean. He has gotten smart enough to only attack when our backs are turned. The girls are docile. Took a lot longer to start laying compared with 2 other breeds gotten at the same time and they do produce fewer eggs. Got them from a lady with a hobby farm so maybe the rooster acting up is atypical for the breed? He's a nice looker but kind of scary. We have to kick him a lot.
had 3 hens of this breed and didn't know it until i found this sight! we had just called them game hens up till now but anyway.... beautiful breed and good layers as well as hardy. one of our hens brooded around 2 times in a year so they can be like that and moderate agression towards the others.
What I mean by curious being a bad thing is that, think of Curious George. Sometimes his Curiousity got him into some trouble.
Looking for a well-rounded bird-Perfect
Lovely hen and dark brown speckled eggs. She didn't start laying until she was six months old. Laid steadily for a month, then quit for two months before starting to lay steadily again. She is standoffish with humans and the other hens. She likes to fly the coop and prefers to sleep outside rather than in the hen house, especially in the cherry tree.
My Welsummer lays huge eggs, however, she takes a lot breaks in between. Every two, three eggs she lays, she will rest for day or two.
Bought my Wellsummers from Lenster here on BYC...I will definitely be getting more at some point. They have been such a joy, and their eggs are literally remarkable. People always comment on their size and color when they buy eggs.
The hens are very friendly, although they don't love being picked up. They do love being "in your business" when you are out doing things. Mine decided early on that coop life wasn't for them, and they pop out and free range every day. They are pretty aware, though, as I live where there are all kinds of land and air predators and haven't ever lost any.
One of my 4 did go broody, and was an excellent mother. She was the most ferocious guardian of her chicks of all my broodies.
I own several different breeds and these have become my favorite. I must be lucky because my hens are rather calm and not at all flighty. They do love to be around me, but they are rather aloof. They LOVE to be out and forage. In the evening when the other breed hens are hanging out at the feeder, they are still out in the field. I have a couple of young roosters and they are perfect gentlemen. They are very non violent and are great for predator watch. Much nicer than my other roosters!
Beautiful bird and beautiful eggs; not as early to mature or as prolific and consistent a layer as some, but still good. Friendly, but prefers to be left to do their own thing. Always puzzling out how to get into something they shouldn't!
I bought some Welsummer hatching eggs but only one hatched (I was too impatient three years ago and kept candling the eggs) and of course it was a rooster.
That summer I hatched many roosters and most were purebreds (large variety) and I hated to give them up but slowly did. I kept the Welsummer because he was always bullied and had to stay away from the main flock all day long. Once he was the head rooster he "came into his own" got on very well with everyone.
He was a good "watch dog", alerting the hens to danger when ever necessary. He managed to live here three years and no predators got him - my second oldest chicken to date. We lose many chickens every year.
He is good with hens, not a pain in butt jumping on them all day long. He helps them forage well.
I just gave him away three weeks ago to a family with children and hens because I had too many of his offspring and I need to hatch eggs every year to replenish my flock. But I have some lovely mixed hens that are his offspring that lay very nice dark speckled eggs. I miss seeing him but he has a safer home now. 
Our Lilla was bought from a local farm at a few days old and is part of a mixed group of a Wheaton Maran, 2 EEs, and a game hen, a Pumpkin Hulsey. The Welsummer is our lap chicken. She chases my daughter around the yard and is our friendliest chicken. I don't have a lot of experience with other breeds, but she is our favorite. If she is a representative of the breed, we want more.
I LOVE my Wellies! My roo is pretty & well-behaved; my hens lay well & have beautiful eggs. Couldn't ask for more!
This breed is in the top 5 of my favorite breeds ever. Both the hens and roos are incredibly beautiful. They have very gentle personalities to humans and other birds but in my experience they are right at the top of the pecking order. The eggs are a beautiful teracotta color that customers love!
If you can find a breeder, I would put them on my must have list!
