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.
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.