General Information
- Breed Purpose
- Egg Layer
- Comb
- Single
- Egg Productivity
- High
- Egg Size
- Large
- Egg Color
- Very dark brown
- Breed Temperament
- Calm
- Breed Size
- Large Fowl
Welbars were created by Mr Humphreys of Eastwrey, Devon who thought of the idea in 1940. He contacted Professor Punnet (Breeder of the cream legbar) for advice. Following the legbar process, chicks from the initial welsummer x barred rock were hatched in 1941. Cockerels from this mating were then bred with welsummer hens to produce gold and silver welbars simultaneously. The breed was recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain in 1948 and still exist in the UK in small numbers. The only populations in the US were created using the classic autosexing recipe by RC Punnett.
Like Legbars and Rhodebars, they are a utility breed, and good layers of dark brown eggs (from their Welsummer heritage). Hens strongly resemble Bielefelders, but lay darker eggs. Both sexes are somewhat heavier than Welsummers.
Chicks are strongly autosexing, females look like Welsummer chicks, males are much lighter with very faded or no stripes and a white headspot.
Welbar eggs
Welbar chicks
Welbar hens
Welbar rooster and hens
