Welsummer

I had two welsummers I have just rehomed to a farm. I live on a third of an acre and am allowed 6 hens in my backyard. The two welsummers I had were always complaining and squawking. Compared to my other breeds - barred rock, cochin, buff brahma, and easter egger, they were by far the loudest. They were also at the top of the pecking order and regularly pulled feathers out of the other hens' backsides. They might be a good free range bird, but they seem to get bored and mean if kept in smaller quarters. They also did not lay darker terra cotta colored eggs like I was hoping. They laid pinkish eggs with darker terra cotta colored spots, but they did lay them 6 days a week.

Of ten hens I get about 4-5 eggs per day from 1st year hens. My rooster is not aggressive and is polite to the ladies. The eggs are not much darker than my other hens, some have fun speckling. When this bunch gets older I will replace them with Welsummer stock from a breeder or another autosexing breed, maybe Rhodebars.

I have had several Welsummers over the last 3 years. We free range our chickens. Welsummers are most likely to be taken by predators. They are beautiful and blend in with surroundings, but get too involved in foraging and predator can over take them. They lay beautiful eggs on a regular basis. Hens are ornery to other chickens and people if bothered on the nest. Roosters are aggressive and one rooster I tried to keep was a gorgeous guy, but got very mean and even attacked me with spurs when I was feeding-not provoked. Needless to say, he didn't last long. I will not have another Welsummer rooster and will be cycling out my hens eventually to another breed. They are all weather tolerant. I loved these chickens at first because of their color and eggs, but the rooster ruined me on them. There are a lot of other birds out their with better temperaments.

I cared for a flock of chickens (varied breeds) at my last job, and the welsummer and I had a longstanding feud. Despite all attempts to socialize or bribe her, no matter how much time or how many treats, she did NOT like people and was always the last to be put away because while the others usually cooperated and went into the run when I started rounding them up, miss Poorwinter (yes, we're extremely original) was just as contrary as her name and would run off every which direction, screaming bloody murder and acting generally like an idiot. Her eggs were a pretty medium brown with speckles (they were no where near chocolate, not even at POL, and she was not from hatchery stock), and in summer she laid about 3-4 a week, winter she slowed to 1-2. When I was planning my home flock, I intentionally left out the welsummers. It may just have been my particular hen's personality, but she was such a frustrating bird that I didn't feel the pros outweighed the cons. She also was an aggressive forager and ripped the landscape to shreds, which is fine if you've just got pastures, but for a backyard flock she'd be a nightmare. When planning for dark, pretty eggs, I chose a golden cuckoo marans for the rich browns instead-- much better experience.

My Welsummers are very good layers of beautifully speckled eggs. They have a gorgeous pattern to their feathers. My 2 girls - Ms. Crabby & Houdini are not the friendliest of the flock though. Ms. Crabby earned her name by being bossy and somewhat aggressive to her flock sisters initially. She is now 2 years old and has mellowed to the point where she will now allow me to touch her. Houdini was of a similar disposition, but not as pronounced. I would have Welsummers again simply because of the consistently high egg output. If I want friendly, cuddly chickens, these would not be it.

When searching for dark egg layers, I've heard many people are disappointed with hatchery chicks. I have to admit tgat I was concerned waiting for my first Welsummer egg. These eggs are certainly not chocolate or particularly dark, but they are darker than my other brown egg layers with tiny speckles. I have been happy with the four or five, terra cotta eggs a week. This hen is not friendly, but she's not aggressive or mean either. She's a nice bird all around.

The reason I only have one is that Murray McMurray only offers them straight run. I got four cockerels and three hens. Two hens and one cockerel all died as chicks from an impacted crop. I find that suspect. I normally make out well with MM. Maybe a bad batch? It would have been better if I didn't have to go straight run. Oh well. I'll probably order more anyway.

My review is pretty much like many others. This egg color is amazing. My hens are timid with humans and at the bottom of the pecking order; they get picked on. They are flighty and too smart so can get into places they shouldn't be in. LOL. But they are not troublemakers and they are calm and quieter than my Delaware or Astralorp

My Cackle Welsummer, Wilson laid her first dark, speckled egg at just under 21 weeks old. She was not the most easy to handle chick, nor does she seek attention, but she's not a total lunatic. She just keeps about 5 feet away from me unless there's food around, which is absolutely fine by me. She makes more noise than the rest of my mixed flock and beats up on the new additions given half a chance. If you are trying to have secret chickens, don't get one of these, they'll rat you out with loud squawks every time they lay an egg. Or every time they are THINKING about laying an egg. Or whenever they see something alarming. Or food, etc etc. That being said, when I read reviews of the Mediterranean dark layers, the wellies seem quite calm and docile by comparison and their eggs ARE beautiful. I'll probably always have one for those cool speckled eggs. I'm getting 5 a week. This is my first Welsummer, so take this review with a grain of salt, of course.

Our Welsummer was an addition to an established flock and at first was picked on a lot. But now she's right at home. She is the least friendly of our birds (along with the Faverolle) and will escape into the front yard if given a chance, but lays GORGEOUS eggs. They are a dark red/brown with lovely speckles. I recommend this breed if you'd like to have some egg color variety, although it doesn't make the friendliest pet.

I'm starting to think that the two Wellies I have are not true Welsummers their eggs are small and not the dark Tara cotta color I have read about the eggs being dark.
The girls are calm and I can reach under them and get the egg without getting peck.

In a group of 5 hens. To Rhode Island Red mixes, and 2 Cuckoo Marans. Introduced with the Marans when the roosters removed and Silkies add to coop. Welsummer at the bottom of the pecking order, often the hen left behind. When she gets separated from flock she gets quite vocal attempting to locate the ladies. Hardy and very active. Does not like being handled. Less afraid of the Newfoundland who could spend hours watching the 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.

When we first got our flock, we had multiple breeds for variety. While they are an attractive bird, and have had great temperament (two hens), I noticed that they are not great layers beyond the summer season. They were typically the first to stop laying eggs when the fall season came around. I'd say I could get eggs consistently maybe 5-6 months out of the year with my Welsummers?

The only ones that lay year round (without the aid of artificial light in the winter) were my Barred Rock and Rhode Island Reds.

Although my girls started out anti-social and would not allow me near them even if I had treats...I can now say since they are starting to mature and attempting to lay eggs...my girls are now becoming hand tame...They squat down and spread their wings a little (makes me think of them breeding) and now let me pet them. One hen is very vocal since the rooster was killed. She watches out and allows certain feral cats to lay beside their pen area and 2 other feral cats get near, it sounds like WW3 breaking loose. She stands her ground until I go and chase off the "bad" cats...then she calms down. I really like my girls now more than I originally had. But my favorites are the 3 Turkens (dinosaur chickens...lol) which have always been friendly. So I now have the 3 Turkens and 12 Welsummers.

I breed Welsummers and these birds would be great for any one.

I purchased my Welsummers at 8 weeks old, however they were tiny and sick with coccidia. They were improperly kept until I purchased them and had no enrichment what-so-ever. Despite this they were able to integrate with my existing flocks wonderfully and enjoy free-ranging and the often handed out treats. They are however non-trusting and flighty. I have gained much progress with them, having gone from a simple movement like scratching your nose and them flying up and freaking out, to hand feeding them.

Their eggs are beautiful! Their plumage is luxurious and vibrant. They are great at foraging around the farm and finding things to eat. They are however very vocal and when the lay an egg or are about to, everyone in the neighborhood knows it!

I would definitely purchase them again from chicks as I'm sure the behaviour of my flock had a lot to do with their chick-hood neglect.

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.

She is very calm and is neither on top of the pecking order or on the bottom. She likes to forage yet seems content in the run. As a chick, all she wanted was to be held- she would fly over the brooder wall, land on my lap and sleep. Now a young pullet, she doesn't mind being held, but no longer seeks me out. I look forward to her dark brown eggs. Good experience thus far.

My Wellie is the top-hen in my case. She is very friendly, and will be the first to come running if you have some scratch or treats! She is also quite the "thief." Every chance she has, she will try to "steal" your food right out of your hand. Welsummers are awesome chickens, I will most definitely recommend.