Chicken Breed Focus - Welsummer

[sumi]

The Welsummer breed originated in the town of Welsum, Holland. In the early 1900’s a farmer’s son in the area began concentrating on improving the local birds and he soon developed an exceptional line. His birds were shown at the World's First Poultry Congress in 1921. In the next few years fanciers wrote a breed standard for the Welsummer and in 1927 a Dutch association of Welsummer breeders was formed. The Welsummer became widely known when their eggs were exported to other European countries for the commercial egg trade. There the dark brown eggs were a huge hit with the public. Welsummer hens are justly famous for their very dark terracotta brown eggs, which are often speckled or spotted.

The hens have a nice disposition and do good in mixed flocks. They are also very good layers, with some hens laying up 250 or more eggs a year. The egg color and production make them a very popular addition to backyard flocks for people looking for a dark brown egg to add to the egg basket.


Barnevelders, Rhode Island Reds, and Partridge Leghorns are amongst the breeds that were originally used to create the lines of Welsummers we have today.

The most common color of Welsummer is by far the Partridge, though Silver and Gold Duckwing also exist. They are single combed, the hens are fairly cold hardy and they will go broody occasionally.

The breed was recognized by the APA in 1991.

Details:

Breed purpose: Duel Purpose
Comb Type: Single, medium sized.
Broodiness: Occasional.
Climate Tolerance: Cold hardy.
Weight: roosters 7 lbs, hens 6 lbs.
Egg Productivity: Good
Egg Size: Large+
Egg Color: Very dark brown



Hen, picture by @soldier


Rooster, picture by @jenifern


Eggs, picture by @saraponikvar

Link to the BYC Breed reviews.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/welsummer

Link to the General breed discussions & FAQ thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/271757/the-welsummer-thread/0_20

Link to the Exhibition, Genetics, & Breeding to the Standard of Perfection thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/818263/csus-welsummer-sop/0_20


Do you own Welsummers? Are you a Welsummer breeder? If so, please reply to this thread with the your thoughts and experiences, including:

· What made you decide to get this breed?
· Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?
· What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?
· Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc!

We have a bunch of other awesome breed-focus threads for you to enjoy. You can see all of them here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-breed-focus-project.975504/

 

[Kelsie2290]

Really nice breed, favorite of the dark egg layers, good layers in general, the pullets have laid all through the winter, not terribly broody, and really like how many of the eggs have spots. These are some of my girls, mostly from Whitmore Farm.

 

[Sqwidy]

I have a Welsummer chick in our mixed flock. She's about 4-5 weeks old now. She is SO friendly. They're still in their brooder. When I take them out in the backyard, she rummages around for a bit and then comes over to perch on me. She likes being petted and held. And she'll just fall asleep in my hands....like in the picture below. LOL!

 

[RoyalChick]

I have two Welbars - depending on who you ask they are a sub-type of Welsummer or a different breed.
Basically they are Welsummers with a barring gene.

Here is Bernie who looks very Welsummer.

And here is Sylvie who apparently didn’t read the SOP!

 

[bwalden]

Truely awesome breed! I highly reccomend. I've been breeding them for several years now. Got my start with shipped eggs and have grown to a flock of more than 30. Love the dark eggs. The hens and roos have a great disposition. Many lines are sexable at hatch by markings. Thanks for doing the breed review. Many people aren't even aware of this breed.

 

[eggspecto_patronum]

 

[Perris]

my wellies have started laying , and one is laying whoppers!

sometimes speckled too - it will be interesting to see what they are when the laying process and works settle down.

 

[Alyanna77]

We just got our first chicks & our beautiful Cleo is a Wellsummer - I've been told she's a girl based on pattern, so here's hoping! She's the bravest one of our flock, always the first to get close to us or investigate anything new. (pics are at 2 days old & 5 days old)

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I have two Welbars - depending on who you ask they are a sub-type of Welsummer or a different breed.
Basically they are Welsummers with a barring gene.

Here is Bernie who looks very Welsummer.
View attachment 3782682
View attachment 3782684

And here is Sylvie who apparently didn’t read the SOP!
View attachment 3782685
View attachment 3782686

View attachment 3782687

Sylvie may not meet the SOP but she is still very striking looking. She reminds me a bit of a ptarmigan.

 

[Beer can]

 Does anyone know an average age when they start laying - early or late?  None of the hatcheries that have info on every other breed says on the wellies.

Late, most people I know say the same and mine were the last of all my other breeds. It was subzero winter, short days when they started so I guess I can't complain.