Pluses and minuses of welsummers

[HenHaven]

I love my Welsummer eggs. The eggs are large, rounded, and just plain gorgeous.

I find Welsummer roosters to be the epitomy of what a roo should be, but the girls are, to me, rather uninteresting. Mine are easy keepers, forage well, but they are more aloof than my other breeds. I like to name and be able to recognize my girls, and I cannot tell my 4 Wellies apart. Consequently they are referred to as "The Marges".

Mine did take a 3 month hiatus from Dec-Feb.

 

[CountryMom]

We got our Welsummers for my 7 year old son. We had a hatchery one that was lost due to predator and wanted to get him more. Last night my middle daughter and I had coop duty (feeding, watering and cleaning) and we sat for a minue in the young bird coop. My silkies and some other various youngins are in there. We each sat on a block and checked them over for a while talking. Then we noticed that the only birds around us were the Wellies! And in the next minute I had two of our young roos perching on my knee. I hated to leave as they fell asleep there. LOL I can't say about my new flock of Wellies eggs just yet as we are only just about 4 months old, but they are the sweetest birds.

 

[EweSheep]

I know Wellies are sweet, personable birds I've had and I can not imagine finding a nasty Welsummer. If they are nasty or mean tempered, they should not be breeding them because personally, I think it is inherited.

Yes the Welsummer Club is underway and Amazondoc and I have alot of work to do

with the website. It is a daunting task but it can be done!

 

[walkswithdog]

Are wellies at all interested in brooding? Or are they mainly a hatch only breed? Since I'm very much a partridge colored bird person, they have interested me in the past.

You're working on another club. Lord Ione, you haven't had enough of a tussle with the other bunch??? More seriously good breeds need good shepherds, glad you both are working with them.

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
Wellie people are *nice* people. They'll probably kick ME out!

ETA: dunno abut brooding yet. Mine are still young. My bantam leghorns, bantam rocks, and bantam araucanas have all gone broody on me -- but not the Wellies!

 

[walkswithdog]

Wellies will be lucky to have you

 

[EweSheep]

I have not yet seen a broody Wellie but it can happen. The breed itself are non broody types.

I think Amazondoc is doing a wonderful job on the Maran site and I think he will do well with the Wellie Club. I love the layout and the information so I would take some of the ideas along with the other Welsummer members and have their input too!

 

[Tailfeathers]

My first trio consisted of a pair of sisters - Mary & Martha. One was a busy-body and the other went broody at least twice a year. I sold her. I don't need a bird that isn't laying.

As a Welsummer breeder, I would have to echo most of the comments on here although I have not found my Welsummers to be "pigs" at the feed trough, nor have I found them to be overly friendly.

I would also echo the comments from EweSheep in that you should look to a breeder for Welsummers if you decide to get them. The lack of QA/QC and emphasis to sell massive volumes of birds by hatcheries has introduced far too many faults and DQ's in the Welsummer. Do the breed a favor and find a reputable breeder. Not just a backyard hobbyist who is throwing a bunch of birds together so they can sell hatching eggs or chicks, but rather one who is working hard on protecting, preserving, and improving the breed according to APA SOPs, egg color, egg production, etc.

You can see pics of my birds and their eggs on my website. Just click on the "Welsummer" album.

God Bless,

 

[EweSheep]

Tailfeathers, you rock!

 

[walkswithdog]

So who are the breeders who are go to folks, who are selling now? Who carries the good lines? I'm only interested in LF.