The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[aart]

This really is a general chick raising question rather than one pertaining to a specific breed but....

How old are the chicks?
You said you've had them for a week but how old were they when you got them?

Not sure why the CD's....could be annoying.

Any bird that is abusing other birds should be restrained from doing so, I've used a hardware cloth open bottom 'box' to put the 'bad' chick under without removing it from the brooder with success. A few time outs under that seem to help if other issues are resolved

May be a crowding issue with too much heat making the space smaller as they try to get away from it.
If they are sleeping away from the heat, then they are too warm.



Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:
They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker integration to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later i still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.


Or you could go with a heat plate, commercially made or DIY: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate

 

[firedragon1982]

See, I put it here, because he's specifically doing it to the other breed, not his own. All the girls of his breed he ignores, their tails are growing in beautifully. I was wondering about that specifically too, why he could be ignoring his own and going after the different kind. And he surprisingly has left the runt of the Am's alone.

And most of the questions I answered in the previous post. The Wellies were right around a week old when I got them, and the Am's are younger, only 2-3 days old when I got them. I put the CDs in there for something shiny for them to peck at instead of themselves thinking it was boredom, but it's not. Just watching them, the rest will be playing/eating/sleeping/etc and he'll be behind one of the Ameraucaunas picking their tail. No one else, just him. No other spots on the body, just the tail. And yes, the heat lamp is only on once side, I have it about as high as it will go and they run around playing during the day whole length. When I had it down where it reached ~90 they were never anywhere near it, they'd all huddle on the other side, they seemingly prefer it to be 75-80. My thoughts on getting a ceramic bulb was because they are NEVER in the dark, and thinking that maybe he was being more stressed out about the light 24/7 than bored. I guess he's just a bully.

 

[SeattleSelkie]

See, I put it here, because he's specifically doing it to the other breed, not his own.

Funny, I have had a similar experience. Although my chicks were all same age hatch mates..........but the Wellies (primarily the pullets) are little bullies, but only with the Ameraucanas. Sweet as pie with each other, but every morning they had to chase all the Ams around.

 

[aart]

When I got my 2 wellies they were 1 and 2 weeks older than my other chicks and the older female was picking on all the others but especially her male. I ended up keeping them in a separate wire crate next the brooder and had to work on integrating them in a pen outside during the days.

 

[Storybook Farm]

Could anyone here compare the White Rock with Wellies as regards feed consumption and flesh after processing? I am drawn to the Wellies because of coloring, but need to be practical.

I've been advised that White Rocks are great because 1) they lay eggs well and 2) they have very plump breasts/lots of flesh when it comes time to butcher them. This growth they get on relatively low feed because they have slow metabolisms. Any birds that I keep are completely free ranging during the days of spring/summer/fall, and I do let them out in the winter if they want to go. I'll be feeding a limited amount of fermented feed; more in winters. Looking at the stats from breeders, the Wellies seem to have the same (if not better) egg-laying numbers, and the two breeds produce similar weights of chickens for meat.

So... can anyone who keeps mixed flocks or has experience comment on feed consumption with Wellies? Are they hogs or do they forage for their chow, in comparison to other breeds?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Could anyone here compare the White Rock with Wellies as regards feed consumption and flesh after processing? I am drawn to the Wellies because of coloring, but need to be practical.

I've been advised that White Rocks are great because 1) they lay eggs well and 2) they have very plump breasts/lots of flesh when it comes time to butcher them. This growth they get on relatively low feed because they have slow metabolisms. Any birds that I keep are completely free ranging during the days of spring/summer/fall, and I do let them out in the winter if they want to go. I'll be feeding a limited amount of fermented feed; more in winters. Looking at the stats from breeders, the Wellies seem to have the same (if not better) egg-laying numbers, and the two breeds produce similar weights of chickens for meat.

So... can anyone who keeps mixed flocks or has experience comment on feed consumption with Wellies? Are they hogs or do they forage for their chow, in comparison to other breeds?

Welsummers are not feed hogs. They range well, and will forage well if given the opportunity.

 

[aart]

Quote: But...... they're not the most prolific layers.
Egg coloring or plumage coloring?
If you like the egg color, marans are pretty meaty birds, but again not the greatest layers

 

[Storybook Farm]

Plumage. I am a sucker for a pretty bird, and the more I read about Welsummers, the more drawn to them I am. BUT, I do need to have a good all-purpose breed.

Two follow-up questions:

1. IF I got into Welsummers (we have a large 1800 sf coop that I can bring into use), would there be a good market for eggs and chicks? More so than other breeds? I ask because I've read that Welsummers are relatively rare, yet a great backyard chicken. With all the pretty plumage, you'd think that this would add up to popularity...?

2. Where do those of you who have them get yours as chicks or eggs? I prefer private breeders to hatcheries... I just feel like smaller breeders can give more attention to the strains they're raising. Agree? Disagree? Experience in this with Wellies? I'm looking at this breeder, who posts good reviews (who doesn't): http://www.whitmorefarm.com/store/buy-day-old-chicks-mail-order-welsummer-chicks-shipped. Charges high for both birds and shipping, so looking at alternatives. However, to get an initial good stock start, I'm willing to spring for these prices.

TIA!

 

[JulesChicks]

See, I put it here, because he's specifically doing it to the other breed, not his own. All the girls of his breed he ignores, their tails are growing in beautifully. I was wondering about that specifically too, why he could be ignoring his own and going after the different kind. And he surprisingly has left the runt of the Am's alone.

And most of the questions I answered in the previous post. The Wellies were right around a week old when I got them, and the Am's are younger, only 2-3 days old when I got them. I put the CDs in there for something shiny for them to peck at instead of themselves thinking it was boredom, but it's not. Just watching them, the rest will be playing/eating/sleeping/etc and he'll be behind one of the Ameraucaunas picking their tail. No one else, just him. No other spots on the body, just the tail. And yes, the heat lamp is only on once side, I have it about as high as it will go and they run around playing during the day whole length. When I had it down where it reached ~90 they were never anywhere near it, they'd all huddle on the other side, they seemingly prefer it to be 75-80. My thoughts on getting a ceramic bulb was because they are NEVER in the dark, and thinking that maybe he was being more stressed out about the light 24/7 than bored. I guess he's just a bully.

I had to separate my Wellies from my Ams. I have 2 Wellie pullets and (had 4, now 2) Ams pullets. At least one of the Wellies pullets pecked the base of the tails on the Ams only down to raw skin in a short afternoon. As soon as I discovered it I separated them. I had thought it was because they were outgrowing their brooder while we were building their coop, but as soon as they were put in the coop they did it again. Now they are in separate coops but free range at the same time. The Wellies (at least one, it's hard to tell them apart!) still go after the Ams and the Ams have learned to stay away as much as possible but there is still screeching going on daily. All my other older pullets leave them alone (Marans, Swedish Flower Hens and Cream Legbar and one Marans cockerel). However, I did put the Wellies in with the older crew and now they get pecked at, but nothing like what they did to the Ams - just being taught their place. So far I am not impressed with the breed and we are also waiting on our first eggs from them. They are 22 weeks this weekend.

 

[aart]

Plumage. I am a sucker for a pretty bird, and the more I read about Welsummers, the more drawn to them I am. BUT, I do need to have a good all-purpose breed.

Two follow-up questions:

1. IF I got into Welsummers (we have a large 1800 sf coop that I can bring into use), would there be a good market for eggs and chicks? More so than other breeds? I ask because I've read that Welsummers are relatively rare, yet a great backyard chicken. With all the pretty plumage, you'd think that this would add up to popularity...?

2. Where do those of you who have them get yours as chicks or eggs? I prefer private breeders to hatcheries... I just feel like smaller breeders can give more attention to the strains they're raising. Agree? Disagree? Experience in this with Wellies?

TIA!

I bought from a 'breeder', but the source lineage was suspect.....I'm betting they originally came from a hatchery.
Most hatcheries are selling Wellies now because they are a 'hot' breed,
but most aren't SOP according to most show bird people...but you find that with all show vs hatchery breeds.
They are still pretty and can lay good colored eggs tho.
I only have one pair, they are both gorgeous, cock is a well behaved bird, hen is not a prolific layer(3-5 a week) and I have not been able to hatch her eggs, fertile but non developing. I put him over several other EE's and some pullets carry the Wellie plumage pretty closely, but one of the EE's had Wellie like plumage also.