The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[Bogtown Chick]

So the little Welsummer that I'm brooding with the EE is the leader of the two. Had them both in my flower garden while I weeded. They had a blast and loved their outdoor time. Had them out there a good 3-4 hours. Brought out their little feeder and waterer. They looked right at home. Found a little cover if they felt nervous. So fun. Fun to be in the garden with them and their antics. The other little Welsummer is with her protective broody silkie Momma. She is looking beautiful and well groomed. Even though she's got teenage feathers coming in...she does not look as scruffy as the other two, I've noted. She is also actually quite friendly--to the broody's dislike--Hahaha. But I want a friendlier hen so I will keep visiting that broody and chick to keep her friendly and used to me. Dixie, the broody packs quite a punch with her beak though.

 

[poppyflock]

Hey guys, I'm a new chicken mom and I was hoping to get your "professional" opinion on the gender of my Wellsummer chick . Sandy is 3.5 weeks old and is supposed to be a pullet. I was sure to pick a chick with a very well defined V and dark eyeliner. Unfortunately I think Sandy might be an exception to that rule because "she" is starting to seem like a "he". I was SO excited about having a Wellsummer pullet but I'm afraid that's not the case.

I know 3.5 weeks is too early to have a solid answer, but I figured it was worth asking. At 3.5 weeks old, Sandy has a larger, pinker comb than her older (5 week) old siblings (although they're not Wellsummers). She also sometimes does the tall "rooster" stance, and I've caught her sort of running towards the other chicks like shes trying to be aggressive or dominant. This is my first time having chickens so I'm not totally sure what to expect but it seems like sort of an aggressive "rooster" thing to do.

Any input is really appreciated!! I am leaning towards rooster at this point, which is unfortunate because I can't have roosters where I live and will have to rehome Sandy if he turns out to be a "he". Anyway, thanks in advance for your help!

Here's Sandy the day we got her. I'm guessing 2-3 days old:



3.5 weeks old. Doing the tall "rooster" stance. :-/


Another at 3.5 weeks:


Also at 3.5 weeks:


And one more:


Thanks in advance for all your help!

 

[Amiti]

The color pattern on her wings looks like a pullet. Granted, im no expert, but im pretty sure cockerels nwver have that wild looking wing feathers

 

[microchick]

Watch for the breast feathers to come in. Black, boy, caramel (as I call it) or salmon color, you got a pullet. My boys had distinctive eyeliner but as they matured the eye liner faded.

 

[poppyflock]

The color pattern on her wings looks like a pullet. Granted, im no expert, but im pretty sure cockerels nwver have that wild looking wing feathers

Thanks for your input. I hope you're right!!

 

[poppyflock]

Watch for the breast feathers to come in. Black, boy, caramel (as I call it) or salmon color, you got a pullet. My boys had distinctive eyeliner but as they matured the eye liner faded.

I've been checking breast feathers like 5x a day (haha) but they haven't really come in. There are some dark reddish/brown feathers on the sides of the breast area but I don't think that really counts as breast feathers. Hopefully it'll be more obvious in the next few days...I guess I just need to be patient. So hard to do!

 

[dekel18042]

Hey guys, I'm a new chicken mom and I was hoping to get your "professional" opinion on the gender of my Wellsummer chick . Sandy is 3.5 weeks old and is supposed to be a pullet. I was sure to pick a chick with a very well defined V and dark eyeliner. Unfortunately I think Sandy might be an exception to that rule because "she" is starting to seem like a "he". I was SO excited about having a Wellsummer pullet but I'm afraid that's not the case.

I know 3.5 weeks is too early to have a solid answer, but I figured it was worth asking. At 3.5 weeks old, Sandy has a larger, pinker comb than her older (5 week) old siblings (although they're not Wellsummers). She also sometimes does the tall "rooster" stance, and I've caught her sort of running towards the other chicks like shes trying to be aggressive or dominant. This is my first time having chickens so I'm not totally sure what to expect but it seems like sort of an aggressive "rooster" thing to do.

Any input is really appreciated!! I am leaning towards rooster at this point, which is unfortunate because I can't have roosters where I live and will have to rehome Sandy if he turns out to be a "he". Anyway, thanks in advance for your help!

Here's Sandy the day we got her. I'm guessing 2-3 days old:



3.5 weeks old. Doing the tall "rooster" stance. :-/


Another at 3.5 weeks:


Also at 3.5 weeks:


And one more:


Thanks in advance for all your help!

I'm saying pullet. Of all my girls, the welsummer and welsummer mixes have the largest combs, and the combs stand higher than my rooster's (different breed). As far as the "rooster stance", you'll see it in some girls. I just hatched some sex links, so at the same age as yours I know the sexes and I see what some might consider boyish behavior in both sexes.

 

[poppyflock]

I'm saying pullet. Of all my girls, the welsummer and welsummer mixes have the largest combs, and the combs stand higher than my rooster's (different breed). As far as the "rooster stance", you'll see it in some girls. I just hatched some sex links, so at the same age as yours I know the sexes and I see what some might consider boyish behavior in both sexes.

I'm so glad to hear that! And I hope you're right! It seems like in all the pictures I see of Wellsummer pullets, they all have tiny combs - so I'm glad to hear that's definitely not always the case. And now that you mention it, I also have a 4.5 week old black sex link pullet who also sometimes acts pushy with the other chicks. I guess I just don't pay as much attention when she does it because I already know she's a female! Thanks so much for your input.

 

[microchick]

Maybe I should have said, you'll know when they crow. Now if you want to talk about an exercise in futility, I have 4 half Welsummer, half Buff Orpington juveniles that I can't tell what the heck they are. All the standards are out the window with these four with the exception of one that I am almost 100% certain is a pullet. One that I thought is a cockerel, I saw my mature Welsummer rooster dance for the other day and one that I swore was a pullet tried to mount one of the pure Buff O pullets.....and NOBODY'S crowing yet!

 

[poppyflock]

Oh man, that must be frustrating! I bet they'll be great birds though, that sounds like an awesome combination. How old are they?