The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[aart]

Thats interesting, I didnt know about the salmon breast...

This one is just about 10 days old...

We see the breast better here...its kinda salmon...( I hope)

That's down, not really feathers and not gender indicative......
......real breast feathers will start coming in soon tho.
Gorgeous photos.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Would love to see how others like their welsummer roosters. We are considering keeping one we hatched. He is 3 weeks old and the most loving bird already.

 

[dheltzel]

Would love to see how others like their welsummer roosters. We are considering keeping one we hatched. He is 3 weeks old and the most loving bird already.

Welsummers are the best roos ever !!
So beautiful and well mannered. I let the extra roos free range on the farm and the ones that survive are tall and smart. They rarely get into skirmishes with the other roos, I think the others are rightly intimidated by their size. One of my customers described how there Welsummer roo came to the rescue of a hen being attacked by a small hawk. The hawk took one look at that large roo bearing down on the hawk and decided to leave in a hurry. Despite being tall and imposing, they are not that heavy and can get a lot of speed apparently.

When someone want to buy a "flock roo" I always recommend a young Welsummer for the job.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Welsummers are the best roos ever !!
So beautiful and well mannered. I let the extra roos free range on the farm and the ones that survive are tall and smart. They rarely get into skirmishes with the other roos, I think the others are rightly intimidated by their size. One of my customers described how there Welsummer roo came to the rescue of a hen being attacked by a small hawk. The hawk took one look at that large roo bearing down on the hawk and decided to leave in a hurry. Despite being tall and imposing, they are not that heavy and can get a lot of speed apparently.

When someone want to buy a "flock roo" I always recommend a young Welsummer for the job. 

That's really great to hear. It makes me so happy. This fella has really pulled at my heart strings. He is always the first to the door to meet me and when I pet his back he lays down like one of my hens. My other roosters are already chest bumping and pecking each other but he is such a gentleman. I'm really looking forward to watching him grow..

 

[aart]

Would love to see how others like their welsummer roosters. We are considering keeping one we hatched. He is 3 weeks old and the most loving bird already.

I like mine....but 'loving' is not a term I would assign, you really want a cockbird to keep his distance.
The term 'familiarity breeds contempt' is often true with male birds.
IMO the more you baby/pet/coddle/handle them, the more likely they can turn human aggressive to dominate you.

Once he was about 5-6 weeks old, I stopped handling him as much...just enough to teach him if I handled him he wouldn't die.
But I continued to handle the pullets more frequently.....and he had to learn that was ok too, he could come over and show concern, but nothing more.
He's great bird, keeps out of my way but will take treats from my hand(usually dropping them for the girls),
and doesn't freak out when I do my occasional exams of him for pests, taking him off the roost at night.
He makes big cockerels for the grill, breaks up hen fights, is not an excessive crower.....
... and of course he's gorgeous.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

I like mine....but 'loving' is not a term I would assign, you really want a cockbird to keep his distance. The term 'familiarity breeds contempt' is often true with male birds. IMO the more you baby/pet/coddle/handle them, the more likely they can turn human aggressive to dominate you. Once he was about 5-6 weeks old, I stopped handling him as much...just enough to teach him if I handled him he wouldn't die. But I continued to handle the pullets more frequently.....and he had to learn that was ok too, he could come over and show concern, but nothing more. He's great bird, keeps out of my way but will take treats from my hand(usually dropping them for the girls), and doesn't freak out when I do my occasional exams of him for pests, taking him off the roost at night. He makes big cockerels for the grill, breaks up hen fights, is not an excessive crower..... ... and of course he's gorgeous.

He is absolutely beautiful. I know everyone has their own strategies for their roosters and I say as long as it works then that's great. Ours are pets. We have 2 grown roosters already who are very friendly. We handle them everyday and the kids play with them and the hens. We've had no issues with aggression whatsoever. Really they are like big babies lol. We have had very good luck with the hands on approach. It works for us. ours are pets though and we don't free range so I'm sure that has alot to do with disposition.

 

[caychris]

can anyone tell me if this is a boy or a girl ive been told if the breast has any black in it its a boy
\

the comb and wattles popped out so early I was afraid it was a boy it was bought as a feed store sexed pullet. I got a male delaware out of the pullets at the same time but the wellie confuses me I dont know their feathering growth patterns that well.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

can anyone tell me if this is a boy or a girl ive been told if the breast has any black in it its a boy \ the comb and wattles popped out so early I was afraid it was a boy it was bought as a feed store sexed pullet. I got a male delaware out of the pullets at the same time but the wellie confuses me I dont know their feathering growth patterns that well.

I think that's a cockerel. I have 2 right now. How old is it?

 

[caychris]

I think that's a cockerel. I have 2 right now. How old is it?

Here its roghly 8 weeks I think

 

[SeattleSelkie]

Would love to see how others like their welsummer roosters. We are considering keeping one we hatched. He is 3 weeks old and the most loving bird already.

I think, as always, that it can depend a lot on the lineage what the level of arousal (aggression) can be towards humans. The level of "vigor" of flock protectiveness is hereditary.

I have a line with a tendency towards "too much vigor" in that, while amazing flock roosters and very protective/solicitous with the hens, they are too protective towards me as well. I am breeding away from this, but it is always disappointing when a gorgeous, typey cock from a productive line decides at 2 years of age that I am the enemy of his flock. I too do not handle my flock roosters too much, as I want them a little less "familiar" with me.....I have not necessarily found that outgoingness as a young bird translates into friendliness in an adult bird.....post-adolescence will revel that.

But a cock bird with that perfect balance of flock guardian/respect for humans, such as what aart describes his to be, is a joy. Hope you have good luck with yours as well.