The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[gonehencrazy]

Wellie chicks are often confused with brown leghorn chicks, which have white earlobes.
Where didyou get the chicks?

I got three chicks from a lady in neighboring town. She got hatched the eggs that a friend gave her. The mom was a Welsummer. Ended up with two pullets and a cockerel.

Cookie: white lobes -

Oreo: red lobes

Batman:

 

[aart]

Quote: That 'white' patch is actually the ear covering....the ear lobes are pretty small, but red and below the ear.

 

[gonehencrazy]

That 'white' patch is actually the ear covering....the ear lobes are pretty small, but red and below the ear.

I'm a newbie. Does the ear patch mean anything?

 

[aart]

Quote: Not that I know of.

 

[SidChick]

1-2 years......tho some faults will show up much sooner than that.
Depends on what your goals are..... if, and where, you want to show.

Do you see anything obvious with my 9-10 week-old boy, in the pics above? They were taken in the evening as sun was already setting. He is just beginning to get some green feathers in his tail, which don't show in the pictures. I have two boys, and there are differences between them at this age. The other boy has more black on his chest, but this one has longer tail and bigger comb and thicker legs. It sure is fun to watch them change.

 

[aart]

Quote: What is your goal for these birds??

 

[SidChick]

What is your goal for these birds??

Well aart, I (the kids) won't be showing them anywhere but at 4-h shows, but I do want them to look like they are supposed to look. I like to gain knowledge as well. I'm retired from akc dog showing. I guess I just like to have pretty animals.. Welsummer roosters are definitely pretty. In Spring, we would like to add 4 more. If you know where I can get better quality, please let me know. My current boys came from McMurray. I had four, and kept my favorite two. The kids each kept their favorite pullets too. We have three Welsummer pullets. All of them are pets and very docile.

 

[aart]

Quote: Chances are your 4H isn't judging against SOP, it there's even any other Welsummers entered....usually it more about showmanship and handling
I'd suggest finding out from local 4H what the criteria might be.
I'd also suggest you go here for real SOP assessments of Welsummers and to find breeders https://www.facebook.com/groups/welsummerclubofnorthamerica/

 

[CuzChickens]

I really got to looking today, and out of my 4 Welsummers, only one is laying. So annoying. But, I was very very wrong when I said mine were 35 weeks, they are 27, but they should still be laying very soon.

 

[RanchRichey]

Here is my 23.5 week what was supposed to be a Welsummer, but apparently more of a cross breed. We are still hoping for some Welsummer to be in that lineage and give us a darker egg...

Of course. She is my only hold out for eggs. All 5 of my other hens have been laying for a few weeks.

She is FINALLY squatting, has good pin bone spacing of 2.5-3 fingers, a moist vent and clearly red comb and wattles. Where are my eggs Freeloader?

So, she finally laid today. I caught her in the nest box, and after she left there was no egg. Then later there was one dropped in the run.
Unfortunately after the long wait, the egg is a light brownish beige. Minimal Welsummer in that cross I guess. It was a good size for a first egg at 46g. Hopefully she'll at least be a consistent layer.

Here is her 1st egg:

Here are all my layers, Right to Left-
TOP: Golden Sexlink, Welsummer cross, Australotp, Golden Sexlink
BOTTOM: EE's

And some of the growing collection: