The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[FreedomFarm13]

That's how I thought it would be for my four girls that are the same age. There's 2 SLW and 2 Blue Ameraucanas. One SLW started laying near the end of November, and one Blue Ameraucana started laying a month later. No one else has laid yet...I thought for sure they'd all start around the same time. No such luck. Fingers crossed that's not the case with you, though!

I took some pics of my Wellie baby today...she's 17 weeks old now! Here's Quinn:




Here she is at my feet begging for treats:




And here's Quinny with her Speckled Sussex buddy, Libby:


I just love her personality. She's super sweet, and even though she's low on the pecking order, she's no pushover. I can't wait to get eggs from her. So close now!!!

 

[FreedomFarm13]

Well, I don't have any experience with Welsummers and laying, really. I had a Welsummer over a year ago, but she was killed before she started laying. Come to think of it, I seem to remember her being a bit behind schedule at the time...not sure, though. Quinn is my first Wellie since, and she's not old enough to lay yet. Although, I will say that she is also near the bottom of the pecking order with my girls. All the pushy Wyandottes are near the top, as are my two oldest Ameraucanas. She used to be pretty shy, but I've fed them A LOT of treats by hand, and she eventually warmed up after a couple weeks of doing that. Even my scaredy cat little Silver Laced Wyandotte cockerel, who is the same age as her, will come get food from my hand now, which I never thought would happen. I'd say just give her time, and keep letting her know you want to be close to her. I talk to my chickens....all the time....and they've all come to know their names and seem to like it when I talk to them. I sit out there as often as I can for as long as I can so they get used to seeing me and hearing me, and it seems to make them less skittish. Like I said, just do everything you can to let her know you want to be a part of her world, and she'll eventually come around. Good luck with your girl, and

that you'll get eggs from her soon!!

ETA: My Ameraucanas and SLWs are over 9 months old now, and one of the SLW and one of the Ams both still haven't laid. The other two have, and have been laying for a while, but I'm still waiting on those two. Every individual bird is different, and each gets ready in their own time. I know it's AWFUL and stressful to have to wait (trust me, these girls are killing me!) but we gotta do what we gotta do, and they've got to take how much time it takes for them to be ready. Hopefully we'll both get some relief soon!!

My Welsummer, Winnie, is 35 weeks old (8 months old) and still not laying.

I got my first 5 chickens in the middle of May 2016. At that time they were almost 1.5-2 weeks old. I got Winnie Welsummer, Daisy Delaware, Liberty Ameraucana, Roxanne Barred Rock and Buttercup Sicilian Buttercup. Liberty started laying on 11/12/16, Roxanne 11/14/16, Daisy 11/19/16 and Buttercup 12/22/16.

Just because it feels good info: In Nov 2016 I got a total of 37 eggs, and for Dec 2016 I got a total of 90 eggs. Whoa!

All my other gals when I open the door to the coop, I have to step over them due to they are all squatting for me and most of the time will continue doing so until I scratch their backs. I really need to get a picture/video of that. Then there's my Winnie - she'll back up to the back of the coop and keeps a good forward eye on me. I try to see if she'll start squatting for me, but every time I try I swear I "sense" her screaming, "I'm not ready yet, I'm not ready yet!"

My beautiful Winnie pretty much stays to herself, kind of wonders on her own when I let them out to free range, takes a few times over every single time to get her to take even a very juicy worm out of my hand then after that she'll come running when I call her name (unfortunately, so does all my other girls), and even when I go into the coop when they are already in bed, they all come out running, except for Winnie. Maybe she's wants to keep her space on the roost but eventually she will come out too half the time. At that same note, she is also the first one to go to bed. I was thinking that was due to where she was on the pecking order. I think she is #4 or maybe #3. Still not on the bottom. She is very, very shy. Even when I feed from my hand, Winnie will stare me down for a minute before taking the food out of my hand.

So here it is 35 weeks old and even before I go near her I hear her scream, "NOT READY YET". Now it is winter now, but I live in the bay area of California so I don't feel my "cold weather" is a big factor of the possible problems. I do have a dog and cat that wonders the yard too when the girls are out, but my girls are the bosses of all the yard, and that includes Winnie. The only thing she does different from the other gals is if my 70lb thigh height Charley Girl dog gets in her way of where she wants to go, she will stand fast in front of her until the dog moves where as the others will go around her.

Back to her shyness, is this a normal trait with Welsummers? She was not like this just a couple of months ago. I did have 2 other chickens (Bluebell & Olivia) that were under Winnie in the pecking order and she wasn't as shy or standoffish when I had them. Matter of fact, she was kind of occupied happily keeping them in order. Unfortunately, both of them ended up being cockerels (now Blueballs & Oliver) which I can not have where I live. I'm hoping once the new ones join them in the holding area, she'll start acting like normal again.

My flock is growing with 3 new chicks at 6 weeks old but still not in with my pullets. Then when I do, they will in their own pen area but with a wire mesh in between them until they are about 3 months. It will be increasing again in April 2017 as well. These are the ones that are the replacements for "my boys".

ALL suggestions, information, help, comments, ideas, advice, etc., would be wonderful!

Thank you to all, Southpaw

 

[3riverschick]

Plotspike Forage Oats
http://raganandmassey.com/product/plotspike-forage-oats/

Thread on sprouting seeds for chickens. ( pages 24 thru 29 on oats, esp.)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/425134/anybody-raise-sprouts-to-feed-the-chickens/230
Hi Southpaw Power.
Give Winnie time She is heritage large fowl breed. I had some HLF, Light Sussex once and they didn't start laying till 39 weeks. One thing you can do to encourage her metabolism. Sprouted oats of 4 thru 7 days old, help bring hens into lay and help roosters produce more robust sperm. There a BYC thread where you can read about it. It's very easy to do. Pages 24 thru 29 of this tread. It also explains the very easy mason jar sprouting method. ( see above)
Historically, oats are found to be the best seed to sprout for chickens. I use Plotspike Forage Oats with great success. http://www.plotspike.com I get the 25 lb. bag. Lasts for years!
Why 4-7 days old?
From 1 thru 3 days old the sprouts are "Grain feed", they are fed instead of part of the daily ration. On the 4th day, a nutritional change takes place in the oat and it becomes "Green feed", giving the hens and the roosters the plusses noted above. There is no added advantage to growing sprouts past 7 days. However the older they get after 7 days, the more chance of having them go sour on you. sprouts should always smell fresh and feel crisp. if they smell foul or feel slimy, throw them out, they are no good.
Best Regards,
Karen

 

[Southpaw Power]

That's how I thought it would be for my four girls that are the same age. There's 2 SLW and 2 Blue Ameraucanas. One SLW started laying near the end of November, and one Blue Ameraucana started laying a month later. No one else has laid yet...I thought for sure they'd all start around the same time. No such luck. Fingers crossed that's not the case with you, though!

I took some pics of my Wellie baby today...she's 17 weeks old now! Here's Quinn:




Here she is at my feet begging for treats:




And here's Quinny with her Speckled Sussex buddy, Libby:


I just love her personality. She's super sweet, and even though she's low on the pecking order, she's no pushover. I can't wait to get eggs from her. So close now!!!

She is so sweet! I remember when my Winnie was that age.

That's how I thought it would be for my four girls that are the same age. There's 2 SLW and 2 Blue Ameraucanas. One SLW started laying near the end of November, and one Blue Ameraucana started laying a month later. No one else has laid yet...I thought for sure they'd all start around the same time. No such luck. Fingers crossed that's not the case with you, though!

I took some pics of my Wellie baby today...she's 17 weeks old now! Here's Quinn:




Here she is at my feet begging for treats:




And here's Quinny with her Speckled Sussex buddy, Libby:


I just love her personality. She's super sweet, and even though she's low on the pecking order, she's no pushover. I can't wait to get eggs from her. So close now!!!

She is soooo cute. Here are some pictures of my Winnie.

Winnie at 11 weeks old


Winnie at 28 weeks old


In my April 2017 order, I have one Speckled Sussex coming too. Can't wait, yours is beautiful!

 

[SeattleSelkie]

My Welsummer, Winnie, is 35 weeks old (8 months old) and still not laying.

ALL suggestions, information, help, comments, ideas, advice, etc., would be wonderful!

I raise two related lines of Welsummers and both show a bit of variety for when they start laying. All birds are individual and time of year, along with factors such as feed, can influence point of lay. I have pullets that were all hatched in May of this year......some started at 24 weeks, some just started at around 35 weeks and I have a few still waiting. Come the end of this month I expect them all to be laying as the increase in daylight hours starts to have an impact (I never use lights). My pullets that were hatched in March of last year all started laying in September, then took a break for a light molt and are just getting back to laying. This is the first year that I have had every early pullet of every breed I have take a light molt.........I attribute it to our somewhat odd weather this year, but really who knows.

For me they are worth the patience to let them set their own cycle. I find that once they start laying they are steady (5-6 eggs/week) until their first molt, take off about 8-10 weeks to rest and change feathers, and then get back to it even if it is winter. With staggered ages of hens I find I have eggs year round as long as I don't need high production in winter. I keep a broody line of Wellies and find that my broody hens taking a break in the summer to raise chicks translates into them laying through the molt period of their non-broody hatch mates. They go into molt right about when the others are getting back into production.

I have also found that some of my birds go through stages of being shy......after chickhood but before they start laying. A few are bullies. Once they start laying I find them all to settle into being confident, relaxed birds who get along with others and are not shy. They are never as friendly as some breeds (like my ever-underfoot Ameraucanas) but not shy as adults.

Best of luck with your birds.

 

[Southpaw Power]

I raise two related lines of Welsummers and both show a bit of variety for when they start laying. All birds are individual and time of year, along with factors such as feed, can influence point of lay. I have pullets that were all hatched in May of this year......some started at 24 weeks, some just started at around 35 weeks and I have a few still waiting. Come the end of this month I expect them all to be laying as the increase in daylight hours starts to have an impact (I never use lights). My pullets that were hatched in March of last year all started laying in September, then took a break for a light molt and are just getting back to laying. This is the first year that I have had every early pullet of every breed I have take a light molt.........I attribute it to our somewhat odd weather this year, but really who knows.

For me they are worth the patience to let them set their own cycle. I find that once they start laying they are steady (5-6 eggs/week) until their first molt, take off about 8-10 weeks to rest and change feathers, and then get back to it even if it is winter. With staggered ages of hens I find I have eggs year round as long as I don't need high production in winter. I keep a broody line of Wellies and find that my broody hens taking a break in the summer to raise chicks translates into them laying through the molt period of their non-broody hatch mates. They go into molt right about when the others are getting back into production.

I have also found that some of my birds go through stages of being shy......after chickhood but before they start laying. A few are bullies. Once they start laying I find them all to settle into being confident, relaxed birds who get along with others and are not shy. They are never as friendly as some breeds (like my ever-underfoot Ameraucanas) but not shy as adults.

Best of luck with your birds.

Thank you very much for the information. It greatly makes me feel better. I do feel it might have something to do with the time of year they are becoming of age to lay eggs. I did place an automatic light in the coop but I have it coming on at 5am and turning off at 6:30am. They are like clock work going to bed at around 5pm no matter what light or sunshine is still out. The only difference was during the summer, it was later they would go to bed.

As far as molting, mine didn't this year. All my chicken friends noticed that. I kept on reminding them that normally they don't get their first molt until they are over a year old. I'm sure next fall/winter all of my first 5 hens will. My new 3 chicks/pullets I got will just be turning a year old the end of November. So why my 5 hens are molting, I'm hoping they will still lay through the beginning of fall/winter. This April 2017, I will be getting 4 more chicks/pullets. They should be laying somewhat a good amount. So I'm like you, as long as I get enough eggs for myself to eat, I will be a very happy camper. And since I can not have roosters where I live now, I won't have bald spots on my girls other than when they molt. I only want them for eggs and friendship. I let you all professionals take care of all that. Even if I did live where I could have roosters, I don't think I would except for if I wanted fryers as well. I can live on chicken. No other meat required. Thanks again.

 

[kadavis08]

Thank you very much for the information. It greatly makes me feel better. I do feel it might have something to do with the time of year they are becoming of age to lay eggs. I did place an automatic light in the coop but I have it coming on at 5am and turning off at 6:30am. They are like clock work going to bed at around 5pm no matter what light or sunshine is still out. The only difference was during the summer, it was later they would go to bed.

As far as molting, mine didn't this year. All my chicken friends noticed that. I kept on reminding them that normally they don't get their first molt until they are over a year old. I'm sure next fall/winter all of my first 5 hens will. My new 3 chicks/pullets I got will just be turning a year old the end of November. So why my 5 hens are molting, I'm hoping they will still lay through the beginning of fall/winter. This April 2017, I will be getting 4 more chicks/pullets. They should be laying somewhat a good amount. So I'm like you, as long as I get enough eggs for myself to eat, I will be a very happy camper. And since I can not have roosters where I live now, I won't have bald spots on my girls other than when they molt. I only want them for eggs and friendship. I let you all professionals take care of all that. Even if I did live where I could have roosters, I don't think I would except for if I wanted fryers as well. I can live on chicken. No other meat required. Thanks again.

My welsummer, Hachi, is 6 months and not giving any behavioral signs that she's ready to lay. I think welsummers are curious but aren't into love like other breeds. Hachi is friendly but would rather do anything other than be picked up. She's reserved.

 

[FreedomFarm13]

My welsummer, Hachi, is 6 months and not giving any behavioral signs that she's ready to lay. I think welsummers are curious but aren't into love like other breeds. Hachi is friendly but would rather do anything other than be picked up. She's reserved.

My Wellie girl is the same way. Very reserved. She's friendly and will come over to talk with me, but she DOES NOT want to be picked up. She's perfectly fine with just our daily conversations and nothing else. I actually really like that about her. It's better than my blue laced red wyandottes, who jump up in my lap every time I sit down or bend down and won't take no for an answer and keep pestering me until I snuggle them. That's cute and all, but I prefer my convos with Quinn <3

 

[Southpaw Power]

My welsummer, Hachi, is 6 months and not giving any behavioral signs that she's ready to lay. I think welsummers are curious but aren't into love like other breeds. Hachi is friendly but would rather do anything other than be picked up. She's reserved.

My Welsummer Winnie is also very reserved and is happy as can be in her own little world. My girls follow me around when I let them out to forage. If I want to get them back in before they say when, I make a noise that when they hear it, it means I will give them some dried mealworms. All come running/flying towards me, except for Winnie. She walks faster but gracefully without a care that she wants it or not. My Charley girl (my dog) was lying right in front of the coop door and all the other gals jumped over her or went around her. My Winnie stood fast in front of her until Charley moved out of her way. I think is funny due to I'm sure Winnie is now on the bottom of the pecking order since I found out the last two "pullets" I got came out to be cockerels. Then for awhile, Buttercup was last until recently. So even though Buttercup being a Sicilian Buttercup (small breed) she still managed to pulled rank on Winnie. Oh yeah, the funny part - Winnie in turn has pulled rank with the dog, which so happens to be tall and weighting in at 70lbs. Whereas Charley runs through the other gals, she stops or/and goes around my Winnie.

I checked out my Winnie yesterday and of course the only thing I accomplished was getting her mad at me again. I swear she put her nose up and turned her back towards me even when I had some dried mealworms. I don't know what I was thinking. Her vent is a very light yellow and small. I can only put one and a half fingers between her hip bones. I have a feeling I'm going to have to dig up some of the more juicy worms from the compost pile for a few days to get back on her good side.

I think I'm just getting greedy now. The 4 I have laying give me at least 3 eggs a day (only a couple times a month 2 eggs/day) and now with my Buttercup who started laying 12/22/16, about 4 times a week I find 4 eggs a day. The worst part is I have a "Egg Count" sheet which I already have listed the chicks I won't even be getting until April 2017.

 

[SouthUtah]

Doing research on wellsummers some say they do well in confinement others say no. I will definitely have to raise them confined to many predators in my area not to. Will they be a good confined chicken?