The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Games~ OMGosh they are lovely! I just adore how petite they appear, I bet they are really something to see in person.

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Happy~
Congrats to you.....you are so lucky to have a Wellie that went broody. I'm jealous!

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Hi Kim, I've been checking this thread a couple of times a week. Up until the broody Ameraucana post there just hasn't been anything that I felt my opinion added value to the discussion.

Well thanks for posting. I too value your opinion!

And with Royce's opinion as well, I've decided to let my broody sit on my own eggs and order the wellie eggs when my coop is done! I'll hatch them myself. Don't want to risk flushing money down the toilet.

Good choice!

 

[SFIcelandics]

Quote:
This completely depends on the line that you have... I have had 3 - 4 hens go broody this year, but didnt let them raise anything... Last year, I let them all hatch out and raise babies, and did just fine...

This year they hav ebeen quite persistent on being broody, thought about giving them some chicks again, but we'll see...

The Bantams are VERY BROODY, and great moms... Being here in WI, and I didnt know they were laying last year, and one hatched out eggs on thanksgiving and one on christmas... Both hens hatched 10/10, and they all made it... And my chickens are not housed in a heated shed, they are just in a shed with protection from wind and elements, so how they managed to keep the eggs from not freezing, is a miracle to me!

Nate

 

[SFIcelandics]

Quote:
I am not adding any new lines to my welsummers this year... For next yea rI am working on a plan to Import some LF Welsummer eggs. I want to breed towards the Country of Origin Standard, and most, if not all of the hens here in the USA have TOO LIGHT of a feather shaft... That is what I was told by the TOP breeder of Welsummers in Holland that recieved some eggs from my stock this year, and hatched out a trio, but the rooster didnt make it. So he is left with 2 hens, and he was so impressed with egg color!!! The 2 pullets he has now, are very nice he said, good body, legs, etc, but the feather shaft is too light(at least for what they are breeding for now)...

We'll see what early 2011 brings, and hopefully I will get in gear and start getting all import stuff ready to go before last minute comes...

Nate

 

[Lensters]

Quote:
Wow, that is interesting. Here is the hen coloring from the APA SOP:

NECK: Hackle, golden brown or copper, the lower feathers with black striping and golden shaft.
BACK: Reddish brown, each feather stippled with black and having a distinct lighter shaft.

I've always thought of mine as not bright enough shafts. That is why I posted pics of the exceptionally bright little gal a week or two ago. Can you translate Holland's equivalent for us?

Len

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Wow, that is interesting. Here is the hen coloring from the APA SOP:

NECK: Hackle, golden brown or copper, the lower feathers with black striping and golden shaft.
BACK: Reddish brown, each feather stippled with black and having a distinct lighter shaft.

I've always thought of mine as not bright enough shafts. That is why I posted pics of the exceptionally bright little gal a week or two ago. Can you translate Holland's equivalent for us?

Len

I have thought the same thing Len, here I have been culling the females that don't have light enough shafts and keeping the ones that show very distinct and lighter shafts.

 

[EweSheep]

I have light shafts on my hens as well and it is something we going to have to work on!

Not all is lost, Nate, those hens can make thousand chicks and the Holland breeders can work on their egg shell color and be able to cull out the light shafted feathers. It should not be too hard.

 

[Lensters]

Quote:
Robin, have you been getting marked down at shows for the shafting on your hens? Royce, how about you? While I don't show chicks, I have shown other animals since 1978 and the way I read the standard and from experience, judges tend to want animals that are a little "extreme" when it comes to the standard. And the Welsummer standard does call for light shafting, at least my interpretation of the lines I posted earlier.

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Robin, have you been getting marked down at shows for the shafting on your hens? Royce, how about you? While I don't show chicks, I have shown other animals since 1978 and the way I read the standard and from experience, judges tend to want animals that are a little "extreme" when it comes to the standard. And the Welsummer standard does call for light shafting, at least my interpretation of the lines I posted earlier.

Len, that is my interpertation as well.