The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[EweSheep]

Quote:
Maybe I'm just partial, but I seem to get a lot more help and learn more here. Every question I've ask here has been answered & everyone has been so helpful. I'm very happy I found BYC.

So do I because alot of the Welsummer breeders are now joining in the club and Facebook too and getting to know each other more personally and be helpful for new people, learning new things, develop a thick skin about our Welsummers faults and rejoice the positive points. Many of us are serious about the breed and honest about our birds to folks who wanted to know more about them.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
I have that trouble also plus "foot in mouth syndrome" plus no one can tell if you are serious or not. So I decided to tell everyone that I have personality disorder syndrome.

I tried the yahoo group also and it was a dud for me. I learn more rightch hera.

Well I didn't care for the rooster's comb and the pale white earlobes of the pullet and the APA president and judges gave them two thumbs up..........oh well, not everyone likes the same thing. AND this breeder got a waiting list LOL and people are buying his birds very quickly at this show. Didn't say where his stock came from but one thing did stick out that the breeder said the white earlobes or pale white ones, it happens sometimes...........WHAT???????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That tells me something IS going on.

Oh geez, I'm new to breeding, but even I know that's bad!

 

[flower]

Now that is sad when you can't even be honest about your chickens. I truly wonder if truth and ethical behavior were required for a life and death matter, how would people who cheat about chickens behave then ?

 

[1 Bad Rotti]

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I think there would be a lot less of them.

 

[EweSheep]

And the person who got the trio is a newbie.

I never heard of this breeder or two of those breeders, John McDaniel and Don Gibson. Don Gibson's birds won all classes while Mr McDaniel's Welsummers did not place because they were not labelled correctly. I wish her the luck. Only two of the newbies said her birds looks great! The rest of the experienced breeders did not give in their opinions or didn't want to give any at this point because I've already made some comments.

Sure I can pick faults on my own Welsummers too! There is no perfect specimens but one fault can be worked with while the others can not be worked from and to be culled immediately of gene pool.

 

[pinkchick]

Robin~ You asked for the standard.....this is the most updated version I have in my records. Hope it helps and if there is a newer version out there, I hope someone will post it for us.

WELSUMMERS
American Poultry Association
1998 Edition


Named after the village of Welsum in Holland, this Dutch Breed has in its makeup such breeds as Partridge Cochin, Partridge Wyandotte, and Partridge Leghorn; still later the Barnevelder and Rhode Island Red. It is noted particularly for it’s large brown egg, which remains its special feature, some eggs being mottled with brown spots. It has distinctive markings and color, and comes into the light breed category, although it has good body size. It enters the medium class in the country of its origin. Judges and breeders work to a standard that values indication of productivity so that laying merits can be combined with beauty. (Admitted to the SOP in 1991)


ECONOMIC QUALITIES

Good layers of dark brown eggs. Color of skin, yellow. A non-sitting fowl.


DISQUALIFICATIONS

White in the ear-lobes. (See General DQ’s and Cutting for Defects.) Note: As the General DQ’s and Cutting for Defects lists are extensive, please refer to the A.P.A. Standard of Perfection (SOP) for them. SOPs, in both B&W and color, can be purchased here: http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/


STANDARD WEIGHTS

Cock………………………7 lbs. Hen……………………6 lbs.
Cockerel……………6 lbs. Pullet……………5 lbs.


SHAPE – MALE

COMB: Single, medium in size, firm and upright, free from any twists or folds around the nostrils, having five regular and distinct points, the back following closely but not touching the line of the skull and neck.
BEAK: Strong, short and deep.
FACE: Smooth, open, free from wrinkles.
EYES: Large, full and prominent.
WATTLES: Medium in size, fine texture and close together.
EAR LOBES: Small and almond shape.
HEAD: Symmetrical, well-balanced of fine quality, without coarseness.
NECK: Fairly long, slender at the top but finishing with abundant hackle.
BACK: Broad, long, sloping slightly to the tail.
TAIL: Fairly large, full, carried high at an angle of 60 degrees above the horizontal.
WINGS: Long, carried close to the side.
BREAST: Full, well-rounded and broad.
BODY AND FLUFF: Deep, broad, carried high, sloping slightly from front to rear. Fluff, short and free from bagginess at the thighs.
LEGS AND TOES: Legs set well apart when viewed from the front.
Toes, four on each foot, long, straight and well-spread.
PLUMAGE: Tight, silky, waxy, free from excess coarseness and silky at the abdomen.

SHAPE - FEMALE

COMB: Single, similar to the male, only smaller.
BEAK: Medium and well-curved.
FACE: Smooth, open, free from wrinkles.
EYES: Large, full and prominent.
WATTLES: Medium in size, fine texture and close together.
EAR-LOBES: Small and almond-shaped.
HEAD: Symmetrical, well-balanced of fine quality, without coarseness.
NECK: Fairly long, slender at the top but finishing with abundant hackle.
BACK: Broad, long, sloping slightly to the tail.
TAIL: Long, carried high at an angle of 60 degrees above the horizontal.
WINGS: Long, carried close to the side.
BREAST: Full, well-rounded and broad.
BODY AND FLUFF: Deep, broad, carried high, sloping slightly from front to rear. Fluff, short and free from bagginess at the thighs.
LEGS AND TOES: Legs set well apart when viewed from the front.
Toes, four on each foot, long, straight and well-spread.
PLUMAGE: Tight, silky waxy, free from excess coarseness and silky at the abdomen.


COLOR - MALE

COMB, FACE, WATTLES AND EAR LOBES: Bright red.
BEAK: Dark horn shading to yellow at point.
EYES: Reddish bay.
HEAD: Rich golden brown.
NECK: Hackle, rich golden brown as uniform as possible, free from black striping. Some striping allowed in under-feathers.
Front of neck, same as breast.
BACK: Bright reddish brown.
Saddle, rich golden brown as uniform as possible, free from black striping, some striping allowed in under-feathers.
Sickles, lustrous, greenish black.
Upper coverts, black.
Lower coverts, black, edged with brown.
WINGS: Shoulder front and bows, bright reddish brown.
Coverts, lustrous, greenish black forming a wing bar when the wing is folded. A little brown peppering is permissible.
Primaries, upper web, black; lower web, brown.
Secondaries, upper web, black with brown peppering; lower web, brown.
BREAST: Black with red mottling.
BODY AND FLUFF: Black and red-mottled.
LEGS AND TOES: Thighs, black with red mottling.
Shanks and toes, yellow.
UNDERCOLOR OF ALL SECTIONS: Slate.


COLOR - FEMALE

COMB, FACE, WATTLES AND EAR LOBES: Bright red.
BEAK: Dark horn shading to yellow at point.
EYES: Reddish bay.
HEAD: Golden brown.
NECK: Hackle, golden brown or copper, the lower feathers with black striping and golden shaft.
Front of neck, same as breast.
BACK: Reddish brown, each feather stippled with black and having a distinct lighter shaft.
TAIL: Main tail, black.
Coverts, black, edged with brown.
WINGS: Bows, same as back.
Coverts, chestnut brown.
Primaries, upper web, black; lower web, brown.
Secondaries - upper web, black, slightly peppered with brown; lower web, brown, coarsely stippled with black.
BREAST: Rich, chestnut red going well down.
BODY AND FLUFF: Brown with gray shading.
LEGS AND TOES: Thighs, same as breast.
Shanks and toes, yellow.
UNDERCOLOR IN ALL SECTIONS: Slate.

 

[1 Bad Rotti]

Is the Kummer line pretty strong? Mine came from there but the rooster has six points on his comb, other than that they are gorgeous birds.

 

[Happy Chooks]

True, there's no perfect bird BUT you can work to get as close as you possibly can.

After Kim posted photos of her #18, the mahogany coloring from the SOP clicked in my brain and I realized that I need to replace both my females with better girls for breeding. One girl has already been removed from breeding, and as soon as I get replacements, the other girl will be as well........to the layer flock. (probably works better this way since they are Moose's sisters)

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Hi Rotti!

I have birds from Erhard and they are beautiful, but IMO, they are a little on the smaller side. I did not keep any roosters from that line but kept 2 pullets that I hatched out. Both are great layers and egg color is kinda pale but it is something I can work with. Erhard is a fantastically sweet man and has tons of info tucked away in his brain.

I believe Tailfeathers (Royce) also has some of his birds (they are good friends) if he reads this maybe he will stop by and give us his opinion.

 

[1 Bad Rotti]

Quote:
Hi Rotti!

I have birds from Erhard and they are beautiful, but IMO, they are a little on the smaller side. I did not keep any roosters from that line but kept 2 pullets that I hatched out. Both are great layers and egg color is kinda pale but it is something I can work with. Erhard is a fantastically sweet man and has tons of info tucked away in his brain.

I believe Tailfeathers (Royce) also has some of his birds (they are good friends) if he reads this maybe he will stop by and give us his opinion.

Thanks Pink, I'm a newbie to Welsummers but they look good to me. They don't have white ear lobes and their color seems to be correct. They also have the best personalities. Im definitely glad I got them.