The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[Happy Chooks]

All my Wellie hens quit laying in November. My Rock crosses have started again, but not the Wellies.

I only have 2 laying. The rest haven't started back up yet. I have other breeds that haven't started back up from molt yet either.

 

[bwalden]

Most of my Wellies molted last fall/winter and several stopped laying for some time. But this year has been a total shutdown for all but two younger birds. I decided not to add artificial lighting for several months now knowing that a good long rest would be beneficial for them. But last weekend I put lights with timers in the coops hoping to kick start their production again. I also raised their protein intake. What other methods have any of you used that actually seem to help?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Most of my Wellies molted last fall/winter and several stopped laying for some time. But this year has been a total shutdown for all but two younger birds. I decided not to add artificial lighting for several months now knowing that a good long rest would be beneficial for them. But last weekend I put lights with timers in the coops hoping to kick start their production again. I also raised their protein intake. What other methods have any of you used that actually seem to help?

I think that is all you can do. I do not light my coop either and I had 4 10 month old pullets going into winter. Only one kept laying, the rest went through minor molts. In fact, most years my wellie pullets molt with the adults.

 

[Johnn]

Lovely! Although may I ask what breed the speckled black and white bird on the right is?

Thanks. And she's a Ancona Bantam!

 

[Peep-Chicken]

Thanks. And she's a Ancona Bantam!

Lovely! I never knew they made those in bantams.

 

[granthamkk]

So glad to have found this group! I have two welsummer hens and they too aren't laying. One lays one or two eggs a week, but the other has only layed one egg this month. I'm hoping in feb. With a little longer day they will lay more, and I'll get at least 4 eggs a week lol.

Also, if anyone knows of someone in the dfw area who raises wellies, I'm looking to add two more eventually.

 

[granthamkk]

My girls. They did have a bit of a rough month - my dogs decided to dig under both the fence and the coop to play, but both recovered (photo of both is a week after the unwelcome play date).

 

[LDeBona]

Just hatched one lone Wellie chick yesterday. I don't have another one to compare to. Please tell me I have a little girl here???

Thanks,

Leslie

 

[LDeBona]

Here's a different angle

 

[granthamkk]

Just hatched one lone Wellie chick yesterday. I don't have another one to compare to. Please tell me I have a little girl here??? Thanks, Leslie

Does she/he look like they are wearing eyeliner? Girls have dark lines around eyes and a more defined/prominent v on the head. Boys typically have a more fuzzy v/patterning when chicks.