The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[loobyloo88]

I've been reading the thread as I've heard welsummer chicks are easy to sex from a day old....I'm no good at deciding....any imput? I can't keep any roos so hoping I can keep at least one after we hatched these....

chick one...

chick two...

I thought maybe one roo and one pullet? But I have a feeling I'm going to end up with roos just to be unfair so I cant keep them!

 

[dheltzel]

They both look like males to me, but sexing Welsummer chicks is not 100% and (I think) very dependent on the strain. If they hatched from my birds, I would know they were roos, but I won't commit to that here.

 

[loobyloo88]

Thanks, I was thinking as much....would be just my luck!

 

[dheltzel]

Where are you located? Maybe someone on here is close and could get you some more eggs to try again.

 

[loobyloo88]

Im in the uk!!! Haha. I can get some pullets if these turn out to be roos so it's not a huge issue I can still habe some wellies. Would have been lovely to have kept some from what we tried to hatch though (we had 9 eggs, 3 were unfertilised, one tried to hatch too early and wasnt strong enough, the other 3 died in the shell around day 18...leaving us with the two that hatched).

 

[faykokoWV]

Im in the uk!!! Haha. I can get some pullets if these turn out to be roos so it's not a huge issue I can still habe some wellies. Would have been lovely to have kept some from what we tried to hatch though (we had 9 eggs, 3 were unfertilised, one tried to hatch too early and wasnt strong enough, the other 3 died in the shell around day 18...leaving us with the two that hatched).

loobyloo - those all look like roosters to me -

 

[loobyloo88]

Thanks....I was certain chick two was a rooster, but I had some hopes for chick one as I can see differences between them, so figured maybe one of each. Oh well...I wont get too attached and I'll get word out that that I'll need to trade!

 

[RedPedant]

Have to agree, both look like Cockerels to me. I have hatched out my first Welsummers. They are gorgeous so keep persevering. Bought half a dozen eggs as my rescue hen went broody! Despite being nearly dead-she was emaciated, nearly featherless and riddled with fleas, scaly leg lice, some ticks and worms and I'd guess she must be a good few years old. (she was found living wild by local boys who knew I kept hens and brought her to me)
Two months of TLC and she started laying!, almost one a day, was I surprised!, and then a month or so later she went broody. She's the friendliest hen I've ever seen so thought I'd chance buying some eggs. Unfortunately I cracked one putting it under her, but she sat tight on the other 5 and bingo!! right on schedule they all hatched over a day and a half. 5 girls. So lucky. And she's an excellent mother, so much better than my grays and speckledys.

 

[estamets]

Have to agree, both look like Cockerels to me. I have hatched out my first Welsummers. They are gorgeous so keep persevering. Bought half a dozen eggs as my rescue hen went broody! Despite being nearly dead-she was emaciated, nearly featherless and riddled with fleas, scaly leg lice, some ticks and worms and I'd guess she must be a good few years old. (she was found living wild by local boys who knew I kept hens and brought her to me) Two months of TLC and she started laying!, almost one a day, was I surprised!, and then a month or so later she went broody. She's the friendliest hen I've ever seen so thought I'd chance buying some eggs. Unfortunately I cracked one putting it under her, but she sat tight on the other 5 and bingo!! right on schedule they all hatched over a day and a half. 5 girls. So lucky. And she's an excellent mother, so much better than my grays and speckledys.

What a wonderful story! You brought joy and purpose into that little lady's life.

 

[Faith Chick]

Have to agree, both look like Cockerels to me. I have hatched out my first Welsummers. They are gorgeous so keep persevering. Bought half a dozen eggs as my rescue hen went broody! Despite being nearly dead-she was emaciated, nearly featherless and riddled with fleas, scaly leg lice, some ticks and worms and I'd guess she must be a good few years old. (she was found living wild by local boys who knew I kept hens and brought her to me)
Two months of TLC and she started laying!, almost one a day, was I surprised!, and then a month or so later she went broody. She's the friendliest hen I've ever seen so thought I'd chance buying some eggs. Unfortunately I cracked one putting it under her, but she sat tight on the other 5 and bingo!! right on schedule they all hatched over a day and a half. 5 girls. So lucky. And she's an excellent mother, so much better than my grays and speckledys.

Thats so sweet!