The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[naturespace]

A laying pullet or hen only has one functioning ovary. If that ovary becomes damaged a female chicken will start to grow a larger comb and take on more male attributes. they may even start to crow, but they will never lay eggs.

 

[bamachicks8]

pullet or cockerel?
chick 1

1
Chick 2

 

[naturespace]

pullet or cockerel?
chick 1

1
Chick 2

Chick1 needs to dry off.
Chick2 looks like a pullet.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote: This one:

 

[Stpkellogg]

Do I have a Welsummer chic?

 

[EweSheep]

The chick with puffy cheeks looks like an EE and the one on the right, its hard to say at that point. Does this chick has some feathering on its legs? I don't know if it is or just the flash from camera.

 

[Anniebee]

Thank you 'tailfeathers' for your prompt reply. I learn something new every day here about chickens - today it has been .... that they only have one ovary. I do think my little Aussie bred Araucana - with tuft on head, no wattles, what looks like a pea comb growing, two small tufts on either side of her face, and a splendid upright tail - very pretty little chook ... is most likely a hermaphrodite. Yesterday she (?) practiced her half crowing again.

I could never butcher any of my birds - I only have 4 of them, and they are as much pets as anything else. But I guess breeders have to do all manner of not so pleasant things to find out more about breeding, cross breeds, reasons for sudden death etc. I have read a few posts on BYC that have talked about internal investigations etc. post mortem.

No - she / he / it, is very definitely a pet and if there is no egg laying - so be it.

Thanks again,

Cheers .... .

 

[Anniebee]

To Flashpoint - thank you for your quick reply. I wouldn't want a bad bully in a very large flock - it would be way too difficult to manage unless isolation would be an answer. As it is, as long as my smaller bird is kept away from her, all is happy in the hen house. She might settle down when she begins to lay - then again ....... she might not. ???? A daily learning experience for me - and I get heaps of help and information from BYC which is a great site.

Cheers ,,,,

 

[Stpkellogg]

Can you tell the sex of mine?

 

[Anniebee]

Welsummers tend to be slow to mature. I don't see many of mine start laying before 7 months old. As far as aggressiveness, it depends on what you want to put up with. I wouldn't keep a bully around; in my chicken coops, or otherwise; especially if you are afraid she will kill another bird.

As far as hermaphrodite chickens, I haven yet to see one, but stranger things have happened. I have heard of hens taking the role of roosters, especially if you don't have a rooster, and actually crowing.

To Flashpoint - thank you for your quick reply. I wouldn't want a bad bully in a very large flock - it would be way too difficult to manage unless isolation would be an answer. As it is, as long as my smaller bird is kept away from her, all is happy in the hen house. She might settle down when she begins to lay - then again ....... she might not. ???? A daily learning experience for me - and I get heaps of help and information from BYC which is a great site.

As for my little Aussie Araucana - I am thinking more and more that she / he / it, is a hermaphrodite from what I have learned. So - she's a pet, and I don't mind that at all.

Cheers ,,,,