The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[Happy Chooks]

this is a better pic

As Fred stated, not the best angle on him picture wise. Here's what jumps out to me though - his back line is all wrong, his wings are low and his chest is really flat. He doesn't appear to be well balanced, but that could just be his stance for the picture.

If you don't have a copy of the Standard of Perfection, it's worth the money to get one.

Ideally, you want a flat back. This is one of my cockerels, he was 5 months old in this picture and still going through his juvenile molt, thus the lack of tail feathers. Walt Leonard, an APA judge here on BYC, gave me some great feedback on this cockerel.

 

[Amy Foster]

What a fine looking fellow! yours is much rounder in the chest yours has a beautiful body shape mines shaped more like a brick!yours also has great leg color and a nice face! i love to see pictures so thanks

 

[EweSheep]

As Fred stated, not the best angle on him picture wise. Here's what jumps out to me though - his back line is all wrong, his wings are low and his chest is really flat. He doesn't appear to be well balanced, but that could just be his stance for the picture.

If you don't have a copy of the Standard of Perfection, it's worth the money to get one.

Ideally, you want a flat back. This is one of my cockerels, he was 5 months old in this picture and still going through his juvenile molt, thus the lack of tail feathers. Walt Leonard, an APA judge here on BYC, gave me some great feedback on this cockerel.


I agree with above posts.

 

[Johnn]

 

[ChiChiLady]

Fred is so right about seeing the birds live and up close! My daughter and I got to go to the APA north eastern congress in Springfield MAss.. It was our first show ever. It made me realize how scrappy my birds our at home. (hatchery birds) I wanted to let you all know there were absolutely No Wellsumers entered. I was very disappointed. Are wellies just not that popular in the north east? I do have some birds coming from Whitmore farm this spring. I am very excited to start breeding. I am also hoping to order some really dark hatching eggs from England this spring and start my own line. I will keep visiting shows to get a good feel for what I am breeding for. Although with the no show of any Wellies at the most resent show I went to I think I may be better off trying to set up some farm visits of folks who are working with the breed.

 

[Fred's Hens]

What's even better than seeing SOP birds at a show?
Seeing the breeds you love, live, in your own back yard.

 

[ChiChiLady]

Yes, some of the birds at the show were monstrous, I was also surprised by how many bantis there were, much more bantis than standards. I am breeding for egg color and production. I am assuming the type listed for Wellsumers (flat back, high tail etc.) in the breed standard books (SOP) would lead to good egg production. Am I off in this assumption? and
Why were there no Wellis at the show. Is the breed really that rare?

 

[Piet]

Yes, some of the birds at the show were monstrous, I was also surprised by how many bantis there were, much more bantis than standards.  I am breeding for egg color and production. I am assuming the type listed for Wellsumers (flat back, high tail etc.) in the breed standard books (SOP) would lead to good egg production. Am I off in this assumption? and
Why were there no Wellis at the show. Is the breed really that rare?

in North America they are not very common in the show scene. There are however very many keepers of Welsummers that do not show. Almost all hatcheries have them. They are very common in Europe and you see them at every show and they do lots of winning. Piet

 

[Amy Foster]

when i select for egg production in my flock of rirs and white leghorn i look for deep bodied hens with plenty of space between pubic bones and keel seems my hens that wait late to molt are my best layers but the cock has much to do with egg laying so selecting for laying traits from him is equally important also if you watch close you will find the nervous hens will lay more eggs if you want dark eggs like i do though you will have to sacrifice some productivity correct me if i am wrong!

 

[Amy Foster]

i finally got a darker egg from one of my six wellies not as dark as i like but is this darkest egg close enough for breeding i have very limited resources and do not want to waste my time my other three that are laying are giving an egg a day or five a wk a piece way tooproductive and eggs are so light does anyone think this would be a good hen to breed for color