The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[Johnn]

Gorgeous! Welsummers seem like a super breed. I love everything I'm hearing about them.

Thanks!

 

[Farmer Viola]

nowhere near as good at taking photos as Johnn, but here is a pic of 1 of my welsummer pullets
she is almost 6 months old, and lays beautiful dark brown eggs.

 

[moonflowerfarms]

I admit that I have a chicken addiction. But if we're on here, we probably all do!

I got 21 chicks in early March (and I am putting up the ones for sale this weekend). I wanted some Wellsummers, but by the time I ordered in January, they were already sold out for the date I wanted. Well, I was in the feed store yesterday for chicken feed, and they just received an order, and you guessed it, they had Wellsummers. My husband gave me permission, and so I got some. And if you have 3 baby chicks, I might as well get more to raise and sell in several weeks. So here I go again! I am really looking forward to trying a Wellsummer. I got a maran from the hatchery instead, so now I can compare them and see how they are.

 

[Johnn]

nowhere near as good at taking photos as Johnn, but here is a pic of 1 of my welsummer pullets
she is almost 6 months old, and lays beautiful dark brown eggs.

Its a great photo!

 

[faykokoWV]

I admit that I have a chicken addiction. But if we're on here, we probably all do!

I got 21 chicks in early March (and I am putting up the ones for sale this weekend). I wanted some Wellsummers, but by the time I ordered in January, they were already sold out for the date I wanted. Well, I was in the feed store yesterday for chicken feed, and they just received an order, and you guessed it, they had Wellsummers. My husband gave me permission, and so I got some. And if you have 3 baby chicks, I might as well get more to raise and sell in several weeks. So here I go again! I am really looking forward to trying a Wellsummer. I got a maran from the hatchery instead, so now I can compare them and see how they are.

If you bought the Welsummers at a feed store they are most likely hatchery birds as well - check with the feed store to see where they get their chicks from.

 

[8675309j]

My Wellsummer who we think is 18 to 24 months old and has always dropped AWESOME large eggs for us hasn't given us any in almost 2 weeks now. We have checked her for lice and the like but we are stumped. She is just as spunky as she has always been, top of the flock of 3 (even though she came in after we traded out our Roo) she is still fast and furious, just no eggs! I miss her eggs like crazy and we are thrilled with our 3 hens. Don't want to add but don't want to buy eggs either. Any idea's what it might be? She has lost some feather the past week or so but from what I read they don't mold in the Spring....

 

[Farmer Viola]

They usually stop laying for 1-2 weeks before they show signs of molting / feather loss. Then they just drop all their feathers, and it becomes obvious very quickly

Has she or the rest of the flock fully molted before? Adult hens (not pullets) can have a mini spring molt and a full fall molt..

Some people feed a higher protein feed ('feather fixer' or something) during molt to help regrow feathers more quickly. Regrowing new feathers creates tiny pin feathers which is painful when touched! So she may not want to be picked up, either.

edit: here is some more information: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/12/molting-what-is-it-and-how-to-manage-it.html

 

[jonsccm]

I'm excited! I just got my first three welsommers!

 

[Johnn]

Lily

 

[estamets]

We've got a Wellie on the way, and can't wait to meet this beauty! We're starting our urban flock with Welsummer, Speckled Sussex, Easter Egger, and Partridge Rock hens. Fingers crossed that they all make the trip, and I can post some fluffy pictures here next week.