The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[sarahandbray]

This guy I'm keeping doesn't seem as inclined to fight with the other Roos (and we still probably have 15 or so...) and he's easy for me to pick up. Plus, he's pretty and shiny. Best excuse I have to keep him, I guess.
Just glad the other two have nice homes to go to! That will make 6 sweet Roos I've placed in nice homes...this is hard work finding good homes for Roos! Sheesh! Wish I wasn't so attached and wouldn't mind eating them...I just can't do it!!!!

 

[Beer can]

Pic of my roo now.

 

[Beer can]

The other roos hackle feathers were darker like his wing feathers and were dull in color.

 

[Beer can]

And my pullet with a brown leghorn behind it.

 

[HappyChickenLover]

Quote:
They are young still, and Welsummers allways look mixed when they are young, they take a while to mature. Cockeral Welsummers take longer then the pullets to fill in the feathering and color. I raise Welsummer bantams and they take right about 6-7 months to start laying, and if its off season, even longer. I've had fall birds take as long as till next spring to begin laying. By the way, from experience, let Welsummer mature as much as possible before selecting which birds to keep, they change as they grow. I can't tell you how many times I shook my head when I realized a picked the wrong bird before its time to choose... Things I look for when choosing a new cock bird is leg color is yellow, darkness of red is nice consistent dark red, most black feathering in chest, how many point are on the comb, and how it holds its body On hens I look for how they hold the body, nice gold hackles with clean black marks in hackle feathers, consistant coloring of main body feathers, and consistent shafting on entire body, not just on the upper body One tip to make choosing easier, I will say is in early stages, you can see things you don't want in your flock, get rid of those birds early on. I used to have a problem with white tips on wings. I figured which girls to get rid of and that stopped the problem

 

[HappyChickenLover]

Quote:
Like I posted previous, I would wait, as long as possible, I think its worth it!

 

[sarahandbray]

Thanks!! That's great advice!!

 

[maddogdodge]

Took this pic yesterday, I'm so happy with my Welsummer girls

They are such characters, and they're so pretty too! And for my first time ever raising day old chicks, I'm very pleased with how it went!

They are now 23 weeks old, still no sign of eggs... sigh... I keep wondering if they are already laying but I just didn't notice thinking it was one of my other chooks... But I would have thought their first egg would be small... and after that their eggs would be darker than the rest of my flock's eggs...I think I'm just getting impatient lol!

 

[HappyChickenLover]

Quote:
Yea honestly, I wouldn't stress. Welsummers are great layers, now because I have bantams they aren't dark eggs like you will get, they are like sex-link birds which is the reddish brown egg. However the girls I have lay great, they lay fantastic amounts of eggs! They also make really awesome mothers.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Took this pic yesterday, I'm so happy with my Welsummer girls

They are such characters, and they're so pretty too! And for my first time ever raising day old chicks, I'm very pleased with how it went!

They are now 23 weeks old, still no sign of eggs... sigh... I keep wondering if they are already laying but I just didn't notice thinking it was one of my other chooks... But I would have thought their first egg would be small... and after that their eggs would be darker than the rest of my flock's eggs...I think I'm just getting impatient lol!

My welsummers never start laying before 24 weeks, usually in the 24 to 32 week range. (breeder quality) Hatchery wellies can start earlier.

They also make really awesome mothers.

Welsummers are not a broody breed, and they are even more known for being awful mothers. I have had 1 wellie go broody and she was a great mother.