The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[stryker]

I will try that and see what I see on day 12.

 

[aart]

I'm trying to candle welsummer eggs. I am not able to get through the shell with my candler and it is a good on from what I have thought. Does anyone have any other methods of candling the eggs? I just end up candling them at day 18. If I cannot see through it then it is a keeper and if I can see through it is a clear. I just cannot see anything at day 7.

Are you new to candling?
It really does take some practice/experience to 'see'.

Are you candling in a pitch dark room?
I find that helps immensely.

But with the darker browns, and some blues/greens, it can be impossible to see anything.

My first couple hatches I candled on day 7-10-14-18.
First Hatch:
Day 7 - didn't see much but the air cells, which I outlined with a pencil every time I candled, maybe some veining and lumps..maybe moving...I was very disappointed.
Day 10 - could definitely see veins and some movement...maybe some clears and blood rings.
Day 14 - saw much more definition of shape, movement and realized what I had seen the previous times. Clears and blood ring more obvious.
Day 18 - pulled the now very obvious clears and blood rings. Viable chicks almost filled egg and wasn't as much movement.

Knew much better what to look for the next time I incubated. It just takes some practice and experience.
Candle well after sunset or in a dark windowless room, I used a cardboard template with a hole cut to fit into a utility light shade with a 60watt bulb. Also used a very bright flashlight and just my hand in a windowless room after I got better at it.

 

[stryker]

Are you new to candling?
It really does take some practice/experience to 'see'.

Are you candling in a pitch dark room?
I find that helps immensely.

But with the darker browns, and some blues/greens, it can be impossible to see anything.

My first couple hatches I candled on day 7-10-14-18.
First Hatch:
Day 7 - didn't see much but the air cells, which I outlined with a pencil every time I candled, maybe some veining and lumps..maybe moving...I was very disappointed.
Day 10 - could definitely see veins and some movement...maybe some clears and blood rings.
Day 14 - saw much more definition of shape, movement and realized what I had seen the previous times. Clears and blood ring more obvious.
Day 18 - pulled the now very obvious clears and blood rings. Viable chicks almost filled egg and wasn't as much movement.

Knew much better what to look for the next time I incubated. It just takes some practice and experience.
Candle well after sunset or in a dark windowless room, I used a cardboard template with a hole cut to fit into a utility light shade with a 60watt bulb. Also used a very bright flashlight and just my hand in a windowless room after I got better at it.

I started in the summer last year with regular brown eggs, so yes I am new to the dark eggs but I really didnt candle until day 18 and if they are full or half looking I would keep and throw the clear. I made a candler but the flashlight seems to do better but it does not shine through the dark eggs like a normal light brown egg.

I will take your advise.. thanks.

 

[room onthebroom]

My Welsummer 'Wendy' lays darker brown freckled eggs, but not as dark as I had hoped. Her body shape is more angular/less rounded than I had seen in pics. She is a hatchery girl so perhaps the more developed breeding lines produce the darker eggs. I will say she is my smartest and friendliest hen! Always a nice greeting from her, and she makes a noise like a Tribble. here is Wendy trying to squeeze into an occupied nestbox.

She makes Tribble noises... That's hysterical! Our Welsummer is still really skittish with us which is odd because we spend a lot of time out there feeding them snacks & loving on them. Maybe she'll mellow out now that shes started to lay.

 

[blueclip]

As a tribute to my late grandfather, I am planning on getting at least one welsummer (maybe 2). Are Wellie hens and roosters docile? I know they lay pretty big eggs, but how are their temperaments? Thanks.

 

[justdishy]

As a tribute to my late grandfather, I am planning on getting at least one welsummer (maybe 2). Are Wellie hens and roosters docile? I know they lay pretty big eggs, but how are their temperaments? Thanks.

My two welsummer hens have been really nice, but loud. Wonder about roosters???

 

[Rubydee]

My Welsummer hen is LOUD too, always making a ruckus.

 

[MistyMountain]

I love both my hens. Both went broody last summer and were great mothers. One, Wendy, is quite loud. If yo startle the chickens, she always makes a loud noise like HA, like you jumped out from behind a tree and scared her. She also always stands in the water bowl, regardless of whether it is 8 or 80 degrees outside. Both welsummers here have loud egg songs.

 

[SeattleSelkie]

My two welsummer hens have been really nice, but loud. Wonder about roosters???

My rooster sings the egg song every time one of the hens does......but twice as loud!
And they are loud to start with......so when two of them are going it is quite the racket. I live on ten acres, but I saw my neighbor the other day at the mailbox and he said "someone sure is proud over there!".......so the whole neighborhood hears them. The crowing is not as loud.

One of the things that is kinda funny is that my young dog, who takes her livestock duties quite seriously, has not yet figured out the difference between the rooster's egg call and his alarm call for ground predators........so when she hears him she goes racing off to find the coyotes. The old dog just watches, as he knows better.

 

[justdishy]

I did get rid of one Welsummer hen who thought she was a rooster. Would perch on the run door frame and make long, loud calls that could be heard around the 'hood. Since I have no rooster, I think she deputized herself. She was also much bigger than my other Welly, Wendy. Went to live on a farm.