The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[dheltzel]

I just got 3 Welsummer chicks that were supposed to be sexed pullets from the feed store and gave them to a broody along with some new hamps. She took to them fine but over the course of the first week 2 got crushed and died. The remaining one is about 6 weeks old now and has quite a bit of comb. Is this normal for the breed. I though it was fairly easy to sex wellies at hatch. She (if it is) hasn't kept pace in feathering with the New hampshires (or size but I think thats a bit normal) Her wing feathers are all stippled like they are supposed to be but I cant really tell if she might be male or not.

I really wanted wellies for the egg color in my basket and will be disappointed if I got a boy. I bought some delaware pullets at the same time and one has turned out to be a boy but there it can be expected. The hamps all look to be pullets.

I can get a pic tonight and maybe someone can tell me if the girl is really a boy.

What color is the Welsummer's breast? If it's black, it's a roo, if brown and patterned a pullet. Contrary to popular opinion, pattern sexing Welsummers is not 100% accurate. I also have Welbars (a Welsummer with the barring gene added to make "Crele") and they are 100% sexable, even to the untrained eye, just like a Legbar or Rhodebar.

Chipmunk stripes = pullet
White head spot on tan down = cockerel

 

[caychris]

What color is the Welsummer's breast? If it's black, it's a roo, if brown and patterned a pullet. Contrary to popular opinion, pattern sexing Welsummers is not 100% accurate. I also have Welbars (a Welsummer with the barring gene added to make "Crele") and they are 100% sexable, even to the untrained eye, just like a Legbar or Rhodebar.

Chipmunk stripes = pullet
White head spot on tan down = cockerel

if its a girl it will be covered by my Legbar boy eventually. Ill be sure to look tonight Im pretty sure the breast is brown but its pretty dark.

 

[Mccluckers]

How does everyone find Welsummer's free ranging? Thinking about it but not sure if they are alert to predators.

Thanks!

 

[caychris]

Another thing Im not sure if its the line or not but the wellies dont seem like the brightest bulbs in the shed. The wellie cant seem to figure out fences and is often left behind at night. Even when watching the hamps she seems just confused. Now when it comes to food she is all over it. I found her hunkered down well away from the coop the night before and last night she was in the pen but not with mama. I have a small prefab coop inside a larger run and mama has been taking the chicks up on the roof of it the last couple of nights due to the heat I think The wellie was inside the run of the coop on the ground while everyone else was on the roof she can get up there I know she has done it before but I had to bring everyone down to her level last night.

 

[aart]

I just got 3 Welsummer chicks that were supposed to be sexed pullets from the feed store and gave them to a broody along with some new hamps. She took to them fine but over the course of the first week 2 got crushed and died. The remaining one is about 6 weeks old now and has quite a bit of comb. Is this normal for the breed. I though it was fairly easy to sex wellies at hatch. She (if it is) hasn't kept pace in feathering with the New hampshires (or size but I think thats a bit normal) Her wing feathers are all stippled like they are supposed to be but I cant really tell if she might be male or not.

I really wanted wellies for the egg color in my basket and will be disappointed if I got a boy. I bought some delaware pullets at the same time and one has turned out to be a boy but there it can be expected. The hamps all look to be pullets.

I can get a pic tonight and maybe someone can tell me if the girl is really a boy.

Another thing Im not sure if its the line or not but the wellies dont seem like the brightest bulbs in the shed. The wellie cant seem to figure out fences and is often left behind at night. Even when watching the hamps she seems just confused. Now when it comes to food she is all over it. I found her hunkered down well away from the coop the night before and last night she was in the pen but not with mama. I have a small prefab coop inside a larger run and mama has been taking the chicks up on the roof of it the last couple of nights due to the heat I think The wellie was inside the run of the coop on the ground while everyone else was on the roof she can get up there I know she has done it before but I had to bring everyone down to her level last night.

By 5-6 weeks a male Wellie should have obvious red wattles...but if you are seeing other developmental slowness, birds may not be of good lineage/health.
Some good clear pics would help.

 

[katatonic123]

I have a wellie girl! My brother found someone selling 11 month olds and he picked one up for me and one for him. Won't physically get her for a few weeks but she's mine!

 

[microchick]

Pictures! Katatonic123! We need pictures!

 

[katatonic123]

This is a pic my brother sent me. Also got a barred rock (since mine from the pullet bin ended up being a boy) and a silver laced wyandotte.

 

[caychris]

It looks like my chick has brown chest feathes with some black Ill have to get a pic tomorrow

 

[aart]

It looks like my chick has brown chest feathes with some black Ill have to get a pic tomorrow

Any black feathering on breast is most likely a male.