The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[Happy Chooks]

Beautiful! I'm trying to get pics of mine, but we've been having a heck of a rainstorm here.

I want the rain to stop, so I can integrate my babies in with my older flock. They've been in the see but can't touch area for 7 weeks now. I want a nice clear day, so the babies can get out and run away if the others try to peck them.

it goes well, I've never integrated before.

 

[Mountain Sunshine]

Our Wellsummer Cockerel who is 20 weeks just let out his first real crow yesterday when he heard my Siberian Husky Howling from the back porch. It was so funny, it was like he was answering him with his crowing. Granted the crowing needs some work....but he gave it all he had and he looked quite proud of himself!

 

[pinkchick]

Jenny~ I see 2 cockerals in there

3rd to the last photo both of those birds front and center are the boys.
Assuming that is your daughter.....she is precious!

New2chooks~ You are on the right track if they can see but not touch and have been that way for awhile. When I intergrate younger birds into a new coop with older birds I toss them in at night after they have had the see but not touch treatment for about 2 weeks, they should be fine but there will be a pecking order established. Personally, I don't intergrate until they are older like 3 mos, I like to watch them a little longer in the grow out pen until I decide who goes to which pen....ie...a breeding pen or the laying flock, but this is just how I do it. Everyone is different and has their different approaches and tactics. Hope this helps.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thanks. They are 13 weeks old and the cockerals are as big as my hens. And the pullets are starting to change their voice to grown up sounds. We're supposed to have clear weather Wed-Fri, so I'll try it then. I plan on putting them in at night, and my husband added another roost for me, so there won't be fighting over roosting space.

 

[IggiMom]

You know it was funny, but my one Welsummer Roo was WAY smaller than his pullet buddies at first and for a long time. And I was pretty sure he was a roo when he started getting his different colors, but he was still small.

He did catch up, though, and now is quite a bit bigger and very beautiful.

Is that common?

Catherine

 

[Lensters]

Quote:
My experience is that the cockerels do start a little slower than the pullets. I've had a couple that started a lot slower but they didn't stick around long enough for me to see if they would catch up. However, most do start a little slower.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Okay, here's updated pictures of my welsummers. They are 13 weeks old. Please excuse the muddy conditions, as we have been having a really bad rainstorm for the past 2 weeks.

Here is my cockeral, Moose. These pictures do not do him justice. His coloring is gorgeous, but the sun was going down, so all I could get.

And here's 1 of my pullets, Feisty. Cleopatra didn't want to cooperate for a photo op today.

Tonight is integration night. Wish me luck!!!!!

I think the welsummers will be fine, but either my BR cockeral or my buttercup is going to get a butt kicking tomorrow. They still try to go after each other through the wire.

 

[Hozer]

Quote:
I have a heat lamp over their roost area on mine 24/7 and they are laying fine. Started in October and have been ramping up ever since. This is my first time with layers. I got them in the beginning of June and I thought I would have to wait until spring to get any eggs. I was suprised when they started laying at about 5 1/2 months. I have 12 hens and get up to 10 eggs a day....you're talking Alaska in the middle of winter and they have a pretty breezy coop. Although this is a little mis-leading. I live on the coast and it is pretty temperate here compared to more inland. I think with the heat lamp they spend less energy staying warm and have some left over for making eggs.

 

[Lensters]

Quote:
So how did the integration go? I find that the cockerels act a lot tougher when there is wire between them, once they are put together one usually submits and the other leaves the submissive alone as long as he isn't mating a hen. However, I did lose a beautiful cockerel to an old roo once. I wasn't there when it happened but the cockerel had grown to be a little over a pound larger than the roo and had been doing some strutting so I'm guessing the roo decided the youngster was becoming a threat.

 

[lauralou]

Quote:
They are really growing up! I know what you mean about the pictures not doing Moose justice. I've had a hard time getting good photos at all lately due to the sun's angle. At any rate, Moose is a cutie! So is Fiesty.

I hope the integration went well.