The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[Qi Chicken]

Wow! I ordered on Monday, hope I got the special rate! MY VERY FIRST CHICKENS!!! I love the Welsummers and ordered all the chickens from Estes as they were said to have nice ones. We ordered 5 EE, 2 Welsummers, 2 Barred Rocks, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Black Austrolorps, 2 Silver Laced Wyandottes and 1 Welsummer Rooster. They are due to hatch on April 5. Wish me luck!! The chicken house is done (although not furnished with feeders and deep litter but we don't have the chicken run done yet. I think it will be too muddy in early april so I hope they can handle the great indoors for awhile. Any advice?? We are VERY excited!!

 

[Goose and Fig]

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Congrats! You're going to have a nice colorful flock

I would go over your coop with a "fine toothed comb". Make sure there are no places where predators may be able to sneak in. When I first put my girls outside- I never thought they'd fit through the welded wire (2 x 4) on the run- but they did! Popped right out! Fortunately- they popped back in as well

Get set up for heat as well- especially if you are going to have a brooder outside. The chilly nights of spring can be deadly.

 

[pinkchick]

Amarie~ Welcome!

Congratulations!!!!!! Fabulous choice of birds for your first flock. I adore my Buff Orp's......hoping to experiement this summer with a Splash Orp Roo and a Blue Orp Roo over my Buff gals. My old Barred Rock gals are great layers and Queens of the coop, they are fun to make barred Easter Eggers with and they are great with the new birds or youngins when I intergrate new birds.

Now about those Wellies.........they are going to sweep you off your feet.

 

[pinkchick]

We have one little girl that hatched yesterday morning, she is very lonely and her stuffed animal is not doing the trick....to get her to shut up...... she's snuggled up on my lap wrapped in a fleece blanky with her head peeking out. Pathetic huh? Poor little lonely baby.

2 other eggs are making noise and the others are doing nothing.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Hope you get some more babies out Pinkchick!

I have 4 girls coming from Meyer end of April- but I probably could have waited since my girls are laying now. At least they'll be girls! But if I knew- I would have just ordered all faverolles. I can't believe they are laying- they still look really small to me.

Anybody think there would be wellie chicks at TSC?

 

[pinkchick]

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Thanks, me too! I can't carry her around with me all day.......I wouldn't get anything done. lol!


Can you change your order or is it too late? Will they let you change it?

TSC and Wellies????? Sorry, but I don't think so.
I was in there yesterday and they had Buffs, 2 Wyandottes, Black Austrolorps, EE's, Barred Rocks and a couple of other breeds can't remember what they were.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Ahh- I'll have to look anyway. I might pick up a few orps or rocks if they have them. I thought about changing my hatchery order (they charge you 20 bucks even if the eggs aren't set yet) but I have yet to hatch any wellie girls. Better let the order stand in case I get all roos again! It will give me some different blood as well. C'mon babies!

 

[Qi Chicken]

Thanks for the welcome guys! I will go over the coop as directed. I think the coop will be ok, someone else built it! I'm more worried about the run which we are going to start as soon as the ground is workable. I hope your little guy (or gal) gets a playmate soon pinkchick. Can't WAIT for April 5! BTW, any tips on Welsummer roosters? To handle or not to handle as a chick?? Thanks in advance--

 

[Happy Chooks]

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I chose not to handle. He's very cautious around me. He's only 18 1/2 weeks old, but so far so good. I'd rather have him afraid of me than thinking he's top roo.

 

[pinkchick]

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DEFINITELY HANDLE!!!!!!

I handle every bird I have....ESPECIALLY the BOYS! It just makes it easier if you have to catch them and treat them for illnesses or wounds and helps make them friendlier in my opinion. A person can pick up every rooster I have and do anything to them that you want, they all lay on my lap and do not move if they are being treated for something. Definately handle them. Hope this helps.

ETA: None of my roosters have ever flogged me or come at me, they wouldn't be the brightest crayons in the box if they messed with the person who brings the food. If that happened they would be the food.....I think somewhere back in the corners of their little brain they know that, or it is the old BBQ that is parked next to their pen with select spices waiting for someone to get froggy and jump.

Hatch update: One little roo hatched yesterday and another little girl hatched this morning around 4am. All of the other eggs seem cold. I don't hold out much more hope.

Thanks!