Tips on Showing Welsummer Hens /What are the Better Qualities.

[Twilia]

Hey there,

I am helping a friend of mine show welsummer hens at our state fair and I would like to know what the best characteristics are to look for. Personally, I value the detailed pattern over rich color... Anyone with experience showing this beautiful breed? Any tips on grooming or such. We have a few months to prepare : )

_twilia ;-)

 

[Twilia]

Damn it. I found an article on conditioning that helps; any personal tips/hacks? We also haven't selected the birds yet. If you know, I have a plethora of darling roos in the bach pad and happen to have three rehabbed welsummer roos; which would be preferable to show, hen or roo? Will have to select and promptly separate to the show pen...

Experience with poultry Showmanship also?
BTW, I will check this thread tomorrow between consultations & animal duties,
thanks.

 

[Amer]

Preferably show both the males and females.
Welsummers are a rectangular bird with a long, flat back and a fairly deep breast. As with all breeds, handle the birds and chose the birds with good muscling over the breast. As with all laying breeds, look for good handling quality on the hens. That means width between the pubic bones and space between the end of the keel and the pubic bones (this area should be soft and pliable, without a heavy fat pad.) The keel should be long and the body should be deep. The back should be wide. All of this is best judged with your hands.
Welsummers should have a long neck and tail. Their tail is higher than most breeds. I'm noticing a mistake in the APA Standard so I went to the bantam. The tail should be at a 60 degree angle males and 50 in females. The tail is long, and unlike in many breeds, it is only slightly spread.
The plumage should be tight and waxy, not fluffy like many other breeds.
Welsummer males have black breasts with red mottling, and their hackle is a deep orange color free from any black striping.
All Welsummer females have straw-colored shafting. This is in my experience easy to achieve. What you really need to work to obtain is black stippling evenly distributed over each deep reddish brown feather. Many birds will have too much red on their shoulders with not enough brown and black. Others will have too much black and instead of fine stippling you get black blotchiness on the feathers.

 

[Amer]

My showmanship video could help you

 

[Amer]

I reuploaded it but better:

 

[Twilia]

thanks for the posts @Amer He is familiar with the basics, actually has shown most his childhood in poultry and has acquired BOS a few times among others. I suggested he show my welsummers at state.

There is a difference between these 'types' of welsummer hens below.
First has a detailed plumage pattern and the second has a rich, smooth color.

Which is better choice?

I hate the thought of judging an animal's value by their body, just these are my flock so I know what the real value is

_Twilia;-)​

 

[Amer]

Neither matches the ideal
They should be reddish brown with even black stippling, neither clear red, nor with a black pattern.

 

[Twilia]

Thanks girl;-) I appreciate your patience and understanding on this.
These are what my hens mostly look like. I have read your post thoroughly but just want to be sure as our ASP module was ruined and the web isn't too accurate.
Some of the hens have 'yellow' colored legs that are a greyish color now. I have a few roos to choose from, although I believe my friend is more interested in showing a hen, he is always open to other opportunities.

Here is a run-down of our options (for the hens)-
A few lay like a copper Maran,
A few lay like a wild bird.

Alot look like this:

and have the narrow tail span.
How about comb size for a female? Mine are mostly short combed, mature adults.


For the roos:
They mostly look like this, only they are several years old, have longer spurs, somewhat darker orange coloring on the hackles, and are totally dark green/black colored underside, chest, and fluff. The roo's have got to have the red mottles on the dark chest? (My camera is out, and this is on a laptop; sorry I can't get pics of my own flock

_Twilia;-)

 

[Amer]

Thanks girl;-) I appreciate your patience and understanding on this.
These are what my hens mostly look like. I have read your post thoroughly but just want to be sure as our ASP module was ruined and the web isn't too accurate.
Some of the hens have 'yellow' colored legs that are a greyish color now. I have a few roos to choose from, although I believe my friend is more interested in showing a hen, he is always open to other opportunities.

Here is a run-down of our options (for the hens)-
A few lay like a copper Maran,
A few lay like a wild bird.
View attachment 4094618View attachment 4094617
Alot look like this:
View attachment 4094619and have the narrow tail span.
How about comb size for a female? Mine are mostly short combed, mature adults.


For the roos:
They mostly look like this, only they are several years old, have longer spurs, somewhat darker orange coloring on the hackles, and are totally dark green/black colored underside, chest, and fluff. The roo's have got to have the red mottles on the dark chest? (My camera is out, and this is on a laptop; sorry I can't get pics of my own flock
View attachment 4094628

_Twilia;-)

That hen looks correct.
The red mottles aren't suuper necessary but the standard prefers them. The comb span doesn't really matter, it's just a medium sized upright comb.

 

[Twilia]

Let me know if you come up with anything else handy

Thanks again, for the help. The show is June 16, '25.
I am encouraging my good friend to opt to do showmanship class also.
If you are interested in how well these ones show, feel free to ask then ;-)


_Twilia