Welsummer chick question.......with PICS

[SeaChick]

Our 2 Welsummer chicks are maturing very differrently than our other breeds.... can anyone with experience comment?

We have RIR and EEs, and 2 Welsummer sexed chicks (all from Meyer by way of MPC). They were all the same size when they arrived, almost 2 weeks ago. Now the 2 Welsummers are MUCH bigger, with MUCH stockier bodies and heavier legs, yet they have MUCH smaller wings and no tails (whereas the EEs and RIR have huge wings and some tail feathers.)

Now, I'd worry that they were both roos, except that I thought Welsummer chicks were supposed to be easy to sex, with black lines on thier chiipmunk stripes, which these two did have.

Is this late feathering/heavy growth simply a Welsummer trait of do you think I got 2 roos?

(They are also a lot less friendly, more wary than the others.)

Here is one of the Wesummers next to one of the EEs for comparison. Notice how much thicker the legs are. She

(?) weighs probably twice what the EEs weigh!

 

[Katy]

Just from the stance I'd vote roo.

 

[jeaucamom]

You will know fro sure before very long. Our Welsummer roos had much darker chest feathers and the hens much lighter ones. Can't really remember about the tails or wings though???? But ours were very flighty and we even hatched them out and gave them lots of attention, but now she is becoming much freindlier at about 8-9 weeks.

 

[SeaChick]

Thanks guys. They both have nearly white breast feathers right now. I am going to be soooooo mad if they are both roos. WE only ordered 5 chicks, if 2 are roos that will be exceptionally bad luck.
Any other comments appreciated. Isn't someone a Welsummer breeder on the BYC?

 

[Katy]

Mothergoose.

 

[Sunny Chook Farm]

My vote is Roo.. from the way it standing.. my welsummer roo is larger then my female chicks (they are 4 wks old).. but they all are very sweet and friendly... we also gave them lot of attention,as you would any babies,

 

[SeaChick]

Oh, man.... no roosters! We can't keep them. They are BOTH the same, so if one is a roo, they both are.

I just called the woman we split our order with, who also got a Welsummer, and she says that hers has thick legs, too.

I find it hard to believe that out of 3 "sexed" Welsummer chicks we collectively ordered, they'd all be roos.... so I am going to just keep my fingers crossed!

Stacey

 

[SeaChick]

OK, here are some more pics.....

RIR, Welsummer, WElsummer:

Welsummer, RIR, WElsummer

RIR, WElsummer, WElsummer

2 Welsummers

Welsummer, RIR

Still think roos?

 

[Katy]

Sorry, but yes.

 

[teddiliza]

In the more recent pics, the fourth picture's middle crouching welsummer looks like my girls did at that age. In the duo Welsummer picture, the one on the right with more 'cheetah type spots' on its head does not look like my girls. It looks like it has thicker legs than the one on the left (girl on left I guess) All my girls have stocky legs and are almost twice the size of the other chicks I have of the same age. Apparently, they mature quickly. They are friendly too, but sure make a lot more noise than my other chicks!

Here's pics when they were about the age of yours.