Welsummer, Marans, or Barnvelders

[Tailfeathers]

Quote:
I was not able to get Welsummers from a breeder as we had discussed. She said she was having fertility problems so I got impatient and decided to try some Welsummers from four different hatcheries. I had often seen that all Welsummers came from Lowell Barber and figured since they all came from him anyway, it shouldn’t take much to get some good looking SQ birds. (I later found out that there were actually at least three separate Welsummer lines in the USA. Lowell Barber and his friend have/had Netherlands/UK birds. My breeder and Horst Greczmiel had/have German birds. There’s a fifth breeder who was in OR but I have yet to find out who it is or where he got birds from.)

I couldn't have been more wrong! Out of over four dozen chicks (a dozen from each hatchery), I culled them all except for 3 or maybe 4 that I have kept just for eggs that I sell until I can get more chicks to laying age.

Of those four dozen, I got a bunch with stubs, at least one I remember had a half gray foot and a couple others had some gray in their feet, several got white-tipped feathers as they grew older, some laid lousy looking eggs and I don't remember what else right now.

Having said that, here's just a thought that you may wish to consider: It takes the same amount of money to feed a super, good-looking, high quality bird as it does an inferior one.

God Bless,

 

[hoppy]

I had no problems with egg color in my birds so maybe your birds are not related to the ones I got but they certainly are not poor quality in the egg color and personally I don't care what they look like (but they do look like alot of welsummers I've seen online).
so before you buy (and this is for anyone) determine what you want and go from there.

 

[Tailfeathers]

I would agree wholeheartedly with the statement "before you buy (and this is for anyone) determine what you want and go from there". That pretty much sums it all up. If folks would only stop and thing about what they really want before buying birds, it would go a long, long ways in making sure they get what they are truly after.

Hoppy, if you got your birds from a hatchery or feed store (which usually gets them from hatcheries), I can assure you that my birds are not related to yours.

I have two lines now, one German line and one Netherlands/UK line - both of which came from the two of the original five breeders.

God Bless,

 

[deterfam]

I raise Welsummer chicks. I have a small hatching flock but I am in South Dakota.

 

[Redely]

I am looking for dark egg layers. (also some Red Bourbon Turkeys) I have read on this site of some of the horrors that people have had to cull entire orders from hatcheries...plus, I much prefer to do business with farmers and feather fanciers to increase the quality of my coop. I am looking primarily for great egg color and production of either Marans, Welsummers, or Barnvelders - my research shows these breeds lay the darkest, but I am always up for more information and education. I live in Colorado and can't find any locally. I've looked on Craigslist and at the bulletin boards of my local feed stores. I've only had my chickens for 2 years, so I'm still relatively new. I've gone to a few family farms here and got most of my chickens from local folks, hubby knows a "chicken lady" that he sometimes will bring home a random chick...all have been healthy and laying well, continue to produce well in the winter with supplemental lighting, I'm just looking for some darker layers. My niece often takes care of our coop to increase her sense of responsibility. She is a little skittish with the all black chickens, I would be up for some of the french copper marans if you all think they would be the best in egg color, but would like to get her some different birds (that she would think pretty) - if FCM are #1 on the list, then my darling niece can name them all and hopefully they will become her favorites (we don't let her name any currently) Any suggestions on where to find some dark laying chicks in Colorado?

 

[EweSheep]

We dont have that many breeders in the USA for Welsummers but I am sure those dark egg layers would pop up now and then!

 

[Redely]

We dont have that many breeders in the USA for Welsummers but I am sure those dark egg layers would pop up now and then!

Thanks, keeping my fingers crossed for someone that has Marans, Barnevelders, or Welsummers that are in Colorado, I'm not looking for a ton, so shipping could be a problem.

 

[deterfam]

Hi,
I am from South Dakota. I have a small # of dark layers in Welsummer and Cuckoo Maran. I have a small poultry farm and I am licensed with the state as they won't even let you run an incubator without a license.

I can also refer you to a few hatcheries that are close.

 

[SDHeritage]

Where are you from? I would like to get some of you Welsummers also info on the other hatcheries close by.

 

[rockinro]

Hi, Deterfam:

Do you by any chance have any Welsummer chicks that would be available on March 25? I don't know if you ship chicks or maybe just eggs? Can you advise? I am in CA.

Hi,
I am from South Dakota.  I have a small # of dark layers in Welsummer and Cuckoo Maran. I have a small poultry farm and I am licensed with the state as they won't even let you run an incubator without a license.

I can also refer you to a few hatcheries that are close.