The Poultry Keeper

stephen · Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2005 8:08 pm Post subject: Welsummers

Thread for Welsummers

NannyP · Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 10:03 am Post subject:

CP · Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 11:41 am Post subject:

They come in bantam size too.

stephen · Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 4:10 pm Post subject:

11 Weeks Old

Partridge Feathering

Gavin · Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 14

hippichick_2005 · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 9 Location: notts

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alison · Joined: 07 Nov 2005 Posts: 28 Location: whitstable, kent

they are all very beautiful but the chap at the top takes all the prizes, hes a stunner!

Mikey · Posted: Fri May 12, 2006 11:25 am Post subject:

fenwoman · Posted: Fri May 12, 2006 10:12 pm Post subject:

My prize winning bantam Welsummers Smile

One of the hens won a lovely rosette for best soft feather light fowl bantam last month.

jaydee67 · Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:34 pm Post subject:

From this

to this

Old Man of the 80's · Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 305 Location: Wittering, UK

A quick question about these girls laying. Do they "dry up"? I used to get a lovely dark brown egg from my one girl almost every day. A couple of months ago, the eggs stopped. Rather than just feeding another mouth, she was earmarked for the pot and I got another three to replace her. (In my world, that maths adds up!!)

I've had these three newbies for just over a week and no sign of any eggs. (They are all girls)

I know I'm probably expecting a bit too much too soon, but all the other girls are laying fine. Is it something about the breed or are they just stubborn?!?

Hen-Gen · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 1:42 pm Post subject:

I know that this will bring howls of protest but I think that there is a general recognition among the stalwarts of this breed that the emphasis on selecting for a good egg colour has led to a decline in productivity over the years. There was a reference to this in a Breedclub Newsletter not so long ago by the Rev Lobb who is a leading breeder of Welsummers.
In order to select for productivity it is necessary to trap nest (which is very time consuming) and to keep very thorough records.
How many folk when selecting a cockerel for breeding pay any attention to the productivity of its mother? No one that I know (and not me either).

Green Pig · Joined: 18 Oct 2006 Posts: 49 Location: Somerset

I was under the impression that Welsummers came in one standard colour- basically the colour shown in the photos above. But i am thinking of going to the Salisbury Auction and have seen that they have a couple of Brown Welsummer lots. Is this just an over description of the colour, or is this a different colour to the "standard"?

Hen-Gen · Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 11:27 pm Post subject:

Welsummers are currently recognised in two varieties. The standard one shown above is referred to as the Partridge though more accurately in genetic terms it should be called the Red Duckwing.
The other recognised variety is the Silver Duckwing.

EGirl · Joined: 01 Nov 2007 Posts: 1008 Location: Dublin, Ireland

Wondering about Welsummers' temperament, just got my first ws hen and she's really wild and terrified of me. she tries to fly out of the pen if I so much as put a bowl of water in there & I worry that she'll hurt herself. I am also concerned that when I allow her out with my other girls, she'll fly off or attack them....

It could be that she had little contact with people in her previous home, the breeder has a large flock and a number of breeds, but I wonder if there is anything I can do to help tame her?