Welsummers
Feathers Plus
History Of The Welsummer Breed
The Welsummer breed of chicken has only been known to exist for a little less than a century.
Having been developed near the village of Welsum, near Deventer, Netherlands, in the era post World War 1 as a dual-purpose bird, for both the obtaining of eggs and for their meat.
The Netherlands is known for its abundance of landrace varieties, and it was these varieties that were bred with such existing breeds as the partridge Cochin, the partridge Wyandotte, the partridge Leghorn, and Rhode Island Reds, which then resulted in the current-day Welsummer’s.
Some tend to disagree, feeling that the Brahma breed or even the Malay breed made some form of genetic contribution. Whether they did or not, we will assuredly never know, but the results produced a very durable bird.
Welsummer’s made their entrance onto the chicken scene and were eagerly greeted, at the Hagues World Poultry Congress in the year 1921. After their introduction, the breed made its way to England in 1927 and then was subsequently exported to the United States sometime around 1928.
Welsummer Temperament
Welsummers are known for their intelligence, their calm attitudes, and for being both docile and friendly. Many flock owners have said that their Welsummers will willingly take food from their hands, and they do not see them exhibit any type of problems with territorialism.
Even though this is a sturdy breed of chicken, they do not tend to be over-pushy with other breeds in the flock. Flock keepers would say that they fall somewhere between the middle and the top of the overall pecking order.
With that said, there is a negative to be aware of with this breed—they tend to be quite a noisy bird. They will shout out loud when they are upset or just when they find themselves in the mood.
Welsummers are happy to be able to forage for bugs, and since they are not that great at flying, they can be confined with a minimal amount of fencing to a specific area if needed.
Welsummers are cold hardy birds, and as such prefer the cooler, chilly climates of the North. However, they are apt at tolerating heat as well, as long as they have ample shade or a cool area to get out of the heat.
Egg Production And Broodiness
Depending on which source you access for the information, there is a huge variation as to the numbers when it comes to egg production. The number can range from approximately 160-250 per year. The thing of note is that if the flock has a higher output of eggs, then this indicates that the bird is less “pure.”
Welsummers, like most of the breeds of poultry, will drop or stop egg production altogether over the colder winter months. However, when spring rolls around they are right back in full swing.
As for the egg’s appearance, it should present as a dark, rich, terra cotta brown, and can at times be covered in speckles. When cleaning the eggs, if not handled carefully, the strong pigmentation can be easily wiped off with your fingers.
Welsummers are not a particularly broody breed, and that is a good thing as they are known to be the worst of mothers to their young chickens. If you are thinking of hatching some chicks, it is advised that you find the best broody in your flock, and let her be your go-to hatcher. When it comes to Welsummer chicks, they are an autosexing breed. This means you can tell which sex the chick is minutes after it has hatched.
Autosexing Of Welsummers
The practice of chicken autosexing was first studied in Cambridge, England as far back as the 1920s. by Dr. R Punnett.
During his studies, Punnett discovered that the male of the breed would acquire two genes from the barred, whereas it was learned that the female would only receive one.
It was then that he came up with a theory that the genetic makeup of the chickens, and its control of how the barred color patterns were expressed, would appear different in the male and the female of the breed. He found that the males of the breed were lighter in shade than the females were.
It turned out that his theory held merit, and was eventually proven to be correct. It was after that that he was able to create a method of autosexing other breeds, such as the Cream Legbar.
Welsummer hens will present with a much darker and distinct pattern with a darker head as compared to the roosters which present with a more broken, fuzzier pattern.
At this time, it is estimated that approximately two dozen breeds currently exist in the world that are autosexing.
Lifespan
The Welsummer lives to approximately 9 years of age.
Appearance
The Welsummer is a beautiful, strong chicken whose feathers gleam in the sunlight. They have quite an upright stance, with a flat, long back. Their large comb is bright red, and their legs a vivid yellow - a color that fades into summer.
BACKYARD BEHAVIOUR
- Hardy in Winter: Yes
- Especially Docile: Yes
- Setter/Broody: No
- Personality: friendly, easily handled birds, which love to free range and forage for food but can also be kept in runs quite happily. They do go broody but not usually until late spring and are not particularly good mothers. Chicks are strong and are easily sexed as females have much darker head and back markings than males.
Family Friendly Rating: 3/5
Care
Welsummers should be cared for like any other chicken, and don’t have any special maintenance requirements.
Freshwater and nutritious should be accessible to them at all times, as well as a safe, secure coop for them to roost in, and of course, lay their delicious golden brown eggs! An area for them to dust bathe in is also essential, so they can keep themselves clean and free from parasites.
Welsummers are heavy breeds and have trouble becoming significantly airborne, therefore you shouldn't have much of a problem with any chickens high-tailing it over the neighbor's fence.
Health Issues
Welsummer chickens don’t have any serious health issues particular to their breed apart from the norm. Their large comb means that they can be prone to frostbite if the temperature hits freezing, Welsummer chickens are hardy against winter temperatures, as their heavyweight and European origin means they fare well in the cold. If Welsummers have access to shaded areas, they are also able to handle warm temperatures with ease - as long as they have somewhere to beat the heat!