The Welsummer chicken breed is distinguished by its beautiful brown and red feathers. It is also renowned for its exceptionally high egg production and superior resistance to cold climates. Its friendly personality makes it a favorite for small-scale and backyard chicken production.
History of the Welsummer Chicken Breed
The Welsummer (sometimes spelled Welsumer) is named after the village of Welsum, Holland, and was first imported to this country in 1928. They became popular because of the beautiful dark brown eggs the hens lay. The Bantam Welsummers were created separately in England and Germany in the 1930s.
My Pet Chicken offers both the standard size Welsummer and the Bantam Welsummer.
The Personality of a Welsummer Chicken
The Welsummer chicken breed is a friendly, intelligent and easy to handle bird that likes to roam freely and forage for food, but can also be kept in fairly happy runs. They make excellent pets for beginner chicken keepers or families with children.
The appearance of a Welsummer chicken
When many people imagine the stereotypical rooster, a Welsummer is what they have in mind – it was the same rooster featured on the boxes of cornflakes! Their cavalry and saddles are bright orange and scarlet, with beetle-black tails of iridescent shiny green, like the bars on their wings. The hens are modest, mottled brown, with their camails tinged with golden and black reflections. Even their eyes are a pretty red bay.
The Welsummer chicken breed has simple combs, medium-sized wattles, almond-shaped earlobes and a strong, short beak. The weight of the rooster is 7 to 8 pounds and that of the hen 5 to 6 pounds.
Egg Color and Welsummer Chicken Production
The hens lay large medium to dark brown eggs which are often speckled making them very beautiful! The coloring of the egg is so thick that if you catch it while it’s still wet, you can wipe off some of the browns with a clean cloth! Remember that as with all dark egg layers, the eggs vary in color, becoming lighter as the hens enter full lay and darkening again after a break in laying. egg-laying (like a moult).
Welsummer hens are very good layers! On average, they lay about 4 per week or 150-200 per year. They usually start laying eggs around 20-24 weeks (around 5-6 months).
Welsummer Chicken Care and Health
The Welsummer chicken breed is very hardy and can do well in hot and cold weather. They don’t have any particular health issues and should be cared for like any other chicken in your flock. The average lifespan of the Welsummer chicken breed is 6-12 years.
Do you have Welsummer chickens in your backyard flock? Share with us in the comments below.