Welsummer Chicken Breed: Complete Breed Profile for Backyard Keepers

If you’re looking for a backyard chicken that combines striking plumage, a calm temperament and egg production, Welsummer chickens are hard to beat!

Originating from the Netherlands, this heritage breed is famous for dark brown, specked eggs that stand out in any egg basket! Known as a dual-purpose breed, Welsummers balance reliable egg production with  medium build, making them perfect for beginner’s backyard flocks and experienced homesteads alike.

In this breed profile, you’ll learn everything you need to know about Welsummer hens, roosters, egg production and care requirements so you can decide if this breed is right for you! 

Key Takeaways

• Welsummers are a heritage breed known for beautiful plumage and rich speckled brown eggs.
• These medium-sized dual-purpose birds are friendly, hardy and live 5-8 years
• Hens are moderate layers, producing 160-250 medium dark brown eggs per year. While they sometimes go broody, they are not known for their mothering abilities.
• Roosters are attractive and not usually aggressive if handled from a young age.
• Welsummers are best suited for: free-ranging, rainbow eggs, families, mixed flocks and dual-purpose birds.
• Adult hens and eggs for hatching are available from specialty breeders.

A Heritage Breed

Welsummer chickens originate from the Dutch village of Welsum, which is how they get their name. Welsummers are a heritage breed that developed in the early 20th century, when the local farmers began selecting chickens for their large, dark brown eggs. The chickens came from local stock, and may include crosses with breeds such as Barnvelders, Rhode Island Reds and Partridge Leghorns, although the exact genetic origins of the Welsummer breed are unknown.

Welsummers were originally bred for richly-coloured brown eggs. However, since commercial egg production now centers on hybrid laying breeds, the maintenance of heritage breeds has largely fallen to show bird breeders, and some Welsummer strains now lay lighter brown eggs due to a focus on breeding for appearance standards rather than egg colour.

Although Welsummers are technically a dual-purpose bird, ideal for small farms and homesteads because they combine good egg production with the qualities of a table bird, their temperament and size means that they are also well-suited to backyard flocks.

Key Features of Welsummer Chickens 

Welsummer chickens are a dual-purpose breed, suitable for meat and egg production. They have a calm temperament if they are used to handling, which makes them well-suited to backyard coops.

Appearance and Size 

Welsummers have a medium build. While they are an acceptable table bird, their build means they need less feed than larger dual-purpose breeds and are better suited to mixed flocks.

Welsummer hens average 2.5-3 kg and are recognisable by their partridge-style plumage, with rich gold-brown feathers outlined in darker shades. 

Welsummer roosters weigh 3-3.5 kg and are the classic farmyard bird, with red and black feathers with iridescent green highlights.

Welsummers have a relatively large, upright single comb. Their comb, wattles and earlobes are red. In addition to the brown partridge variety, there are also silver duckwing Welsummers, but this colouring is less common. 

A further benefit of Welsummer appearance is that day-old chicks can be sexed fairly accurately based on colouring, which can be handy for home breeders. 

Temperament

Welsummers are a calm breed. While they aren't always as friendly as some backyard breeds, they are docile and make good pets provided they are handled from a young age. Sometimes Welsummers are described as skittish or flighty, but this has not been our experience. With regular human contact, Welsummers are friendly and easy to manage, making them suitable for beginning chicken keepers.

Although they are a larger breed, Welsummers are rarely pushy and the hens are almost never aggressive. They can be kept in a mixed-size flock and tend to get on well with other breeds. Provided they have ample free-range opportunities or enrichment, bullying issues are rare among Welsummers. They are good foragers, but do require decent fencing, as they can be good fliers for a larger bird. 

Hardiness

Welsummers are a hardy breed that can adapt to a range of conditions, including both hot summers and cold winters. Welsummers can live 6-8 years and don’t have any noticeable health issues. 

Welsummer Hens and Egg Production

Welsummer hens are calm and attractive birds that produce beautiful speckled, dark brown eggs.  

Egg Laying Ability 

Welsummer hens are moderate but reliable layers, producing 160-250 eggs per year. They are particularly productive in the first couple of years of laying, but can continue to produce for 5 years or more. Egg production tends to slow in winter, although hens will produce year-round in some conditions. For example, we are in the subtropics and while production definitely slows in winter, young hens will still produce a couple eggs a week even when the days are shortest.

Welsummer eggs are medium to large in size with dark brown, often speckled, shells. They are a stunning addition to any rainbow egg carton!

Broodiness and Mothering Instincts

Welsummer hens are not known for broodiness, although it does sometimes occur. This makes them a particularly good choice for year-round egg production, as there are fewer gaps in production caused by broodiness.

In addition, Welsummers are not known for having great mothering abilities. While there is the occasional Welsummer mother hen, it is common for sitting hens to abandon the nest or accidentally crush newly hatched chicks. If you want to breed Welsummers, using a surrogate mother or an incubator/brooder set-up may produce better results. 

Welsummer Roosters

Welsummer roosters are admired for their impressive plumage. They are the stereotypical barnyard rooster and make a lovely addition to a free-range flock.

If handled from a young age and treated gently, Welsummer roosters are generally calm and friendly. Although individual temperament does vary, Welsummer roosters tend to be easier to manage than many other dual-purpose breed roosters.

Welsummer roosters are known for being good breeders and attentive flock protectors who call hens to food and ensure everyone goes in to roost on time. Because of their size, it is important that Welsummer roosters are kept in flocks where the smallest hen is at least Welsummer hen size to prevent breeding injuries.

While Welsummer roosters’ temperament make them suited to backyard chicken coops, they can be enthusiastic crowers, so keep this in mind if you have nearby neighbours!

Why Keep Welsummer Chickens?

Welsummer chickens make a stunning addition to the flock and the egg basket! They are one of the best backyard chicken breeds for:

• Mixed flocks
• Family-friendly chickens that make great pets
• Consistent egg production
• Rainbow eggs
• Free-range chickens
• Small homesteads where excess roosters are used for meat
• Beginner chicken keepers

How to Care for Welsummer Chickens 

Welsummer chickens are easy to care for and have simple needs, including:

• A safe, well-ventilated coop
• A high-quality layer feed
• Free access to shell grit once they begin laying
• Fresh, clean water
• A clean dust bath
• Cool shade

Welsummers do best when allowed to free-range in a yard or run. If they are confined to a smaller space, they will benefit from enrichment activities. Their size and foraging ability mean that plants and gardens may need protection from scratching. Due to their flying ability, Welsummers also need decent fencing!

Good nutrition and coop management will ensure that your Welsummers live long, healthy lives and produce plenty of beautiful, nutritious eggs for many years to come!

Getting started with Welsummers

Welsummer chickens are on the Rare Breeds Trust of Australia Watch List. This means that we need backyard chicken keepers to keep Welsummers in order to maintain breed numbers and prevent the risk of the breed dying out in Australia.

While keeping rare breeds going is vitally important and something that backyard chicken keepers can contribute to, rare poultry breeds are more difficult to get started with because they are less widely available. While Welsummers are sometimes offered for sale by backyard breeders through online forums, there are fewer than 40 Welsummer breeders in Australia and almost none of the larger commercial hatcheries sell Welsummers.

Welsummer eggs, chicks and adult birds can be sourced through some small-scale hatcheries, as well as specialty breeders. The Welsummer Club of Australia is a good starting point for sourcing pure-bred birds from good genetic lines. Look for breeders who focus on maintaining strong genetics and deep, dark brown eggs.

Day-old Welsummer chicks may be available sexed, as differences in colouring mean that feather pattern can be used to sex chicks fairly accurately with a little practice. If you are hatching your own Welsummers, look for more defined stripes on the back and running from the eye in female chicks, and less defined stripes and more ginger colouring on males, as well as missing or blurry stripes from the eye.  

Conclusion

Welsummer chickens combine heritage charm, reliable egg production and striking good looks, making them an excellent choice for backyard chicken coops. Their dark speckled eggs stand out in any kitchen and their docile temperament makes them easy to care for, even for first-time chicken keepers. 

For a breed that offers both beauty and practicality, Welsummers are an excellent addition to any backyard flock. With proper care, they will reward you with years of companionship and a steady suppy of gorgeous brown eggs.

Happy chicken keeping!

Rachael at Dine-A-Chook Australia