Hens Welsumer is a unique breed that is admired not only by farmers, but also by ordinary people who are far from poultry farming. Layers are very attractive, they can boast of tender meat and high egg production.
History of breed origin
Homeland - Holland, the village of Welsum, actually in honor of the place and the breed of chickens was named. The first feathered breeds were obtained from the dorginka and partridge birds that lived in this village.
After some time, the resulting birds were crossed with fighting Malay. The Dorkings gave the Welsummers such a characteristic as large eggs, and from the Malays they received an unusual color of feathers and a dark color of the egg shell.
The breeders were afraid that the dark shell would become lighter over time, and to fix the dark shade, they crossed chickens with the Barnevedealers and Rhode Islands. In 1900, breeders stopped work on crossbreeding and approved the breed standard.
Hens have gone a lot during their breeding, and can boast not only a standard appearance, but also persistent performance indicators. The breed is perfect for residents of cold regions, as birds can tolerate frosts without problems.
Ten years after the appearance of Welsumer, in one of the cities of Germany there was a smaller copy of chickens - dwarf Welsumer. Such birds are suitable for breeding in small areas. As for the conditions of detention, the dwarf individuals are completely similar to large birds - they are not demanding of the premises, can live in cold areas.
Hens begin to bring eggs as early as 4 months. In terms of taste, eggs of large and dwarf breed do not differ. The only difference is the size of the eggs.
Description and characteristics of hens Welsumer
For the first time seeing these chickens, we can assume that they are not thoroughbred, supposedly there are no highlights in them. The birds lack a crest or shaggy legs. But poultry farmers identify several signs that representatives of Welsumer should have.
Appearance of roosters and hens
Females and males are not particularly different in color, the main reason for this is the presence of outbred ancestors. The hens have a darker hue and feathers are a bit lighter, sometimes even golden. The black pattern on the plumage stands out perfectly.
The color of the wings and paws is lighter than the neck, resembles ocher. The tail is dark, most often black. The abdomen is slightly lighter than the back, there are small dark dots on it. The chicken cannot boast of a bright color, the color of the plumage is simple but funny.
The male is a little more noticeable than the female; he has almost black paws. On wings and tail feathers of a green shade are placed. The neck and head are light brown. A distinctive feature is the pattern on the chest, it looks like an unusual mosaic.
As for the plumage, the male and the female have plenty of it. However, it is too close to the body, so it seems that the chicken is not fluffy. There are a lot of fluff under the feathers, so in winter the birds do not freeze.
The body of chickens is not too big, but dense. Muscles are developed in both laying hens and roosters. The back and chest are not narrow, the beak is small, yellow in color. The crest of red color, without features, is small; it does not sink behind the back of the head. The earlobes in males are slightly larger than in chickens.
Character
In appearance, the Welsumer chickens are simple, however, the nature of the birds is very interesting. They owe their character to their ancestors. For example, from fighting birds, chickens have inherited importance, prudence, and a bit of aggressiveness.
On the other hand, the laying hens are good-natured, they are not afraid of people, they like to communicate with them, some birds are given in their hands, they are not afraid of other animals, they calmly relate to almost everything.
Productivity
Representatives of the breed belong to meat and egg groups. One layer is capable of producing up to 200 eggs per year. Birds can also be raised for meat, as they quickly gain weight and can reach 3.5-4 kg.
Puberty and egg production
The main indicators of egg production of this breed are not particularly record, but still they impress many poultry farmers. Each year, one layer brings about 180 pieces, the weight of one egg is about 65 g. This is a good result, especially considering that the bird is bred not only to get eggs, but also for meat.
The shell of a light brown hue, with regard to taste characteristics, it is difficult to answer unequivocally. Everything directly depends on the feed that the hen eats.
Instinct of incubation
Maternal instinct is peculiar to purebred breeds. Hybrids lost it in whole or in part. As for Welsumer, the laying hen is not able to sit offspring. The reason is long breeding and crossbreeding of outbred birds. However, Welsumer can boast superior performance.
The lack of instinct of incubation is a significant disadvantage of the breed, but this can be corrected by purchasing a special incubator or using a brood hen of another breed of chicken.
The Welsumer breed is characterized by a high percentage of fertility - approximately 95%.
Shedding and egg laying break
Shedding for chickens is a common phenomenon, you should not worry about this. Birds change old feathers to new ones. This process lasts about 2 months. Occurs annually. In winter, chickens do not bring eggs.
Birds live for a long time, but they should not be kept for more than 2 years. After this age, the number of eggs decreases significantly, and the taste indicators of meat become worse.
Maintenance and care
Welsumer chickens are common in many countries of the world. They are famous not only for their uniqueness, but also for their low maintenance. Every young farmer, even a beginner, can grow young animals. The Welsumer breed received from the ancestors a strong immunity and resistance to many dangerous diseases. She also has an unpretentious disposition. The bird needs to be provided with standard living conditions, and the farmer will get a healthy and strong number of birds.
House requirements
The chicken coop should fully meet the needs of birds. Despite the fact that the birds are not very large, they still need a large territory. For 1 square. m about 3 birds get along, the more the chicken coop, the better the hens feel. In addition, nests for laying hens are installed in the chicken coop.
If you need advice on how to make a chicken coop yourself, then this article is here.
The main enemies of birds are drafts and dampness. In the chicken room, they should be disposed of. Cover the floor, even if it is made of wood, with straw or hay. Sawdust can be used, only change them regularly so that pathogenic bacteria do not start to multiply in the material.
Chicken droppings contain ammonia, so that it does not harm the birds, the chicken coop should be ventilated. Ventilation is required. Indoors should be feeders and drinking bowls for chickens. They need to be washed and cleaned regularly. Get rid of food debris.
Read an article on how to make a chicken feeder yourself.
In addition to the chicken coop, birds need a walking yard. It will not only help improve health, because they will walk in the fresh air, but will also allow you to additionally refresh yourself with fresh herbs. Chickens on the street looking for forage. In addition, laying hens are considered natural orderlies, they quickly destroy the pests of the site.
A chicken rushes well only if it has enough light. Part of the necessary lighting can be obtained with the help of walks in the fresh air, however, an excellent result will come out with additional lighting of the chicken coop and the walking yard.
Protect a small walking yard with a net so that the kloshi feel comfortable and safe. The height of the net should be about 1 meter, otherwise the birds will quickly fly over the fence and attack the site.
In the courtyard, birds need access to open land so that they can find worms and other insects.
A canopy is required in the courtyard, which will protect the birds from burning sunlight or heavy rain. Build a courtyard on a hill, otherwise stock water will constantly drain into it. If there is no such place on the site, then you will have to put concrete on the ground or make a flooring of wood.
As a canopy, slate, ruberoid or polycarbonate can be used. In an isolated courtyard, drinking bowls and feeders are placed, a trough with ash, sand and shells, it helps chickens to take hygienic baths. In summer, you can make nests in the courtyard in which the birds lay their eggs.
Nutrition
The Welsumer menu is not particularly different from the nutrition of other poultry. Peculiarities of nutrition exist only depending on the age of the chickens, the time of year, the direction of application and the method of keeping.
In the early days, chickens are fed a boiled egg mixed with semolina. On the 3rd day after birth, fermented milk products and mixers consisting of cereal crops are added to the diet. Bran, broth, vegetables, greens and low-fat cottage cheese are added to the food.
Greens should make up about 35% of the total diet, because it contains essential minerals, vitamins. Chickens should be fed every two hours (about 6 times a day), from the 10th day the number of feed intake is reduced to 4.
Adult chickens eat crops. The birds with great pleasure regale themselves with barley, wheat, corn and millet. If the poultry farmer does not have the opportunity to provide them with a range, then add herbs, vegetables and special nutritional supplements to the menu.
Birds also eat wet mixers, make sure that food does not remain in the feeders. If the birds have not eaten their portion, then take the container out of the room, otherwise the food will mix with litter and other garbage.
Use chalk, bone or fishmeal as mineral additives. When raising meat-bearing birds, add combined feeds to the menu, and increase the amount of food. In summer, adult chickens are fed 2 times a day, in winter - 3 times.
Breeding
As early as 4 months, the laying hens bring the first eggs. Roosters and hens reach their maximum weight by one year of age. At this time, and you need to select eggs for breeding.
The chicken will not hatch its offspring, so it is advisable to use a different breed or incubator. Egg fertilization will be high if the eggs were taken from a full-fledged family - 1 rooster and 10 females.
We recommend reading an article about the features of incubation of chicken eggs.
Diseases and their prevention
The breed of chickens Welsumer is famous for its strong immunity. However, without preventive measures it is impossible. Prevention is simple, its basic rules are:
- Clean the chicken house regularly; it should be clean and dry.
- Provide ventilation and adequate lighting.
- Treat all the equipment in the room with a solution of potassium permanganate and potassium.
- Flush holes in the room with an emulsion of malathion (1%).
The first symptoms of the disease are discoloration of feathers, loss of appetite, decreased productivity, weight gain, discoloration of droppings.
Growing chickens
Young growth is born yellow or brown. Chicks develop very quickly; they need a high-quality diet supplemented with vitamins and minerals. But do not overdo it with top dressing, because an excess of vitamin can harm kids.
At the age of 1.5 months, chickens weigh approximately 0.7 kg.
The birds do not need special requirements, but the basic rules for their cultivation should be followed. The coop should be as dry as possible with an excellent ventilation system. The bird does not tolerate damp and cold. In the cold, the chicks get sick and die.
Newborn babies need a brightness of more than 40 lux. As they grow and develop (starting from the 3rd week), lamp burning is reduced to 10 lux.
Adult chickens need lighting of 10 lux, if a family with a rooster is raised, then the indicator is increased to 15 lux. The lighting system should work smoothly, you can not suddenly turn on or off the light.
Advantages and disadvantages
This breed of chickens has both pros and cons. Before breeding birds, these nuances should be considered.
Advantages of the Welsumer chickens:
- unpretentiousness in leaving;
- breeding can be done by a novice farmer;
- Do not need a special diet;
- high fertility (over 90%);
- good survival of young animals;
- precocity of hens;
- average egg production;
- meat characteristics at the highest level.
The disadvantages of the breed of chickens Welsumer:
- lack of maternal instinct;
- wayward character in young males, in some cases their behavior leads to injuries in other chicks;
- rarity (it’s very difficult to buy a purebred bird).
Farmers reviews on the Welsumer breed
Olga, 62 years old, hairdresser, Svyatogorsk.I have been breeding different chickens for a long time, and recently my sister gave me 15 eggs of Welsumer. I really wasn’t really happy, because I thought that their eggs are larger and brighter, in fact they are small and pale. Of these eggs, 8 babies hatched into the world: 1 cockerel and 7 females, in appearance they are simply incredible.
The birds are very graceful, the legs are long. At an early age, the feathered birds are already beginning to show their temper, the birds did not offend anyone, they eat well, the males sometimes fight with other males, but this happens very rarely.
Claudia, 43 years old, librarian, Arkhangelsk.For the first time, hens began to rush at 5 months. At first, the laying hens brought 2 eggs daily, then the pace slowed down a little. The shell of the first batch is light, the rest is brown. As for the character, they are unique, calm and spoiled. Keeping them in your yard is a pleasure.
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Welsumer chickens are considered undemanding and productive. They can be kept in private areas. Today, purebred birds are extremely difficult to find.