History
The Welsummer is named after the village of Welsum in Holland although the breed was originally developed in the area along the river Ysel, to
the north of Deventer, at about the same time as the Barnevelders (1900-1913). It was bred from the partridge Cochin, partridge
Wyandotte, partridge Leghorn, Barnevelder and Rhode Island Red. The Welsummer was first imported into the UK in 1928 for
its large brown eggs.
Behaviour
Welsummers lay large dark brown eggs. Unlike the Marans egg, the dark brown colour cannot be rubbed off a Wesummer egg.
Welsummers do sometimes go broody but are not particularly good mothers. Chicks are strong and are easily sexed
because females have much darker head and back markings than males. Welsummers are friendly, easily handled birds which love to free range
but can also be kept in runs quite happily. They lay well for three years and live for about nine years. Welsummers are a popular
laying bird and are now fairly common in Britain.
Varieties
Silver duckwing, gold and black-red partridge.
Egg colour: brown to dark brown speckled.
