Welsummer Chicken Eggs: Guide and FAQ

Welsummer chickens are big, fast-growing chickens introduced to us less than one hundred years ago.

They are well-loved by the chicken farming community as low-maintenance and productive birds.

But one of the most treasured traits of the Welsummer chicken is their beautiful, large eggs.

Keep reading to learn about Welsummer chickens’ egg-laying habits and how the eggs look.

welsummer chicken eggs

Are Welsummer Chickens Good Layers?

Welsummer chickens are prolific layers, producing eggs rather frequently and consistently. They also produce larger eggs than most other laying hens due to their body size. While their egg production is not as high as some of the top layers in the chicken world, Welsummers are considered strong layers.

If you’re focused on raising a mixed flock with various egg colors, sizes, and laying abilities, the Welsummer should be in your coop.

These dual-purpose birds are a lovely addition to any backyard flock with their docile temperament and beautiful feathers and eggs.

While Welsummer roosters obviously won’t lay you any eggs, they are well-loved by backyard chicken keepers for their docile temperaments.

As a backyard poultry keeper, it is difficult to find a breed of friendly birds that serve as good layers and acceptable meat birds, where the males are consistently gentle.

However, even if you simply want another laying hen to add to your coop, Welsummers is an excellent choice.

They are not your average egg layers!

What Color Are Welsummer Chicken Eggs?

Welsummer eggs are varying shades of brown with speckles. Usually, the brown speckles on their eggs are very dark in color, while the eggs themselves are lighter. The brown speckles are the defining characteristic setting Welsummer eggs apart from other chicken breeds.

If you aren’t expecting a speckled egg or have not seen one before, you might be startled to find one in the nesting boxes.

Don’t worry, though. Speckled eggs are perfectly safe to eat.

The eggs get their speckled appearance early on in the laying process.

When the egg passes through an organ called the oviduct, it spins.

If it spins too slowly during this process, it will come out with speckles, even in chickens who don’t normally lay speckled eggs.

For Welsummers, these speckles are completely normal.

Some say the speckled appearance is a protective technique developed by the Welsummer and other speckled layers during evolution.

They believe the speckles on light brown eggs help to hide the egg by acting as camouflage from predators.

It would make the eggs harder to see in some environments, especially for aerial predator protection.

How Long Does It Take Welsummers to Lay?

Welsummer chicks start laying between 20 and 25 weeks, or 5-6 months. Their eggs are smaller when they first begin to lay because the hens have not yet reached their full size. So, don’t be surprised to get small or medium size eggs for a few months.

It is also important to remember your chickens might start a little earlier or later than the breed standard.

For example, even healthy chicks will sometimes start laying a bit later if raised in cold climates. 

Plenty of factors play a role in your baby chicks’ development.

So, don’t worry unless your birdies are extremely late.

A small amount of variation is completely normal and to be expected.

When Do Welsummer Chickens Lay Eggs?

Welsummer chickens lay their best during the summer months. They are hardy enough to stay healthy and happy during the winter, even in cooler climates. But they stop laying as the days start to grow shorter.

Install a light in your coop if you want to prolong your Welsummer hens’ laying into the winter months.

It is best to get a light with a timer, so it will shut off automatically at night and turn back on in the morning.

We recommend using something like this timer option on Amazon.

All your hens will lay better during the winter if they have consistent access to 12 or more hours of daylight per day.

But they need darkness to rest at night, so give them at least 6 hours of sleep.

Don’t be surprised if your Welsummers quit laying in November, especially if you live in a cold climate.

How Many Eggs Do Welsummer Chickens Lay Per Year?

Welsummer hens lay anywhere from 160 to 250 eggs in a year, a huge range. This breaks down to about 4 eggs each week, considered good egg production. But, again, the range is huge, so the number of eggs you get each year will largely depend on your hens’ habits.

Something to consider, again, is the climate you live in.

If you live in an area where the winters are long and harsh, your birds will stop laying sooner in the Fall and start later in the spring.

This will decrease their overall egg production for the year.

However, even if they aren’t the most impressive layers in your coop, Welsummer chickens are easily worth keeping around. 

They are docile and friendly birds, for one thing. For another thing, they are one of those heavy breeds that make for good dual-purpose chickens.

They make a good meat breed if you aren’t satisfied with their laying.

They are pretty prolific layers, and you will likely fall in love with your Welsummers the minute you lay your eyes on them!

How Often Do Welsummer Chickens Lay Eggs?

Welsummer chickens lay about 4 eggs per week, which means they lay about every other day. During the winter, they stop laying altogether. But in the summer months, 4 eggs each week is enough to keep you consistently finding beautiful dark brown speckled eggs in your coop.

In fact, during the warmer months, Welsummers will be some of your better layers.

Their egg production for a whole year may seem low compared with some of the best laying hens on the market.

But Welsummer hens frequently lay when the days are long, and the weather is warm.

welsummer chicken broody and eggs

Do Welsummer Hens Go Broody?

Welsummer hens do not tend to be especially broody. They are not likely to spend a lot of time sitting on a clutch of eggs and would rather spend their time exploring. If a Welsummer goes broody, it will likely happen in spring, when they are just beginning to lay eggs again for the year.

If you hope to hatch Welsummer eggs, your best bet is to use an incubator.

The odds of getting your hen to sit on those eggs long enough to hatch them are very low.

However, many chicken keepers look for not too broody birds.

Sometimes broody hens quit laying for days or weeks while sitting on their eggs.

They may also get irritated when you reach your hand to get their eggs and begin pecking and squawking at you.

So, if you are searching for a breed of chicken that doesn’t go broody very often, the Welsummer is for you.

Related Post: Do Welsummer Chickens Get Noisy?

How Long Do Welsummer Eggs Take to Hatch?

Like most chicken breeds, Welsummer chicks hatch at around 21 days. To successfully hatch your eggs, we recommend using a broody hen of a different breed or putting the eggs in an incubator. Welsummer hens are not trustworthy mothers.

Another important consideration when you want to hatch eggs is where you get the eggs.

Online hatcheries are not always reliable. 

So, read reviews and see if the hatchery has satisfied customers who vouch for them.

If you prefer to produce your eggs rather than ordering from online hatcheries, you’ll need a rooster.

The Welsummer rooster is quite friendly compared with many common chicken breeds.

Nobody can guarantee you will have a calm and happy rooster without any behavior issues.

However, many chicken keepers have had good experiences with Welsummer males, saying they are docile and friendly but prefer not to be touched and held.

Therefore, it is entirely up to you whether you bring in a rooster from another farm to fertilize your hens’ eggs or if you keep your Welsummer rooster.

Increasing Welsummer Egg Production

There are many reasons your hens’ laying may slow down. Some examples include an impending predator attack, lack of cool water and plentiful food, health issues such as bumble foot, or a deficit in essential nutrients like calcium and protein.

The factors influencing your Welsummer hens are the same ones influencing the rest of your flock.

Make sure your hens get plenty of water and food with the nutrients they need to lay their best.

When we don’t provide our birds with enough fresh water and chicken feed, it is no wonder they stop laying as well. 

Aside from the basics, check for health issues. Welsummer hens are hardy, but bumble foot is a common problem in chickens, especially heavier breeds.

Check around the coop for predators or set traps if you have a known problem with rodents. A stressed hen will not lay as many eggs as usual.

Otherwise, your hen’s changing habits may be due to age, cold weather, broody behavior, or not having enough light during the day.

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Author

Growing up amidst the sprawling farms of the South, Wesley developed a profound connection with farm animals from a young age. His childhood experiences instilled in him a deep respect for sustainable and humane farming practices. Today, through Farmpertise.com, Wesley shares his rich knowledge, aiming to inspire and educate others about the joys and intricacies of rural life.

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