Description
The Welsummer chicken is a Dutch breed named after the village of Welsum in Holland. Developed in the 1900’s it was first imported into this country in 1928 for its large brown egg. The Welsummer eggs will vary in tints of dark brown eggs and most of the eggs will have a real dark speckled pigment in the egg shell. The Welsummer is a large, upright, active bird with a broad back, full breast, large full tail and a single comb. Welsummers have a docile and friendly personality. The famed Kellogg’s Rooster was a Welsummer chicken. The Welsummer roosters are glorious with their beautiful shades of red and black. They are a fast growing bird and a very rare breed here in the United States. Admitted to the American Standard of Perfection in 1991.
Availability
Available Low Availability Unavailable
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chris.blahut –
Our Welsumers are almost 2 years old now. They are everything we hoped from the breed. All the hens developed into great specimens and get complements on their plumage. They free range and forage all day with a strong preference to live food to feed. Mine developed a sneaky habit of laying in a clump of cast iron plant and try to help neighbors with bug infestations in their leaf litter. Very social and always like company outside but not particularly keen on being handled. No big deal, they’re beautiful garden ornaments. 6 hens produce about 4 eggs a day.
s.kress –
One of the best breeds available in my opinion. Have owned Welsummers in the past and really regret I had to sell them. Recently able to purchase more and decided to use Cackle for the 1st time. Though only 8 weeks old, they have been healthy from the moment they arrived. 7 pullets, 1 cockerel and all are friendly and curious. In my past experience with Welsummers I have known them to be good free rangers due to their feather pattern – great camouflage and alert for predators. They are economical eaters, and their eggs are a beautiful terra cotta, some with speckles. Good layers even in winter. Not lap chickens but definitely not flighty. In the middle of the pecking order (not timid but not bullies either). I am looking forward to seeing how these Welsummers turn out as adults. So far I am very pleased.
Carly Kubinski –
Welsummer’s were part of my second order from Cackle this year. I had sexing issues with 2 other breeds from this order ( I was also short on chicks) aside from all of that headache, I am very impressed with my Welsummers! The chicks were very strong and healthy on arrival. My pullets are absolutely gorgeous, very docile, and are so good with my family. My rooster ( whom I very much wanted) is absolutely stunning. Very impressed with Cackle’s Welsummers!
meagalina –
I ordered 3 female welsummer and I’m pretty sure I got 2 females and a male since they are Autosexing. When I called they said some of their welsummers aren’t Autosexing? I’ve never heard of such a thing, but I’m sure if it ends up being a male, they’ll refund me. I only got 3 though, so I was really counting on their eggs for my business😅 Cackles good at making things right tho! Previously I had only ordered Welsummer from Hoover’s so I’m excited to compare Cackle’s to Hoover’s.
Note: I wasn’t expecting my order until tomorrow am, but I checked the tracking and ended up realizing that they left Nashville at 7 am and we’re sitting at a bigger post office about 45 mins from my home. They weren’t going to deliver them to my local post office until tomorrow morning! So I drove there to get them and everyone was still healthy. So my advice is BE PROACTIVE! Don’t expect the USPS to care at all, check the tracking, call ahead, put in the work and chances are you’ll have a 100% success rate!
birdsonghillfarm –
Welsummers are excellent birds! However, I have noticed on several forums and hatchery sites, customers stating displeasure at egg colors for being less dark than often shown in published photos! As a homesteader type person for almost 50 years I have some experience with chickens that I would like to pass on! The dark brown egg layers usually start out laying lighter colored eggs than they will lay, on average , later on in their life! Egg color tint may be highly variable due to many reasons, genetics, age, feed, general health and more. Size of eggs also usually start out smaller on average than the birds will produce later. Please do not fault the breeder for these natural occurrences, in most cases! Be patient! The darkest eggs and the largest eggs are commonly not produced until the second season of a hens life. BTW! The post office handling of the chicks, is the number one cause of dead chicks on or shortly after arrival!
Erin –
Great Hens!
Our Welsummers are about a year old now, so I can finally write a review!
We ordered 15 last year to help replace our slacker Comets (different hatchery, terrible chickens). Received 17, all survived to adulthood.
Real talk: they’re brown, with brown highlights, and some bronze bits. The hens are not particularly flashy. No one will pull their car over and demand to know the breed. BUT they’re some solid little hens.
We had an actual cat get hold of one and tear her throat up. Shredded her wattle, blood EVERYWHERE. Q’d her for 3 days and she walked it off. They’re tough, hardy, and great layers. None of ours have yet gone broody, and they have the most beautiful dark brown speckled eggs. We have one whose eggs are more brick-colored, one that puts a lavender bloom on her speckles, etc. They forage well, and seem to tolerate Wisconsin winters with no difficulty.
Overall, super pleased with our Welsummers. Even if they’re a bit plain-looking, we love them to death and would 100% recommend them.
ltcajh –
hardy, but aggressive
Rooster attacked humans; even the hens liked to fight. Very hardy birds, and certainly beautiful.
Jryman –
Great chicks
I have ordered chicks from different hatchery’s over the pass 30 years and these were the healthiest, best looking that I have ever seen.
Doc R. –
Eggcellent!
Got a call from our little local P.O. this morn that my Welsummer chicks from Cackle had arrived. Oh boy! The chicks were well packaged with ample shavings and an absorbent pad, huddled and healthy, cheeping in the warm truck on the mountain road home. After introducing them one at a time to water, food and heat, they’re now actively drinking, eating, exploring and resting. They’re particularly curious about the small, sterilized deer antler perch. 🙂 Been some time since I raised chickens on our old six-generation sheep and cattle ranch in the Sacramento Valley, so the sound of chicks in the brooder brings back good memories. As ordered, Cackle provided one rooster (auto-sexed by a blue-green sheen on the head) and four hens (with darker brown striping), with an added hen as a bonus. Most welcome. The chicks were shipped on the date requested and arrived a day early, perfect for the little cluckers. Cackle’s care on a small order for home chickens was eggcellent. Highly recommended. Much obliged, folks!
Doc R. –
Eggcellent!
Got a phone call from my local P.O. this mornin’ that my Welsummer chicks arrived.
Oh boy! They were well packa and arrived safely, cheeping in the warm truck on the mountain road home. After introducing them to water and food, they warmed up under heat and are movin’ ’round ac
Mike Guay –
I love these birds!
My chicks arrived very healthy, and I didn’t lose a single one until the local predators realized I had free range chickens. I will be ordering more soon to add to my remaining 8 birds. Everyone comments on how colorful the roosters are and the hens too. Good egg production, my friends all clamor to buy them from me. Everyone loves the variability of the eggs.
Jo –
Beautiful Hens, Quality Eggs
We ordered 3 Welsummer female chicks this Spring. One was very weak and died soon after unpacking them (though an extra Easter Egger was included in the order), but the remaining two were strong chicks and grew up into very pretty birds. They began laying at 8 months, medium shaded eggs with lots of small, rich, chocolate colored speckles. Very pleased with the eggs, and they sure add variety to the bunch!
opk –
Wonderful eggs
The welsummers I received last spring are beautiful – especially the rooster. The 2 hens I ended up with lay the most gorgeous terra cotta colored eggs with small and large dark brown speckles. A joy to have in the egg basket.
Rita T –
Thanks
I have dealt with other hatcheries in the past. These welsummer chicks arrived in the best shape ever and have grown into the most beautiful hens I ever had. Thanks!
Cj T –
Thanks
We’ve purchased our chicks from Cackle for many years. They are wonderful, and our latest batch was no exception. Not a single loss (except one in shipping). Love the Welsummers!
Robert C –
Thanks
We ordered 50 birds back in july. 15 easter eggers, 10 Jersey giants, 10 Buffs, 5 Leg horns, 5 welsumers, and 5 marans. All of the birds arrived alive which is amazing since we are located in hawaii! I would like to point out that they give you a full list of what you ordered/ got extra which was a really nice touch. We lost one bird at a few days old but Cackle sent us 60 birds instead of 50 so it wasn’t an issue. I would like to mention we ordered 10 roos that were all marked on their heads with paint which was amazing. Fast forward a few months. all of the birds made it besides that one we lost in the first few days. We have a few extra roos that we didnt order but I think they gave them to us because we ordered 5 buff roos and 5 jersey roos but zero egger roos. Also, all of the birds are very healthy and all seem to be growing to breed standards. I couldn’t be happier with my order. I have ordered from other hatcheries in the past and I have had many issues (wrong chickens, dead/ sick birds, bad packaging, the list goes on) none of those issues happened when I ordered from cackle. With all of that being said they are still a hatchery and the birds aren’t going to be the cream of the crop to say but they are damn close! If you want a decent flock with beautiful birds and you don’t want to pay an absurd price to a private breeder cackle is your one stop shop!
4-H Mom –
Welsummers are winners
Beautiful friendly birds that are good layers of beautiful eggs. My daughter shows chickens for 4-H. She has done very well with our Welsummers from Cackle. Her pen of three hens egg production have won grand and reserve champions two years in a row and the hens placed wel, individually in the open class show and won overall reserve champion. I am very pleased with the Welsummer chicks from cackle and will be ordering more
Jeff from Houston –
Hard to pick favorites when their all Great Chickens!,
My Wife and I have order Welsummers from Cackle for several years. My wife loves the big speckled eggs, and I like the well behaved rosters, we currently have 2 guarding our mixed flock of 120-130 hens.
JR –
Beautiful rooster
I have Welsummers from another hatchery my neighbor ordered 25 Welsummers from Cackle Hatchery one turned out to be a beautiful cockerel they gave him to me couldn’t have worked out better I now have 8 hens and and unrelated beautiful rooster.
Griselda –
Healthiest Chicks ever!
I have ordered chicks from other hatcheries before. Most of the time they have arrived in good shape but I have to say that these chicks were practically glowing when I received them. No pasting up, no problems at all.. just bouncy little fluffy girls ready to grow and are they ever! Thanks!
Tavia –
Chicks
I just got one of my Welsummer chicks today, and I’m so excited! So far, she seams very happy and healthy around all her new little buddies. I’ll be sure to update ya’ll on how she’s doing later on.
Tracy –
Great layers, beautiful chicken
I bought 3 chicks and these were the first to start laying out of the 9 chicks total. Talkative, very curious, slightly skittish, not a lap chicken. Lay beautiful large size eggs, all are speckled with different patterns. Everyone always comments and ask which ones are laying that egg. Laying every day now. Great free roamers, mine are fast movers.
Marit, TX –
Lovely chickens
I have had my Welsumers (this is how it is spelled in Dutch) for about two and a half year now. They are a lovely breed of chickens, smart, easy-going, and affectionate in their own way (they will follow me around and talk to me). They are also withstanding the Texas summers better than I’d expected. Their prolific layers and their eggs are very diverse, one lays a really dark brown one, almost red, while another one lays a lighter brown egg with really big dark spots. I have three of them, this year one got broody but the other two kept laying through the summer. I would definitely recommend this breed for their eggs as well as their temper.
angel –
Thanks!
I would like to take the time and thank Cackle Hatchery. My chicks arrived and all alive and healthy. I can say that I will not order from anyone but you. I’ve ordered from other hatcheries and not the same satisfaction that I have with Cackle. Thank you so very much. Will always have my business. Your the #1 best of all.
Brenda –
Still going strong!
I ordered 10 welsummers thru our local feed store that purchased them from Cackle Hatchery. Three years later, they are all still healthy, happy and laying dark brown eggs like champions!
Wlbryce –
Cackle Welsummer
Best chickens we have ever raised, our girls are now 9 years old and still laying everyday.
Just found our receipt from 2008 when we purchased them from Cackle Hatchery.
Extremely hardy breed survives -30F winters here in Montana and are smart enough not to get killed when free ranging.
Kal –
Excellent Customer Service
I received my welsummer and speckled Sussex baby chicks and got two extra, thanks. The baby chicks arrived on time and healthy. Their customer service is excellent and quick shipment too. I will definitely order from them again in the future. Thank You!
James –
Welsumer chicks
Recently I order two differ breads of chicks from Cackle. The bread I wanted most was the Welsummer. Total number of chicks order = 15 number received = 17! All are healthy and beautiful. The service was very quick and when I had questions, the folks at Cackle Hatchery were spot on! Next project….Ducks for the pond!
Sonia –
Very pleased!
We ordered 6 Welsummers and received 7 on time and in excellent, healthy condition. We gave them water with electrolytes right away. Of the 5 breeds we had as chicks, the Welsummers were the most aggressive, pecking at other chicks’ eyes, but after trying lots of suggestions online, they were fine again within a week. They are now about 5 months old and we still have all 7. They just began laying beautiful dark brown eggs, and we couldn’t be happier with them!
Lynn S. –
Very Pleased….
I ordered 20 pullets this past spring of 2016, all arrived healthy around April 20th. Hardy birds, I haven’t lost a single one, although during an attempted predator attack, one 2 month old suffered a broken leg. We didn’t give up on her, nor did she, and within a month she was rehab’d back to complete health ( can’t even tell her leg was ever broken!). We did end up with 1 Rooster, and although at 5 months, he is already a handful, I am glad we have him ! This is a wonderful breed, and I am extremely pleased with the quality from this hatchery!
Susan –
So far so good . So cute!
Just received my 15 chicks. All are alive and eating and drinking Iike crazy. A few look like they may not make it ,kinda lifeless . Hoping they snap out of it. It’s only been a couple of hours. May just be exausted.
Amelia Eggheart –
Smart breed!
I love my Cackle Welsummer and will be getting more! Not a lap chicken, but very smart, very social, very aware and lays beautiful speckled eggs. The base color is a light tan, but the speckles are dark brown and the density of ‘specklage’ determines the overall color of the egg, which means it varies day to day. My first layer at 26 weeks, consistent lay rate of 6 epw, large size eggs. Trainable, knows her name, does tricks for treats, can learn how to get into trouble, very fun. She’s the “lateral lookout” of the flock and lets everyone know what’s going on. Great feed to egg ratio. Like I said, I’m impressed and getting more!
Julie Missouri Aug 2015 –
Thank You
Thank you for our order of chicks, as always they came fine and healthy. We appreciate all your advise and kindness.
Keith Alabama June 2009 –
Cackle Hatchery
Just wanted to say the Welsummer chicks i ordered from you are doing fine. They arrived healthy and I haven’t lost a single bird. i am well pleased and will order more in the future.
Bryant, North Carolina June 2011 –
Cackle Hatchery
The chicks arrived safe and sound this morning. The Post Master called me at 6:55 AM this morning and told me the chicks had arrived. Thank you very much, I was afraid they would be in bad shape or possibly some had not made it due to the hot weather, however thank the Good Lord, they were all alive and seemed to be healthy. They went straight to their water and started eating before I came to work. All is fine. Again I appreciate your prompt and kind service. They are all well and fine this morning and I thank you and your personnel for the help.
Kristen, Arkansas March 2012 –
Attn: Customer Service
I just wanted to let you know that I received the rest of my order of EE’s and 5 Welsummers this morning and they look absolutely perfect. I just wanted to take a moment and let everyone know that I am one satisfied customer and you guys do a good business. You were generous with the amount of extras you put in my order and you very quickly resolved the mixup in my first shipment at no cost to me. Your service reps are always helpful and take care of any issues immediately. Special thanks to Sharyl in that department. You guys just keep doing what you do best and I will be telling my friends about you!
Karen, Florida March 2012 –
Comment on Chicks
This will be the second year ordering from you. My husband and I are happy with the birds from last year and the chicks from this year. The Buff Orps are huge. I have recommended your hatchery on backyardchickens.com and anyone who asks about chicks. Thank you
Doug, Oklahoma March 2012 –
Cackle Customer Feedback
I would like to tell you thank you very much for the healthy chicks. I ordered 50 Barred Rock and got 54, 25 Welsummer and got 27, 25 Cuckoo Marans and got 27, all got her alive and very active! THANK YOU!!! I will be a returning customer.
Barbara, Missouri March 2013 –
Chick Order
Just got our order of chicks and they look wonderful! Thank you for the extra two chicks. I can hardly wait to see what I have They are drinking and eating and chirping happily in the brooder. Thank you for the great care you give in supplying these nice chicks.
Peggy Washington April 2013 –
Chicks
My chicks arrived today. I am so very happy with them. They arrived no worse for the trip and immediately adjusted to their new surroundings. I’ve purchased chicks from other online hatcheries and yours seem more “alive” than the others. I’m very happy with them.
WR Washington April 2014 –
They all arrived in good stead
They arrived in great shape and all alive! Thanks for the wonderful attitudes of everyone I talked and emailed with and for giving a care! God Bless Cackle Hatchery and may you have many more years of success. I know I will be ordering all my poultry from you guys from now on. Best regards
Elmer Michigan January 2011 –
Cackle Hatchery
Received our chicks on the morning of the 10th. All fifteen were in great shape and are doing well. One of the silver laced Wyandottes pullets will attack my wife’s finger every time she puts it near the feeder and wiggles it back and forth. We put a mark on her so we know it is always the same one. We hope to get our order in earlier next year for some Marans. Appreciate the good service. Thank you!
Dawn Wisconsin May 2015 –
Cackle Hatchery
I am anxiously awaiting my chicks. I am so excited. It is my first time to have backyard chickens. I researched many hatcheries and found yours online. I was impressed and very much enjoyed your tutorial of the family business and history of the company. I also liked the videos of the different chicks and information given about the different varieties. I found that very helpful when choosing which varieties I wanted and would be best for us.
Walter, Tennessee May 2014 –
My Order of Welsummer Chicks
I just wanted to let you know that all my chicks are doing great. I have not lost a one and we are going on two weeks this next Monday. They are really super active and are eating like little pigs. Thanks,
Scott Missouri April 2014 –
Cackle Hatchery
I wanted to drop you a line to let you know that my birds arrived safe and sound in addition to being a day earlier than projected. There was 100% survival including the two extras, so that was a bonus. I am pleased with the service Cackle provides. You were quick to response to my emails (usually the same day) and the customer service reps are polite and helpful, even going as far as to assist in choosing an alternate breed for one that was not available so that I could retain my original shipping date. I will be using Cackle for my future orders. Many thanks,
Alonzo California Sept2014 –
Chicks
Thank you so much! Cackle hatchery is the best! I will definitely be recommending to my friends.
Bryant North Carolina May 2011 –
Order
Thank You Mrs Smith. The chicks arrived safe and sound this morning. The Post Master called me at 6:45 am this morning and told me the chicks had arrived. Thank you very much. i was afraid they would be in bad shape or possibly some had not made it due to hot weather, however, thank the Good Lord, they were all alive and seemed to be healthy. They went straight to their water and started eating before I came to work. All is fine. Sorry I bothered you all, I just was concerned about their shipping in hot weather and trusting they had not been misdirected to some other Post Office. Again, I appreciate your prompt and kind service. They are all well and fine this morning and I thank you and your personnel for the help. You have a very efficient group of personnel working for your Hatchery and I always appreciated their kind assistance. Also I trust you all have a pleasant week.