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Chicken breed APA Recognized Medium

Welsummer

Dutch partridge breed known for rich terracotta eggs, wild-type plumage, and practical free-range ability.

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Variety gallery

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Primary use

Dual purpose / egg production

Eggs

160-220 eggs/year

Egg color

Dark brown

Broodiness

Low

Notable traits

Terracotta dark eggs
Partridge plumage
Yellow legs
Active free-range habit
And a colorful dimorphic rooster-hen look.

Use in a cross

Use this breed as a sire or dam in the public cross predictor.

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Varieties

Welsummer varieties

Variety-specific images keep the library accurate when one breed name covers several different appearances.

Variety image pending

Red Partridge

Color: Colorful red-black rooster; brown partridge hen

Classic Welsummer variety with a colorful red-black rooster and a neatly penciled brown partridge hen.

Traits: Yellow legs, single comb, terracotta dark eggs, colorful rooster, and well-defined partridge hen patterning.

Variety image pending

Silver Duckwing

Color: Silver duckwing rooster; silver-toned hen

Silver Duckwing Welsummer variety with cooler silver-toned duckwing coloration.

Traits: Yellow legs, single comb, dark egg background, and silver duckwing coloration.

Variety image pending

Gold Duckwing

Color: Golden duckwing pattern

Gold Duckwing Welsummer variety with golden duckwing expression over the active foraging frame.

Traits: Yellow legs, single comb, dark egg background, and golden duckwing coloration.

Quick stat summary

Weights: Hen 5.50 lb | Rooster 7.00 lb

APA status: APA recognized breed

Sexing traits: Auto-sexing

Comb type: Single

Egg size: Large

Origin: Netherlands

Planning notes

Genetics and sexing notes

Auto-sexing: None recorded for purebred chicks.

Sex-linked: None recorded.

Temperament: Active and friendly. Friendliness is generally listed as High. Activity level is generally Moderate-high.

Rooster handling: Roosters may be alert and active. Watch for fence pacing, extra protectiveness, and flighty behavior, especially in smaller pens.

Reference profile

Breed depth notes

Extra breed details used for identification, breed-library accuracy, cross prediction, and better image prompts.

History and standard notes

History: Dutch utility breed known for dark terracotta eggs, active foraging, and classic red partridge plumage. In the RanchOps library, Welsummer is tracked as a dual purpose / egg production breed with roots tied to Netherlands. Its dark brown egg profile, body type, and temperament notes help separate it from similar-looking breeds in flock records and cross predictions. For visual identification, focus on Medium dual-purpose layer body with clean yellow legs and active range ability. Its carriage is best described as alert, active, practical, and moderately upright.

APA: Recognized breed in selected varieties. Red Partridge is the most familiar and important visual type.

Type and structure

Large fowl: Recognized large fowl.
Bantam: Welsummer bantams exist and are kept in exhibition.
Earlobes: Red
Body type: Medium dual-purpose layer body with clean yellow legs and active range ability
Carriage: Alert, active, practical, and moderately upright

Visual identification

Rooster

Roosters should show red-orange hackles and saddle, black breast and tail, yellow legs, single comb, and a sturdy farm-bird body.

Hen

Hens should show warm brown partridge patterning with a strong eye stripe, yellow legs, and practical layer body.

Chicks

Chicks often show chipmunk-style striping in partridge lines; eye stripe and dorsal stripes can be useful early clues.

Common confusions

Can be confused with Brown Leghorn or other partridge layers. Welsummer should look sturdier and is associated with dark terracotta eggs.

Image guidance

Preserve the rooster black breast/tail contrast, hen partridge eye stripe, yellow legs, single comb, and terracotta dark-egg breed identity.

Cross predictor notes

Welsummer contributes brown/dark egg influence, partridge patterning, yellow legs, active foraging, and practical utility type.

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