Welsummer
Dual purposeNetherlandsBeginner friendly
From the Dutch village of Welsum comes a smart, personable partridge-patterned hen whose eggs steal the show: deep terracotta, often freckled with darker speckles, no two quite alike. Welsummers forage well, tame easily, and give a flock instant farmhouse charm.
Eggs per year
160–220
Egg color
Dark terracotta brown
Egg size
Large
Hen weight
5–6 lbs
Temperament
Friendly and intelligent
Broodiness
Rarely goes broody
Did you know?
Cornelius, the Kellogg's Corn Flakes rooster, is widely cited as a Welsummer — the breed's proud silhouette made it cereal-box famous.
Welsummer egg production
Expect roughly 160–220 dark terracotta brown eggs a year from a Welsummer in her prime — about 3–4 a week, or 13–18 dozen over the course of a year. That makes it a solid, dependable layer. Production naturally dips during the annual molt and the short days of winter, and eases off as a hen ages past her second or third year. Most pullets lay their first egg somewhere between five and eight months old.
Temperament & handling
The Welsummer is generally described as friendly and intelligent. These are calm, people-oriented birds that tolerate handling well and settle into a backyard flock without much fuss — a big part of why they're such a common first breed.
Climate & care
Rated cold-hardy, the Welsummer rides out hard winters well as long as the coop stays dry and draft-free — keep drinking water from freezing and watch combs and wattles for frostbite in a deep freeze. It handles summer heat comfortably too, given shade, cool water, and good airflow.
Broodiness & raising chicks
Welsummerhens rarely go broody, which keeps the eggs coming but means they won't usually raise their own chicks. To hatch, you'll want an incubator — our incubation calculator tracks every step.
Space & feeding
A Welsummer hen is a medium-sized bird at 5–6 lbs. As a rule of thumb, a small flock of 6 would want around 24 sq ft of coop and 60 sq ft of run, with about 2 nest boxes and 5 ft of roost. Size it to your own flock with the coop size calculator, and estimate the monthly feed bill — and your real cost per egg — with the feed cost calculator.
Is the Welsummer right for you?
A great fit if…
- You want a dependable supply of eggs
- You're new to chickens and want a forgiving bird
- You want a calm bird that's good around children
- You'd like dark terracotta brown eggs in the basket
- You want both eggs and a solid table bird
Think twice if…
- You want the absolute maximum egg output
Welsummer FAQ
- How many eggs do Welsummer chickens lay?
- A healthy Welsummer hen lays about 160–220 dark terracotta brown eggs a year — roughly 3–4 a week, or 13–18 dozen over a year. Output drops during winter and the annual molt, and eases as a hen ages.
- What color eggs do Welsummers lay?
- Welsummers lay dark terracotta brown eggs, large in size.
- How big do Welsummer chickens get?
- A Welsummer hen weighs roughly 5–6 lbs — a medium-sized bird — with roosters running a little heavier.
- Are Welsummers cold-hardy?
- Yes. The Welsummer is rated cold-hardy and rides out hard winters well, provided the coop stays dry and draft-free. Keep water from freezing and check combs and wattles for frostbite in a deep freeze.
- Are Welsummers good for beginners?
- Yes. The Welsummer is a forgiving, friendly and intelligent breed that suits first-time keepers well.
- Do Welsummer hens go broody?
- Rarely. Welsummer hens seldom go broody, so they keep laying steadily but won't usually hatch their own chicks.
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