[Little jack]

Hi, i have been given 2 welsumer hens and was told they were about 3 months old.I think they are younger than that as they look really small.How can  :wub:i tell if they are hens or not? I have to keep then in a seperate house and run from my other girls as they are sooo small.I hope thy turn out to be hens as i have always wanted a welsummer.
Regards Jackie.

[joyfull]

could they be the bantam version?

[Little jack]

Maybe - i didn't know you can get a bantam version......lol.

[joyfull]

Oh yes 

[ANHBUC]

I have 6 Bantam Welsummer eggs under a broody Bantam Wyandotte at the moment.  They are due to hatch in about a week.

There are some photos of both bantams and large fowl hens on here. http://wcna.webs.com/pulletshens.htm

The cockerels are much more colourful like the Kelloggs Cornflakes cockerel.
www.freewebs.com/dromorepoultry/apps/photos/photo?photoid=112859685

Hope this helps.   

[Little jack]

Hi, thanks for the pic's.Sadly i have to report that one chick died in the night .....now i am left with one on its own as its far too small to put in with my other girls.Should get some more to go with it or will it be ok on its own??
I will try and get a pic of her or him.

[ANHBUC]

Sorry to hear that you lost one of your birds Little jack.  You refer to them as chicks so if they are that small maybe they are just young birds.  If so they might need to still have heat.  Hope you manage to put some photos on so that their age might be more apparent.

[joyfull]

yes I would get another to go with her, but you need to find out why the other died. Is it as Anhbuc has suggested they are too you to go without heat or is there another problem?

[Little jack]

I think i have done it.How old would you say he or she was?

[ANHBUC]

Not sure, if she is a normal sized hen she is not 3 months old but I don't know how big a bantam would be.  Sure Joyfull or another member will advise you.  To be on the safe side I would put her in a large box or pet carrier indoors where it is warm.  The weather has gone from summer to winter over the last few days so best to treat her as a chick.

If she is cold I would think that she wouldn't be very active and just fluff up her feathers to keep warm.

What size drinker is it in the background so we can gauge her size (1 or 3 ltr)?

[Little jack]

A friend of mine brought them from a farmer's market and was told they were 3 months old.But dont think they were.They didnt seem interested in pellets at all.
So i went out and brought some chick crumb..... which the remaining one is eating.
I feel bad now as one was puffed up yesterday and happs it was feeling the cold.
I will bring the lonely one indoors for a warm.Thanks.

[Little jack]

Drinker is a 1lt.

[ANHBUC]

There are some pictures of welsummer bantams at 10 weeks old on here
http://forums.thepoultrykeeper.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=24114

they look a lot bigger than your chick.

[joyfull]

yes she probably needs growers rather than chick crumb or layers and as you aren't sure if she is large fowl or bantam I would get un-medicated feed (look for small holders or organic range for now). This way if she is older and comes into lay you will be fine with the eggs.
Get her a friend or two as soon as possible for company or you could face problems when trying to introduce her to the others. Bring her into a warmer atmosphere for now  .
Sadly whilst there are many good people selling at these markets a few can be a little bit economic with the truth  

[ANHBUC]

If it is any consolation if it is a Welsummer it looks like a hen rather than a cockerel. 

She looks round like a bantam but that might be with her fluffing her feathers up to keep warm.