Welbar

Welbar is a British autosexing chicken created from Welsummer and barred ancestry, most notably Barred Plymouth Rock influence. Its purpose was practical: chicks could be sexed by down pattern early, while mature hens retained the appeal of brown eggs associated with Welsummer breeding. Adult birds usually show barred or cuckoo-influenced patterning rather than the classic plain red-partridge look of a Welsummer.

For flock owners, Welbars are useful where early sex identification, moderate laying, and heritage interest all matter. Autosexing only works reliably when the line is bred correctly, so careless crossing can remove the trait within a generation. Breeders should check chick down, adult pattern, vigor, egg color, and body type together instead of treating the breed as a simple barred Welsummer. Buyers interested in Welbars should ask whether the flock has been maintained as an autosexing line and whether sexing accuracy has been tested in recent hatches.

Colors: Barred, Birchen, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Columbian, Crele, Cuckoo, Duckwing, Gold, Gold Laced, Laced, Lavender, Mille Fleur, Mottled, Partridge, Penciled, Porcelain, Red, Silver, Silver Laced, Spangled, Splash, Wheaten, White