Wyandottes are a hardy dual purpose breed. This means not only do they perform well in egg laying but they also make a respectable table fowl too. There are over 9 varieties of Wyandottes, however the Silver Laced was the first of the Wyandottes to appear and was closely followed by the Gold Laced variety. The name Wyandotte came about as a tribute to the Wendat or Wyandotte Indian people who had befriended and assisted the white settlers of the area when they first arrived.
Although they had an extinction scare back in the mid s, these days the Wyandotte is thriving and is well suited to backyard life as a quiet, hard-working and beautiful chicken. The Wyandotte is a large bodied bird, like the Brahma. Comb, wattles and earlobes are red. The beak is stout, well curved and horn colored and their eyes are reddish bay.
Their feathers are slightly tight and in the silver laced bird the feathers are black edged giving the appearance of lacing. The Wyandotte is a yellow skinned bird, their shanks are yellow and should be clean of feathers with four toes to each foot. However sometimes a rooster will be born with hen feathering — this means he will have feathers that are the color and shape of the hen bird. Whilst there are nine recognized Wyandotte varieties the Silver Laced should have silver and white feathers only.
Often described as dependable, easy going and cold hardy, this bird was bred with the northern winters in mind. They seem to shrug off the cold well and with their rose comb rarely get frostbite. You will most commonly find these chickens grouped together with their own kind — they are somewhat indifferent to other chickens.
They do enjoy foraging and the exercise of patrolling the yard helps to keep them fit and active. This is a placid and steady bird that is not known for flightiness and will rarely fly. Overall the Silver Laced Wyandotte has a calm and steady demeanor rarely getting excited or flustered about anything. As they keep their own breed they sometimes appear aloof. However they just like to stick with their own kind.
This does not mean they are aggressive. In fact even the roosters are known for being gentle and non-aggressive. However they do not tolerate any nonsense from other birds and will put them firmly in their place. This assertiveness places them mid to upper levels in the pecking order. They are not cuddly or a lap chicken by any means, but they do enjoy some human company and treats.
This breed is known to lay lots of cream or light brown eggs — expect around 4 each week. As for broodiness they are seldom broody however some strains can be broody it is luck of the draw. Apart from the expected egg announcements and the rooster calls they are not known for making much of an uproar. This makes them an ideal bird if you live in an urban setting and have nearby neighbors that may complain.
They shake off the cold and rarely appear under the weather. And if allowed to forage they can be very self-sufficient. One thing you need to pay attention to is heat exhaustion. Because their feathers are very dense they can become overheated in the hot summer months. Also because of this feathering the usual array of parasites such as mites, lice and worms can be troublesome.
Silver Laced Wyandottes also happen to have very fluffy butts so it can get quite dirty back there. Occasionally you may need to trim the feathers to keep them clean.
Also if you are breeding your chickens this fluffiness can sometimes cause fertilization problems, so trimming those feathers can help.
Click here to contact me. Christmas Egg incubator New Articles! Home Breeds Wyandottes. The Wyandotte is a truly American breed, originally named after a native American tribe called the "Wendat". The name was changed by settlers in the 19th Century. The breed standard and diverse colourings and markings were created by crossing a number of breeds together over a number of years.
It remains one of the most popular and most attractive types. It's now one of the most popular chicken breeds all over the world. This is a long, detailed article. Things that might be a problem Where to buy them Useful breed links Videoclip of show quality Wyandottes.
Stunning Golden Laced Wyandotte feathers. My Golden Laced Wyandotte rooster, Spartacus, showing off his healthy rose comb and wattles. It was for this reason that the silver laced Wyandotte was established. Four men, named John Ray, L. Whittaker, Fred Houdlette, and H. Doubleday, established the breed in the s.
The Wyandotte breed standard was first recorded in No one is quite sure what chickens were used to create the Wyandotte breed. Many suspects that dark Brahmas and silver spangled Hamburgs were used. Whatever lineage helped to establish the breed, it is certain that, although there are now several different color variations, the original color was the silver laced variety.
Over time, the silver laced Wyandotte became less popular. People were able to purchase meat and eggs readily, and the Wyandotte did not produce either quickly enough to satisfy the industry demand. Startlingly, the breed began to die out, and for some time it was listed as endangered. These chickens have gray feathers edged in black, which give the chicken an almost mosaic-like appearance.
This coloration is most obvious on the hens. Roosters display the same colors but also have a silver cape, so they appear somewhat paler. The eyes of the silver laced Wyandotte are reddish brown and the combs and wattles, both of which are small, are red. This chicken breed features a double comb. Although some Wyandottes may display a single comb, the single comb does not meet the breed standard.
The beak, skin, legs, and feet of the Wyandotte are yellow. Silver laced Wyandottes are a fluffy chicken breed, with full feathers. The head and neck are erect and alert, and the tail stands relatively tall, giving the chicken an almost circular shape. Female Wyandotte chickens weigh between five and a half and six and a half pounds, while males average about eight and a half pounds. The silver laced Wyandotte chicken is known as one of the friendliest chicken breeds.
Owners often find that their Wyandotte chickens follow them around. They do not like to be petted, but they often stand close to their owners. These birds are gentle enough to work well with children, and they generally do not peck people. They are also considered to be quite calm and are unstressed by loud or close quarters, which makes them an excellent choice for showing.
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