Blue Laced Barnevelder vs. Wyandotte

[My Three Chicks]

I love the beauty of the blue lacing pattern. This spring I'd like to add either a Blue Laced Barnevelder or a Blue Laced Red Wyandotte. Any thoughts on which would be better for me? My most important criteria are:
1) friendly and docile (the cuddly the better!)
2) mixed flock friendly (I have 6 girls and will raise the new chick with 1 or 2 others)
3) healthy and long life span (I know this varies with individuals and how they are cared for)

I'm less concerned about egg laying ability.

 

[nuthatched]

All those traits are up to the individual bird, unfortunately.
I do like my Splash laced red Wyandottes from Cacklehatchery, not friendly but not super skittish. I think friendliness it up to the raising.
Even my cockerel is gigantic but a good boy

 

[Rose the Legbar]

Wyandottes have a major hit or miss personality in my opinion. I have one hen that loves to be near me and around me while my other wyandotte hen would avoid me like the plague. They both like to sit on my lap though. They are kind to me but not very nice to their flockmates.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

We have two Blue Laced Red Wyandottes and one Barnevelder (She is not blue laced, I think she is called "black")

Our BLR Wyandottes are super skittish and not the friendliest. They don't even really eat treats from our hand. They are fine with other flock members are rarely get into fights. Middle of the pecking order. (Our other types of Wyandotte are top hens and bossy)

Our Barnevelder is at the bottom of the pecking order. She doesn't like being picked up, but she loves us. She loves her flockmates too, but they don't love her, unfortunately So she just hangs out with us; whenever anyone starts running somewhere, she runs right alongside of them like a dog. (We say she's more puppy then chicken) My favorite hen in the flock!

As for good looks, these two breeds have my favorite coloring out of our whole flock. We get a lot of complements on the BLR Wyandottes.

 

[My Three Chicks]

We have two Blue Laced Red Wyandottes and one Barnevelder (She is not blue laced, I think she is called "black")

Our BLR Wyandottes are super skittish and not the friendliest. They don't even really eat treats from our hand. They are fine with other flock members are rarely get into fights. Middle of the pecking order. (Our other types of Wyandotte are top hens and bossy)

Our Barnevelder is at the bottom of the pecking order. She doesn't like being picked up, but she loves us. She loves her flockmates too, but they don't love her, unfortunately So she just hangs out with us; whenever anyone starts running somewhere, she runs right alongside of them like a dog. (We say she's more puppy then chicken) My favorite hen in the flock!

As for good looks, these two breeds have my favorite coloring out of our whole flock. We get a lot of complements on the GLR Wyandottes.

Aw your Barnevelder sounds super sweet. I'm leaning towards the Barnevelder they seem more consistently friendly. Not sure if the rarer blue laced is different than than the standard black/gold lacing (which is gorgeous too!). Thank you for your input.

 

[nuthatched]

I also have two Barnevelder, they're pretty but they are my most skittish birds, next to my Penciled rocks.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Not sure if the rarer blue laced is different than than the standard black/gold lacing (which is gorgeous too!).

Wyandottes are said to be bossy and are usually the top of the pecking order. We have a Silver Laced and two Gold Laced, as well as the two Blue Laced. Our Gold Laced hen was the top hen and very bossy, and when she passed away, the Silver Laced hen became the boss. She is not as mean to her flockmates, she just likes first pick at the food
(Our other Gold Laced was a rooster. Very sweet to us, but a bit rough with the hens)

As I said before, our Blue Laced Wyandottes are different than the other breeds. Quite skittish, but good temperament. I guess all chickens just differ.

Good luck with your choice!

 

[maralpz2006]

I wonder what i will get if i breed red blue laced wyandottes hen with a mottled rooster

 

[Cammo77]

We recently bought some Blue laced Barnevelder pullets. So far they have a lovely temperament. Bottom of the pecking order but we did get them after a group of 6 pullets and we have 3 older hens. They forage well when free ranging and they're curious but not overly friendly towards us at the moment....which probably has more to do with the older hens always being near us when we're in the coop.

 

[Emmaloveschickens9156]

Wyandottes have a major hit or miss personality in my opinion. I have one hen that loves to be near me and around me while my other wyandotte hen would avoid me like the plague. They both like to sit on my lap though. They are kind to me but not very nice to their flockmates.

Mine is not nice to me or her flock mates