Aggressive Wyandotte toward mt D'Uccle

[enola]

My Wyandottes were evil. Their coop was more than large enough. When they werent eating, laying, dusting or roosting, they entertained themselves by roaming the coop like sharks. They terrorized the other hens in the flock.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

I have twp wyandottes and rhode island reds and barred rocks with several other breeds. They have never been agressive same with the others at first they would chase each other when the pecking order was being esablished but since then no problems with any agression. I dont think its the breed but the bird and the area they are kept in. Whether it be the recomended size for hirds it moght not be enough room for that breed. We have 12 sq feet in our coop per bird and 650 sq feet in the fence in area they freerange/spend all day in.

 

[Mrs. K]

Quote: In the summer time, free ranging can really allow you to cheat on your numbers in your set up.

In the winter, though, it doesn't work, because the birds spend so much time roosted up. Mine are roosting well before 4:00 in the afternoon now. That is a long night in a small area. The darkness artificially confines them.

In you coop, you should have 4 birds or less, if you cull the problem bird, that will help both problems. As this is just now a problem, I am thinking that as the birds moved to adult size, the coop became too small, (what was enough space when the birds were younger and smaller is no longer enough space, this is a common problem) and the days became shorter so that the birds were in that too small place for longer and longer periods of time.

MRs K

 

[CherylNJ]

When we purchased the birds we were very green. We spoke in length to the farm where we got them and told them the size of the coop and run. They said we were fine. They even encouraged us to get the bantam because her size. The coop with attached run they tried to sell us was much smaller almost half the size. I guess you live and learn. We plan on rebuilding our coop and run but must make due for now. I will separate the Wyandotte for a week then reintroduce her.

 

[aart]

When we purchased the birds we were very green. We spoke in length to the farm where we got them and told them the size of the coop and run. They said we were fine. They even encouraged us to get the bantam because her size. The coop with attached run they tried to sell us was much smaller almost half the size. I guess you live and learn. We plan on rebuilding our coop and run but must make due for now. I will separate the Wyandotte for a week then reintroduce her.

Indeed...chickens have a sharp learning curve the first year or so but it'll get easier.

I had wicked Wyandottes also, gold laced mixes, both mother and daughter were bullies and biters.
Not sure it really had to do with the breed in general tho.

 

[CherylNJ]

My Wyandotte is a gold laced also. she is very standoffish and antisocial with us and even the other birds. I have no problem with the other breeds and my Bantam. If anything my bantam has really bonded with 2 of the top dogs in the coop. Its funny to see their interaction almost like frick and frack. They sun together, Roost together, and free range together, they are inseparable. the little one will even try to scoot her way under my Jersey Gold like a baby chick would, and they let her... The Wyandotte is a loner and doesn't run with the pack. We are setting up another temporary home for the Wyandotte on the other side of the yard. We will give her a week timeout and see if that changes anything... If not we we will re-home her somewhere...

 

[Spartan22]

Interesting thread! Make sense, I got 5 silver lace Wyandottes, 2 are wearing pinless peepers (aloof ones) that attacked my barred rocks constantly prior to pinless. They were the ones toward the bottom of pecking orders yet super mean to the lowest peckers.
My top hens are the leghorns, a Wyandotte, and 2 Rhode Island reds yet they are not bullies.

I was planning to bring in new chicks, golden & Colombian Wyandottes this spring but having 2nd thoughts after reading this thread. It makes more sense now why I had to use peepers.

 

[TalkALittle]

I wonder if the lacing coloration is difficult to retain when breeding. In dogs, when breeding for coat and color, temperment often takes a backseat. There are lines of really beautiful looking dogs with crappy temperments. There are breeds that have lost their reputation for solid temperments due in part to breeding for form. Perhaps the same has occurred with the Wyandottes? Temperment has been compromised for color?