Are Silver Laced Wyandottes generally unhealthy or stupid?

[chickensducks&agoose]

I Love how gorgeous my SLWs are. That said, I have lost a variety of birds this year, one died from i don't know what, within 2 days of delivery, one was drowned by my goose, 2 were eaten by foxes and one got her head stuck in the chicken wire and hung herself. I started out with 20 birds, 8 of which were SLWs... every single chick that died was a SLW... none of the EE's (4 ) died, nor the chanteclers, nor the brahma, nor the Buff Orpington. Is this coincidence? or are these birds less able to survive due to breeding or something else?

 

[the simple life]

I had two and mine were fine from the get go but died suddenly with no symptoms of anything.
They were alot more daring than the rest of my girls.
I named them thelma and louise for all the stunts they would do and how they use to try and fly out of the brooders if you opened it even a crack.
Those girls were crazy but very sweet and egg laying machines.
One morning we opened the coop to let them out to free range and one was dead, no marks on her and all the other hens were fine.
The other one laid down against the side of the coop one night when all of the other hens went back inside for the night.
We left her alone while we refilled the waterers and when we went back to check her she had died.
Again, no other chickens were sick.
The only thing I wonder now was if they could have gotten egg bound and I did not realize it. I am not sure if that breed is prone to any health problems more than others but it sounds like most of yours were incidents.

 

[Katy]

Mine are healthy and not stupid.

 

[Missouri Maiden]

Maybe you just got a bad batch, all of mine are still alive and kicken healthy. And they are as smart as any other chicken out there.

 

[Katy]

It could be that the hatchery's breeder flock yours came from has some issues that it's passed onto their offspring.

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Well, I only have one SLW - got her as a 16 week pullet.

she is healthy, but strange enough that we named her Spazz - and it still fits even after all this time.

She hid in the coop for three months after we got her - would not come out, would not socialize with the other chickens, nothing. Now she has integrated, but she still wanders around constantly chattering to the thin air.

I'm not sure she's all there - but she is sweet

meri

 

[chickenrick]

hey Gang:

i have been keeping only Silver Laced Wyandottes for about five years now. i try to keep 20 hens and one rooster...but you know how that goes. my numbers range from 8-20 anyway.

i don't notice a thing different from any other breed (and i've had other breeds) as far as smarts or disease resistance is concerned. because i live in AZ, in the high desert (cold winters hot summers), i have found them to be pretty hardy, and as "smart" as any other breed that i've had.

i think they're good layers for a number of years. my average egg weight is 68 grams and i have a couple of hens who regularly lay 90+ grams. i don't butcher much, but they are fit to eat (chicken and noodles)

one thing i will say, is that their bright coloring makes them a tad bit more conspicuous to predators.

oh yeah, and i have yet to have one go broody!

that's my two cents!!!

rick

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

Maybe I got a bad batch... Ideal is my supplier of choice, since they are super helpful, and every other breed I've gotten there has thrived and been fantastic. It could be their coloring that makes them more obvious to the fox, and it's possible that these babies were exposed to unhealthy conditions during transport, and maybe the B.O.s and EE's were better able to handle it. I just find it very strange that the only casualties I've had were with my SLWs. Honestly, as beautiful as they are, I'm not too inclined to get more.

 

[Casey3043]

Well, I only have two SLW pullets, acquired as day-olds from Cackle Hatchery. They are now almost 20 weeks. They seem to be pretty smart and adventurous. They are the ONLY ones who fly to the top of the fence and sit there. My fence is five feet, and I have NEVER had any other chickens fly to the top of it. These two do it, and they both do it. Last night they flew up there, and one of their buddies, a BO of the same age, got all agitated and ran back and forth trying to call them back. She obviously couldn't get up there. They walked all along the top of the chain link fence till they came to the junction with the back yard and the garden. One jump the wrong way and they would be either free in the woods or in the back yard with the dogs.

I saw them and went out with some rice krispies for treats---the only thing I could grab in a hurry. I hoped that as soon as they saw the others getting treats, they would come down to join them and jump down on the right side, and they did.

Since I have to go out of town in a couple of weeks, I think some wing clipping is in order. I hate to do that, but I don't want to take a chance on them getting out while the sitter is here.

 

[NCchickenman1958]

being a novice at the art of chicken wrangling, I started out with 2 each of 5 different varieties and have not had any problems with any of them. Included in the 10 are 2 SLW and they are not sickly or dumb at all, although 1 is on the small side or maybe the other is on the large side? who knows but the small one seems to be more independant and if I only count 9 grouped together it always seems to be Runt who is the one missing, she is either in the garden or the compost pile looking for goodies. They both are very beautiful looking specimens and their markings and behavior make them fun to have around.