Bantam Wyandotte

[Eggsakly]

Thanks, brmf. My plain girl, Buffy, had an accident some weeks ago wherein she ended up in a bucket of kerosene. She had to have four baths and stay in the house for almost a whole week before she felt better.

Since that time she has decided she loves me. They all come to greet me up close everyday, but little Buffs in particular, shows a lot of affection now. She gets within three inches of my face to say hello and look in my eyes for a long time when she first sees me.

I think her friend is the one laying eggs right now. Here is a photo of two bantam Wyandotte eggs, and two bantam Brahma eggs. The Wyandotte eggs may get a little larger as the girls mature, but the bantam Brahmas remain a wonder of egg laying and I may need to always have some of them, too. Brahma eggs can be darker than these two, but lighter eggs are common, also.

The eggs shown were weighed on my digital kitchen scale and the two smaller Wyandotte eggs both weigh 1-1/4 oz. The larger Brahma eggs weigh 1-1/2 oz. and 1-5/8 oz, which is the norm for the Brahmas.

 

[Ladybird CA]

She sounds sweet. Are the wyandotte eggs smaller because they are pullet eggs? Do Wyandottes and Brahmas get to be about the same size when full grown?

 

[Eggsakly]

The Brahmas are larger than the Wyandottes, just as the large fowl Brahmas are larger than LF Wyandottes. My Wyandottes are not fully grown, but they won't grow to be much bigger than they are. The Brahmas lay the largest egg of all the bantam breeds. I don't know why, but I've read it a few times. I think the bantam buff Orpingtons lay as large an egg as the Brahmas, because I have also read that, but I don't have experience with buff Orpingtons. I would love to have some bantam Orpingtons, but the single comb in my northern and frigid climate concerns me.

The Wyandotte eggs may get larger, as only one pullet is laying (I think), and because they are just now beginning to lay. However, I still expect them to be smaller than the Brahma eggs, which I think are amazing for bantam eggs.

 

[Ladybird CA]

Yes those eggs look huge for bantam eggs although I've never had a bantam brahma hen before, only roosters that I had to rehome. I live in the north and we get snow- heard that single combs and feathered legs aren't the best idea either although some that really want them find ways to keep them- petroleum jelly on combs/trying to keep feathered feet dry when possible etc. I actually hope to have as many different kinds of bantams one day, maybe one or two of each breed so that is something I will need to consider as well.

 

[Eggsakly]

I would like to add that in looking at two hatchery websites for sizes on the breeds, I found conflicting information. Cackle hatchery lists the bantam Wyandottes as weighing at maturity 40 oz. (roo) and 36 oz. (hen). They list the Brahmas as weighing 38 oz. (roo) and 34 oz. (hen).

Ideal hatchery provides the following weights for the breeds: Wyandottes weigh 30 oz. (roo) and 26 oz. (hen). The Brahmas weigh 36 oz. (roo) and 34 oz. (hen).

The Brahma weights offered by the two hatcheries are close, but the Wyandotte weights show a huge discrepancy in size for the same breed. ??? Is it a mistake or does Cackle have larger bantam Wyandottes than Ideal?

My Brahmas are closer to the larger, heavier size Cackle uses as representative of that breed, and my Wyandottes are closer to the smaller size that Ideal hatchery says is representative, but I'm not sure they are that small. Maybe someday I'll weigh them. Or maybe, I'll order some of those Cackle bantams and be surprised.

 

[Ladybird CA]

I've heard that birds from Ideal from many different breeds tend to be smaller than the standard. Cackle seems to focus more on quality than quantity and that might be the case. I've only ordered from Ideal and was happy with my birds but that's just some of the stuff I've heard. Also Ideal has more varieties so that might just be the average of the different varieties.

 

[Eggsakly]

Well, I've long wanted some Cackle birds, and we may find out in 2018 if their Wyandottes are as large as they say.

I did not like the Columbian chicks I received from Ideal that I had remaining; other Columbians may have been nicer, but mine were way off. They didn't even look like Wyandottes; they had a large wedge-shaped tail, and they had little tiny feathers on their white-pink legs. The blue cockerel had a large area of blue on his otherwise yellow legs, but his feathering was lovely.

The blue-laced reds / their lighter buff version, and the little golden-laced, however, are quite nice looking birds. The little golden-laced is darned near perfect, she is so cute. They have the right shaped everything, including bustle tails, yellow legs, and lovely proportions.

I will keep you posted. I'm saving for an order in the spring.

 

[Robert 1234]

Hello every one. Looking for some info on bantam eggs. Looking to purchase two old English game hens and Wyandotte hens. What would the average ( egg a day ) be per breed.