BLRW STANDARDS How TO KNOW???

Every breed is going to be different. If you are looking at BLRW, if someone is selling you adults off a farm they're probably hatchery quality and you're going to be choosing from a bunch of mediocre birds. That's just fact, and not necessarily a terrible thing. You don't need to start off with $100 chickens when you're just kicking the tires of a breed.

Ignore whether they're blue or splash. Look for the bird to make a heart shape. The head and neck are one half of the heart and then there should be a cushion of feathers that begins just about immediately and rises to the tail. It's not a rounded giant cushion like a cochin, but just a pretty heart shape. Not a "U" shape. The heart continues around the back of the bird and you should see a lovely fluffy bottom. Wyandottes are big, too - unless of course you're getting bantams! - so you should get the impression that the hen is a good armful.

Once you've chosen the ones that are closest to a heart shape. then look for pretty lacing that curves around the entire feather. You are NOT, unless there's a minor miracle, going to get both good body shape and good lacing but try to do the best you can.

Also keep in mind temperament; hatchery Wyandottes have a bad reputation. Breeder Wyandottes are fantastic - my babies in the brooder will run over and climb into my hand and wait to be lifted up to be carried - but hatchery birds can be iffy. If these are going to be pet birds, put temperament first, above shape AND color.

 

I am going to be exclusively raising this type of wyandotte, permanently.. They are great animals, and possibly the MOST beautiful chicken that exists (in my opinion). Here are some great links to get you started..

First: Remember there are 3 varieties of BLRW, splash, black, and blue, learn all about them here:

All around info
http://www.bluelacedred.com/blue black and splash.html
Hatchery vs Breeder (very important info)
http://www.bluelacedred.com/Hatchery or Breeder.html
THE BEST WYANDOTTES IN THE COUNTRY!! (almost EVERYONE, including myself, say so)
http://www.paulspoultry.com/blr.html

Some things i would recommend about this breed:
#1- Always buy breeder quality birds, never buy hatchery.. They are more beautiful, have better genes that have not been over-bred (resulting in better birds for breeding and egg production)
#2- Always get pictures of the stock that you are buying, never take peoples "word" for it.. That way you are never "suprised" and end up getting hatchery quality birds.
#3- A Wyandotte needs to have a wide open tail to be a Wyandotte. When looking for a good Wyandotte look at their tail and try and stay away from tails that are pinched, closed or clam like.
#4- I would recommend buying day old chicks or young pullets/roo's from an experienced breeder. A Local breeder if possible..
#5- Unless you have a broody hen that needs some hatching eggs, i would recommend buying LIVE animals.. BLRW's are not a very popular breed (in the sense that quality ones are easy to come by), and most of the people who breed/raise them are on the east coast coast. If you are lucky, you can buy local high quality BLRW's from someone, but in most cases, the eggs have to travel a long ways to get to you, and shipped eggs are not the best for hatch results.. I have spent over $200 on hatching eggs, and have about 8 birds to show from it.. NOT WORTH IT AT ALL, in my opinion.
#6- BUY LIVE BLRW BIRDS FROM PAUL'S POULTRY.. This is no advertisement for that breeder, but just look at them.. They are so striking!! Buy the minimum order, and whatever ones you don't want, sell to your local populous, and make a profit on them.. I split an order of 45 BLRW's with 4 people (i am Paul's Poultry first order of 2011), and had no trouble selling ALL of the ones i didn't need. In ONE day.. 25 extra ones, in ONE day..

So yeah, that's my 2 cents..