Here are some of my wyans, they are filling out now
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Although I do like the golden laced wyandottes, IMHO GLW are going to give you an uphill battle as a practical homestead bird. They seem to be the smallest of the Wyandotte varieties, they're slow to mature, and I'd say the egg laying is also not super reliable. And the color is difficult.I've got eight GLW pullets hatched in early May, two cockerels from the same hatch, and a rooster who is a year and a half old (he looks terrible right now because he's molting). I also have some Black Australorps, including a cockerel. Originally I was planning to crossbreed (these are all hatchery stock -- I don't show, just have them for eggs and meat, but I like to have nice birds to look at), but right now I'm leaning towards choosing just one breed and sticking with that. I'm leaning towards the GLW's because I like the rose combs for our cold winters, and because I love their coloring. Don't care if they aren't as friendly as some breeds because I don't keep chickens as pets (we have too many predators around here to get attached to individual chickens, and we eat our culls). I was reading on the German New Hampshires thread (the other breed I'm considering, though I'd have to find a source), and it looks like a number of people are purposefully working with them to be practical as well as beautiful homestead birds. Is anyone working with the GLW's that way? Culling for poor laying, selecting for early maturity and good size for meat? I know the lacing makes it harder to work with them as far as their external appearance goes, but I have seen people say many times, first build the barn and THEN paint it, LOL!
Kathleen
I wonder if their color isn't a little dark? BTW, the flash caught her feathers weird. No white.
Thanks to all who help educate me!
I can't wait to find outI have a single GLW hen that is breeder stock....anyway someone in the coop laid a very dark brown egg and she's the only one I can think of who could have done it. All I have is Orpingtons, Australorps and a blue Andalusian besides her...I thought they laid light brown eggs? It's a mystery.....