silver laced wyandottes

[speckledhen]

I have had five Silver Laced and one Gold Laced from a hatchery and every one that I kept (sold two younger SLWs at point of lay so no idea what happened to those two) died from internal laying/egg peritonitis, sadly. If I ever decided to get more, I'd get them from a quality breeder so the longevity would be better.

The SLWs were from my original flock and they were friendly, but not needy, and were great layers till their bodies malfunctioned.

 

[Paul Ewing]

We are currently running two sets of SLW. One is our old rooster and four hens and the other is two young roosters and nine hens out of the original group. In my opinion SLW are more protective of their hens than any of the other breeds we have (Buff Orps, Americunas, Barred Rocks, and RIR). They semi friendly. They stay back a bit from you but don't really run. As far as laying, they lay often, but the eggs seem to se on the smaller and lighter brown side. I would say most of the ones we get are Medium to Large.

Cheers,

 

[myfivegirls]

My experience with SLW is that they are friendly once they start laying (in the "teenage stage" - they were more skittish, even though I handled them whenever I had time). They are the biggest/ fluffiest of the pullets, but lay the smallest (1.8 - 2.0 oz) light brown eggs when compared to the Red Stars. I would say they are good layers, comparable to EEs, but not at productive as the RSL. Although the SLW and GLW eggs look identical, so I can't tell if one of them lays better than the other. (In December, the four Wyandottes combined layed: 4 eggs - 12 days out of the month; 3 eggs - 12 days; 2 eggs - 6 days; and only 1 day did I only get 1 egg from the four Ws.)
They have quite the personality and are very pretty. They tend to be quite talkative whenever I come around, and bold when it comes to food or treats. The GLWs were on the top of the pecking order, with the SLWs next, but now they don't seem to peck at one another as much. Esther (the one in my avatar) enjoys flying up onto the coop roof, walking around, then flying back off! Grace, tends to be talkative and is the truest to the breed of the two SLWs I have. I would prefer them to lay larger eggs, as they are the heaviest and largest, but their size should get bigger as they get older. I ordered mine from Murray McMurray, and they don't have the "Japanese-style tail" like Duramaxgirl's SLWs. Actually, their tail feathers are short and "low-profile". The 2 GLWs tend to fly more (wings aren't clipped), especially if their goal is getting into the garden.

They've done well cooped up, but they're usually one of the first to want to go outside, even in cold weather. In fact, the two SLWs even walked in the shallow snow (and the first ones, too), just to get to some bare ground to scratch for bugs and grass. So, they are very cold-hardy, even this past Monday when it was -16F outside and 0F to -8F in the coop = the Wyandottes laid 4 eggs that day!

So, overall, despite smaller eggs during the pullet stage, I like the Wyandottes for a variety, and because they are beautiful.

 

[lindy]

I have two silver laced, they lay small light brown eggs, they dont lay as good as my Australorps did. they are preety though.I think ill go back to my australorps if i get normal size chickens again They probably were from hatchery stock.

 

[fratmor]

I got mine from meyers it was a roo instead of girl my 10% margin of era . but even as a roo he was very sweat and never bothered anyone. I want to try again .I must add it to my list of wants. oh why!are there so many different kinds of chickens.

 

[fshinggrl]

My silver laced wyandottes were skittish & flighty.

 

[gardeningsis]

I have always kept a couple of the SLW in my flock. This year I added 7 hens and a rooster. When they became teenagers I sold the Roo (because I have several banties) and 4 hens. They are a little flighty when they are teens. But once they start laying they calm down. I find them to be easy keepers. The folks who bought the Roo said he is very gentle and looks after the girls. They lay steady and the eggs are medium to large. They are beautifully patterned.

 

[Taylor]

i have 7, 1 year-old Silver Laced Wyandottes, they are just stunning to look at, I have just had them a day now, but the lady that I got them from said they were laying like crazy. so i don't don't know, she said they came from TSC and this spring sometime i'm gonna order some new ones, so yeah, they're good layers!

 

[oldchickenlady]

Quote:
Pictures! I want pictures! I have been craving some since last summer. I intend to get some this spring if at all possible (as in no life traumas or dramas to prevent getting more chickens).