The Silver Laced Wyandotte Thread

[ducks4you]

Sorry, no pictures, BUT, I was given some birds in April, bought right before Easter as week old-two week old chicks. It took me quite awhile to figure out what breed, but these two are Definitely Silver Laced Wyandottes. I love my EE's and the one hen who is laying bright blue eggs, but I really like what I've read about the hardiness of the SLW's, too. Since I've raised EE's I know that their roosters have shallow combs, but I am wondering about my SLW's, who are now at least 16 weeks old. Neither have combs or wattles, one is an inch taller than the other. About when your SLW roosters start getting their combs? Thanks for the help. If you need photos I'll take some this weekend and post.
I'm keeping them regardless. Might be nice if I have a rooster bc one of my EE hens has been brooding over a nest ALL summer!!

 

[Clucksworth]

Sorry, no pictures, BUT, I was given some birds in April, bought right before Easter as week old-two week old chicks. It took me quite awhile to figure out what breed, but these two are Definitely Silver Laced Wyandottes. I love my EE's and the one hen who is laying bright blue eggs, but I really like what I've read about the hardiness of the SLW's, too. Since I've raised EE's I know that their roosters have shallow combs, but I am wondering about my SLW's, who are now at least 16 weeks old. Neither have combs or wattles, one is an inch taller than the other. About when your SLW roosters start getting their combs? Thanks for the help. If you need photos I'll take some this weekend and post.
I'm keeping them regardless. Might be nice if I have a rooster bc one of my EE hens has been brooding over a nest ALL summer!!

Would like pictures, it's not unusual for SLW not to show any comb/wattle development for a long time. They have rose combs, which if they're true wyandottes their combs should be completely flat and run along the top of the head - protruding very little. Like the combs on these bird diagrams:
:
The SLW matures very slowly and so wattle and comb development is slower than that of other breeds.

Hope this has helped

 

[Clucksworth]

Would like pictures, it's not unusual for SLW not to show any comb/wattle development for a long time. They have rose combs, which if they're true wyandottes their combs should be completely flat and run along the top of the head - protruding very little/ almost completely flat. Like the combs on these bird diagram and a picture of one of my pullets:
:



The SLW matures very slowly and so wattle and comb development is slower than that of other breeds.

Hope this has helped

 

[ducks4you]

Helped a LOT! Thanks!
They really are beautiful birds, and we have been getting about a week of -10 to -20 for the past few winters. No tropical chickens for ME, thank you very much.
I'll get you some pictures this weekend. I culled down to only a handful of EE hens last winter, but my 5 EE hens accepted them into their flock, so...chicken life is good at my place. =D

 

[sideWing]

Your birds appear to have the correct heads and leg colour, but unfortunately they lack wyandotte type ( see the diagram below for what the correct wyandotte type should be). The long back, high tail isn't correct and depth of the chest is lacking in both the cockerel and hen and there tails are a too pinched ( both very common faults in SLW). In addition, the lacing on the cockerel appears to be incomplete ( from what I can see, a front shot would make it easier to see), although the pullet looks to have complete lacing. The pullet's lacing is a little thick, but it's easier to correct thick lacing than thin lacing.

Also, I don't think the cockerel is too white, instead what it seems is he lacks the complete lacing making him appear whiter than he should. I have included a picture of one of my cockerel's that is a little younger than him that has more white colouration.

Personally I think you'd be better off looking to purchase some stock from a good breeder like Jerry Foley ( if you're in the US). His birds are stunning and the type and lacing is fantastic, I don't know of many breeders with birds superior to his. However with some hard work you could probably get the birds looking better a few generations down the line as they're not bad to start with

Hope this has helped, feel free to ask more questions

I have heard Wyandotte need time to grow into their type, but can you tell by 5 months? The tails are becoming less and less pinched as they get older. Here are a few more shots.

Some front lacing.



From the top.


I would really like some Foley birds, but he doesn't ship during the summer, has long waiting lists, and as far as I know does not ship eggs. That being said I will probably try to get a hold of some. He has fantastic SLW and BLR.

 

[sideWing]

What do you mean by correct heads? Are you talking about comb and beak color or is there more than that?

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

I have heard Wyandotte need time to grow into their type, but can you tell by 5 months? The tails are becoming less and less pinched as they get older. Here are a few more shots. Some front lacing. From the top. I would really like some Foley birds, but he doesn't ship during the summer, has long waiting lists, and as far as I know does not ship eggs. That being said I will probably try to get a hold of some. He has fantastic SLW and BLR.

I was lucky and got a cock bird from him this spring. He is beautiful, but breed does have a few feather stubs. I wanted to show him. Is it unusual to do some manscaping? Actually his feather stubs have lacing! Gerry said he showed him and did well, so he must've done some 'scaling. I don't have any chicks of his on the ground. How serious will the stubs be genetically?

 

[sideWing]

I was lucky and got a cock bird from him this spring. He is beautiful, but breed does have a few feather stubs. I wanted to show him. Is it unusual to do some manscaping? Actually his feather stubs have lacing! Gerry said he showed him and did well, so he must've done some 'scaling. I don't have any chicks of his on the ground. How serious will the stubs be genetically?

What do you mean by stubs? On the legs? Any cutting of feathers is not allowed in the APA shows.

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

What do you mean by stubs? On the legs? Any cutting of feathers is not allowed in the APA shows.

Isn't that a DQ for SLWs? How could've he "done well" at shows?

Bad pic, but this is Kiefer.

 

[Gemsbok]

Peppermint has so many looks

The piercing gaze


the indignant dinosaur



the spiral