The Silver Laced Wyandotte Thread

[jessr779]

If it was during the daytime I would suspect a hawk.  They only eat the heads (brains) and leave the rest.  If evening then you might be right about the opossum.  Or a raccoon.  Last fall I had hawks attacking by day and raccoons by night.  Lost 7 total chickens and we locked them up for rest of winter.

If it was a hawk there would be a huge pile of feathers. If they had time to eat, there won't be much left to the carcass. If they get scared away, the dead bird may be a good distance away from the feather pile.
I have not had personal experience with any other predators but have heard that raccoons will take head if that's all they can grab from outside the pen. If they get inside they will often kill multiple birds and take just the contents of the crop.

 

[jjrj254]

It was definitely a possum since we have many possums and it was during the night but I finally got a replacement from foley and I am very pleased

 

[ducks4you]

I am sorry for your loss. I'm glad that I came back to this thread. My two hens still haven't laid yet, and they will be 7 months old in a week. My 7 other layers molted and went on strike, and FINALLY I have multiple eggs, as of this morning.
I will let you know when the new girls lay.

 

[Fancychooklady]

It was definitely a possum since we have many possums and it was during the night but I finally got a replacement from foley and I am very pleased

Nice.

 

[jjrj254]

I am sorry for your loss.  I'm glad that I came back to this thread.  My two hens still haven't laid yet, and they will be 7 months old in a week.  My 7 other layers molted and went on strike, and FINALLY I have multiple eggs, as of this morning.
I will let you know when the new girls lay.

I have a 9 month old silver laced pullet that hasn't started laying yet, the cockerel has not even started crowing yet which is odd, I believe they mature slower

 

[jedimomhg5]

If it was a hawk there would be a huge pile of feathers. If they had time to eat, there won't be much left to the carcass. If they get scared away, the dead bird may be a good distance away from the feather pile.
I have not had personal experience with any other predators but have heard that raccoons will take head if that's all they can grab from outside the pen. If they get inside they will often kill multiple birds and take just the contents of the crop.

 

[jedimomhg5]

No huge pile of feathers like you would think. Like I said last fall was bad and we had a raccoon rip a head off one chicken from outside the pen. Then numerous losses by hawk just eating brains during the day. And then the raccoon came in one night and killed multiple. Then we closed up entering pen for rest of the winter. Ending the predators food supply.

 

[ducks4you]

My first brown Silver Laced Wyandotte egg was laid yesterday! (I used to keep RIR's, so it isn't my first Brown egg, lol.)
Still, I was wondering how much feed would be consumed before the payoff.

 

[Fancychooklady]

My first brown Silver Laced Wyandotte egg was laid yesterday!  (I used to keep RIR's, so it isn't my first Brown egg, lol.)
Still, I was wondering how much feed would be consumed before the payoff.

Really no way of knowing. If your birds a experiencing their first soft molt , that would stall the commencement of laying. Protein levels and amino acids in the feed can also be a factor. Mine generally lay by 24 weeks.


http://msucares.com/poultry/management/poultry_feathers.html

 

[acemario]

Hello all! I've been creeping this thread recently, and @sidewing got me more interested in learning about the breed.

Here are some pictures of my single SLW. I would love some critiques on her as SOP goes if anyone is willing. Thanks in advance!